DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
LOWER PRICE · STRONGER OBSERVED EARNINGS

Affordable colleges with strong earnings

Colleges that combine below-benchmark annual net price with above-benchmark reported earnings, ranked by earnings.

301qualifying colleges50shown nationally
LOWERMEDIAN EARNINGS · YEAR 5 AFTER COMPLETIONHIGHER
1
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · Private nonprofit
$148,383$20,111 average net price
2
California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA · Private nonprofit
$136,775$16,075 average net price
3
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA · Private nonprofit
$132,900$13,807 average net price
4
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · Private nonprofit
$124,581$19,066 average net price
5
Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · Private nonprofit
$113,450$6,128 average net price
6
Cal Poly Maritime AcademyVallejo, CA · Public
$108,075$20,555 average net price
7
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · Private nonprofit
$107,088$18,809 average net price
8
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA · Public
$104,923$12,116 average net price
9
University of ChicagoChicago, IL · Private nonprofit
$103,328$14,860 average net price
10
United States Merchant Marine AcademyKings Point, NY · Public
$96,303$6,174 average net price
11
University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA · Public
$95,520$13,481 average net price
12
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
$90,815$15,846 average net price
13
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideDaytona Beach, FL · Private nonprofit
$89,839$18,725 average net price
14
Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, MO · Public
$89,551$16,298 average net price
15
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA · Public
$89,413$16,665 average net price
16
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, NJ · Public
$89,013$16,504 average net price
17
South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyRapid City, SD · Public
$86,809$20,183 average net price
18
Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, IL · Private nonprofit
$86,006$18,425 average net price
19
Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI · Public
$85,800$14,182 average net price
20
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Public
$84,656$13,138 average net price
21
University of California, San DiegoLa Jolla, CA · Public
$84,593$12,470 average net price
22
New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologySocorro, NM · Public
$83,712$9,873 average net price
23
Western Governors UniversitySalt Lake City, UT · Private nonprofit
$83,319$12,548 average net price
24
Rice UniversityHouston, TX · Private nonprofit
$81,896$13,370 average net price
25
Colorado State University GlobalDenver, CO · Public
$81,588$16,510 average net price
26
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York, NY · Public
$81,296$3,033 average net price
27
Oregon Institute of TechnologyKlamath Falls, OR · Public
$81,249$15,706 average net price
28
University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD · Public
$80,584$15,678 average net price
29
Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME · Private nonprofit
$79,736$14,398 average net price
30
Virginia Military InstituteLexington, VA · Public
$79,378$17,113 average net price
31
Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, CA · Public
$78,860$7,653 average net price
32
University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL · Public
$78,740$18,796 average net price
33
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL · Public
$78,662$14,355 average net price
34
University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA · Public
$78,604$14,091 average net price
35
University of Washington-Bothell CampusBothell, WA · Public
$78,604$12,319 average net price
36
University of Washington-Tacoma CampusTacoma, WA · Public
$78,604$10,163 average net price
37
Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY · Public
$78,458$18,784 average net price
38
Holy Family UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · Private nonprofit
$78,040$13,143 average net price
39
University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA · Public
$77,498$12,548 average net price
40
Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA · Private nonprofit
$77,321$17,716 average net price
41
Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, SC · Public
$77,277$20,723 average net price
42
University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusWaterbury, CT · Public
$76,632$10,875 average net price
43
University of Connecticut-StamfordStamford, CT · Public
$76,632$16,798 average net price
44
University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusHartford, CT · Public
$76,632$16,403 average net price
45
University of Massachusetts-LowellLowell, MA · Public
$75,948$17,163 average net price
46
Purdue University-Main CampusWest Lafayette, IN · Public
$75,853$14,600 average net price
47
University of DelawareNewark, DE · Public
$75,528$17,799 average net price
48
Rutgers University-CamdenCamden, NJ · Public
$75,436$18,745 average net price
49
Rutgers University-NewarkNewark, NJ · Public
$75,436$19,703 average net price
50
George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA · Public
$75,373$17,915 average net price

The screen uses averages across the eligible national cohort as transparent cutoffs. Net price is institution-wide and varies by family income; reported earnings describe past federally aided cohorts and are not adjusted for program mix or geography.