Head-to-head comparison
Merced College vs Allan Hancock College: which has better ROI?
Option A Merced, CA
Merced College
- Net price / year
- $5,040
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,815
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Santa Maria, CA
Allan Hancock College
- Net price / year
- $5,383
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,786
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Allan Hancock College comes closer — median earnings $42,786 against a $21,532 total, vs $37,815 at Merced College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Merced College | Allan Hancock College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,040 | $5,383 |
| Total net cost | $20,160 | $21,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,815 | $42,786 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$231,060 | -$133,012 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Merced College or Allan Hancock College?
Merced College, at $5,040 a year after aid versus $5,383 — a gap of $343 a year, or $1,372 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Merced College or Allan Hancock College graduates earn more?
Allan Hancock College graduates report a median $42,786 ten years after entry, $4,971 more than the $37,815 at Merced College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
36% of students finish at Merced College, against 26% at Allan Hancock College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.