Head-to-head comparison
Millikin University vs Monmouth College: which has better ROI?
Option A Decatur, IL
Millikin University
- Net price / year
- $21,989
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,262
- Payback
- 30.3 yrs
Option B Monmouth, IL
Monmouth College
- Net price / year
- $17,133
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,110
- Payback
- 24.9 yrs
Monmouth College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $68,532 in 24.9 years versus 30.3 years at Millikin University, on median earnings of $51,110 vs $51,262 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Millikin University | Monmouth College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $21,989 | $17,133 |
| Total net cost | $87,956 | $68,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,262 | $51,110 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| Payback | 30.3 yrs | 24.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$29,916 | -$13,532 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Millikin University or Monmouth College?
Monmouth College, at $17,133 a year after aid versus $21,989 — a gap of $4,856 a year, or $19,424 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 Millikin University or Monmouth College graduates earn more?
Millikin University graduates report a median $51,262 ten years after entry, $152 more than the $51,110 at Monmouth 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 leaves students with less debt, Millikin University or Monmouth College?
Completers at both borrow a median $27,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
65% of students finish at Monmouth College, against 55% at Millikin University. 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.