I'm wondering if anyone here has real insight into the economics of his situation at this point. On one hand it seems like his life has been ruined by the state after spending 20+ years in prison, costing his family everything in legal fees, and forever being associated with this murder. I feel like anyone wrongfully convicted (or even just accused) should have some serious recourse but I suspect that there isn't any. On the other hand, can he realistically make out better than most of us (i.e. turning this into a mid-7 or 8-figure fortune and living happily ever after) by getting book / movie / TV / speaking deals now that he's out?
Restitution for a wrongful conviction varies dramatically on a state-by-state basis.
In some states you need a ruling of actual innocence by a court, not just vacation of conviction, to get compensation. That high bar can make it impractical to get compensation. Other states have special boards or commissions that review vacated convictions. Prosecutors declining to re-file charges or even recommending vacation of the conviction is usually a really good sign though - commissions/boards and courts still give them a lot of deference.
The amount varies but federally it is $50k for each year incarcerated. CA is around 50k. WA pays 200k. NV pays 50k/yr for up to 10, 75k/yr for 10+. Some states and the feds have adders if you were on death row: +100k/yr federal, CO +50k/yr on death row. Others have adders for every year on parole or having to register as a sex offender (KS/WA +25k). And some states offer tuition assistance (or full ride), healthcare, counseling services, and so forth.
As for this case... Maryland used to require a pardon from the Governor or a "writ of actual innocence" so in practice it was impossible to get compensation. From 1984-2020 the Board of Public Works only compensated 5 people and from 2004-2019 they didn't accept a single claim. But they changed the process in 2021 to make it easier... now an Administrative Law Judge considers the circumstances and the compensation pays the daily median wage for each day in prison (around 41k/yr). Maryland also now gives healthcare coverage, job training, housing assistance, and so on.
I don't have real insight but I have real hope that your sentiment comes true at least in part, and that Adnan is both exonerated and compensated appropriately. Listening to Serial from episode 1 you cannot ignore the fact that it wouldn't be compelling (or wouldn't have been researched or serialised) if the suspect's guilt was clear and unequivocal.
