Menlo vs. Hood

Comparable Facts

Compare Menlo College in Atherton, CA with Hood College in Frederick, MD on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Hood College is larger than Menlo based on total student enrollment (2,101 students vs. 810 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Menlo College is located in Atherton, CA (Large Suburban setting); Hood College is in Frederick, MD (Small City setting).
• Menlo College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Hood College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Menlo College 14:1; Hood College 10:1.

Menlo vs. Hood Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Menlo or Hood? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Hood College than Menlo ($23,350 vs. $32,563).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hood College are 11.2% lower than at Menlo College ($16,200 vs. $18,236).
• Menlo College is 12.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Hood (about $5,930 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $47,700.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.4% higher at Menlo than at Hood College (about $5,930 more per year; $53,630.00 vs. $47,700.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Menlo College as at Hood College (100% vs. 100%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 3.2% larger than aid received by Hood College students ($39,174 vs. $37,957).

Menlo vs. Hood Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Menlo or Hood? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Hood and Menlo.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Menlo - Test-free; Hood - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Menlo Apr 1, 2027; Hood Aug 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Hood students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Menlo (3.3).
• Hood has a higher acceptance rate (77.8%) than Menlo (68.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 5.3% at Menlo vs. 12% at Hood.

Menlo vs. Hood Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Menlo and Hood? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Hood College's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Menlo College's (34%).
• Graduates from Menlo College earn a median of about $6,600 more per year than Hood graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,900 vs. $47,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Menlo College graduates have a $5,938 lower median loan debt than Hood graduates ($21,062 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Menlo graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Hood graduates ($217 vs. $279).
• More Hood graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 55%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.