DegreeVerdict
ROI Calculator
BACHELOR’S-REPORTING COLLEGES · ILLUSTRATIVE 10-YEAR SCENARIO

Best ROI colleges in America

Ten years of reported earnings premium, measured against four years of net price plus earnings forgone while studying.

1,616eligible colleges$45kcomparison earnings
LOWER10-YEAR ROIHIGHER
1
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · Private nonprofit
+297%+$773,386
2
California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA · Private nonprofit
+276%+$673,450
3
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA · Private nonprofit
+274%+$643,772
4
Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont, CA · Private nonprofit
+237%+$767,254
5
Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · Private nonprofit
+235%+$479,988
6
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA · Private nonprofit
+211%+$539,546
7
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA · Public
+162%+$370,766
8
Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY · Private nonprofit
+154%+$410,110
9
United States Merchant Marine AcademyKings Point, NY · Public
+151%+$308,334
10
Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofit
+148%+$455,894
11
University of ChicagoChicago, IL · Private nonprofit
+144%+$343,840
12
Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD · Private nonprofit
+143%+$365,644
13
Cal Poly Maritime AcademyVallejo, CA · Public
+141%+$368,530
14
University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA · Private nonprofit
+139%+$411,184
15
Maine Maritime AcademyCastine, ME · Public
+127%+$348,454
16
University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CA · Public
+116%+$271,276
17
SUNY Maritime CollegeThroggs Neck, NY · Public
+114%+$308,482
18
Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA · Private nonprofit
+114%+$336,464
19
Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH · Private nonprofit
+112%+$333,184
20
West Coast University-MiamiDoral, FL · Private for-profit
+105%+$326,814
21
West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange CountyAnaheim, CA · Private for-profit
+104%+$325,454
22
Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, MA · Public
+102%+$271,992
23
Babson CollegeWellesley, MA · Private nonprofit
+101%+$345,544
24
Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY · Private nonprofit
+100%+$295,810
25
Duke UniversityDurham, NC · Private nonprofit
+99%+$294,262
26
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York, NY · Public
+89%+$170,828
27
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
+88%+$214,766
28
Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO · Private nonprofit
+85%+$228,286
29
Bentley UniversityWaltham, MA · Private nonprofit
+82%+$272,790
30
Stevens Institute of TechnologyHoboken, NJ · Private nonprofit
+82%+$283,836
31
Missouri University of Science and TechnologyRolla, MO · Public
+82%+$200,318
32
Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, VA · Private nonprofit
+81%+$222,696
33
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA · Public
+80%+$197,470
34
Colorado School of MinesGolden, CO · Public
+80%+$235,530
35
Kettering UniversityFlint, MI · Private nonprofit
+79%+$252,430
36
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, NJ · Public
+79%+$194,114
37
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTroy, NY · Private nonprofit
+78%+$252,728
38
Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT · Private nonprofit
+77%+$210,512
39
New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologySocorro, NM · Public
+76%+$167,628
40
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideDaytona Beach, FL · Private nonprofit
+76%+$193,490
41
Chamberlain University-NevadaLas Vegas, NV · Private for-profit
+75%+$215,098
42
University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN · Private nonprofit
+74%+$211,880
43
Michigan Technological UniversityHoughton, MI · Public
+72%+$171,272
44
Chamberlain University-MichiganTroy, MI · Private for-profit
+72%+$211,210
45
University of California, San DiegoLa Jolla, CA · Public
+72%+$166,050
46
Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA · Private nonprofit
+72%+$235,586
47
Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · Private nonprofit
+72%+$213,182
48
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Public
+71%+$164,008
49
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MA · Private nonprofit
+70%+$244,856
50
West Coast University-OntarioOntario, CA · Private for-profit
+68%+$258,610

The ranking includes currently operating colleges with reported bachelor’s-level programs, at least 500 students and annual average net price of $1,000 or more. It does not model taxes, wage growth, living costs or completion risk.

TAKE THE SAME RANKING LOCAL

Best ROI colleges by state

Every state page uses the same data-quality screen and economic-investment formula as the national ranking.

ALAlabamaAKAlaskaAZArizonaARArkansasCACaliforniaCOColoradoCTConnecticutDEDelawareDCDistrict of ColumbiaFLFloridaGAGeorgiaHIHawaiiIDIdahoILIllinoisINIndianaIAIowaKSKansasKYKentuckyLALouisianaMEMaineMDMarylandMAMassachusettsMIMichiganMNMinnesotaMSMississippiMOMissouriMTMontanaNENebraskaNVNevadaNHNew HampshireNJNew JerseyNMNew MexicoNYNew YorkNCNorth CarolinaNDNorth DakotaOHOhioOKOklahomaOROregonPAPennsylvaniaRIRhode IslandSCSouth CarolinaSDSouth DakotaTNTennesseeTXTexasUTUtahVTVermontVAVirginiaWAWashingtonWVWest VirginiaWIWisconsinWYWyoming