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Is Menlo College worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Menlo, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Menlo sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $76,419 helps, but median debt of $21,750 plus yearly net price of $31,100 creates a tighter path. For context, Menlo's net price runs about 23% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$28,158
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $5,321 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $21,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is manageable, but it makes the aid offer matter a lot.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$31,100
Median earnings 10 years out
$76,419
Median debt at graduation
$21,750
Graduation rate
52%
At Menlo, a typical graduate carries about $21,750 in student debt and earns roughly $76,419 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $247 per month, or 4% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Menlo is a private nonprofit four year school in Atherton, CA. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Biola
La Mirada, CA
Worth-It Score: 50/100
Median net price: $31,495
Private nonprofit 4-year
Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, CA
Worth-It Score: 70/100
Median net price: $30,378
Private nonprofit 4-year
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
Worth-It Score: 80/100
Median net price: $30,365
Private nonprofit 4-year
California Lutheran
Thousand Oaks, CA
Worth-It Score: 64/100
Median net price: $30,109
Private nonprofit 4-year
University of Redlands
Redlands, CA
Worth-It Score: 66/100
Median net price: $30,031
Common questions about Menlo
The median net price at Menlo is $31,100 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in California? See the most affordable private colleges in California →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →