Head-to-head comparison
Mercy College of Ohio vs Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati: which has better ROI?
Option A Toledo, OH
Mercy College of Ohio
- Net price / year
- $17,989
- Earnings, 10 years
- $65,409
- Payback
- 4.2 yrs
Option B Cincinnati, OH
Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati
- Net price / year
- $28,785
- Earnings, 10 years
- $61,480
- Payback
- 4.4 yrs
Mercy College of Ohio has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $71,956 in 4.2 years versus 4.4 years at Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati, on median earnings of $65,409 vs $61,480 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Mercy College of Ohio | Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,989 | $28,785 |
| Total net cost | $71,956 | $57,570 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $65,409 | $61,480 |
| Median debt | $20,834 | $24,166 |
| Payback | 4.2 yrs | 4.4 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $269,024 | $204,830 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Mercy College of Ohio or Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati?
Mercy College of Ohio, at $17,989 a year after aid versus $28,785 — a gap of $10,796 a year, or $14,386 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 Mercy College of Ohio or Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati graduates earn more?
Mercy College of Ohio graduates report a median $65,409 ten years after entry, $3,929 more than the $61,480 at Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati. 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 leaves students with less debt, Mercy College of Ohio or Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati?
Mercy College of Ohio: its completers carry a median $20,834 in federal loans versus $24,166 at Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati, a difference of $3,332. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
57% of students finish at Galen College of Nursing-Cincinnati, against 56% at Mercy College of Ohio. 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.