Head-to-head comparison
Mitchell College vs Cortiva Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A New London, CT
Mitchell College
- Net price / year
- $30,260
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,115
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cromwell, CT
Cortiva Institute
- Net price / year
- $34,436
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,866
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Mitchell College comes closer — median earnings $39,115 against a $121,040 total, vs $34,866 at Cortiva Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Mitchell College | Cortiva Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $30,260 | $34,436 |
| Total net cost | $121,040 | $137,744 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,115 | $34,866 |
| Median debt | $25,150 | $11,259 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$305,940 | -$407,624 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Mitchell College or Cortiva Institute?
Mitchell College, at $30,260 a year after aid versus $34,436 — a gap of $4,176 a year, or $16,704 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 Mitchell College or Cortiva Institute graduates earn more?
Mitchell College graduates report a median $39,115 ten years after entry, $4,249 more than the $34,866 at Cortiva Institute. 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, Mitchell College or Cortiva Institute?
Cortiva Institute: its completers carry a median $11,259 in federal loans versus $25,150 at Mitchell College, a difference of $13,891. 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?
85% of students finish at Cortiva Institute, against 42% at Mitchell 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.