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
451Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, IL · Private nonprofit
−27%−$77,646
452Concordia University-Saint PaulSaint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit
−27%−$67,388
453Rhodes CollegeMemphis, TN · Private nonprofit
−27%−$78,260
454Elon UniversityElon, NC · Private nonprofit
−27%−$92,150
455Franklin and Marshall CollegeLancaster, PA · Private nonprofit
−27%−$86,930
456University of Missouri-Kansas CityKansas City, MO · Public
−27%−$63,500
457California State University, NorthridgeNorthridge, CA · Public
−27%−$56,914
458Xavier UniversityCincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit
−27%−$85,388
459St. John Fisher UniversityRochester, NY · Private nonprofit
−27%−$81,250
460Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, SC · Private nonprofit
−28%−$70,278
461Christian Brothers UniversityMemphis, TN · Private nonprofit
−28%−$60,736
462Saint Mary's CollegeNotre Dame, IN · Private nonprofit
−28%−$78,168
463MidAmerica Nazarene UniversityOlathe, KS · Private nonprofit
−28%−$86,130
464Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA · Public
−28%−$71,624
465Northwest UniversityKirkland, WA · Private nonprofit
−28%−$75,242
466Peirce CollegePhiladelphia, PA · Private nonprofit
−28%−$64,072
467Hobart William Smith CollegesGeneva, NY · Private nonprofit
−28%−$86,312
468West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV · Public
−28%−$68,576
469Robert Morris UniversityMoon Township, PA · Private nonprofit
−28%−$77,032
470Texas A&M University-VictoriaVictoria, TX · Public
−28%−$60,206
471Washington & Jefferson CollegeWashington, PA · Private nonprofit
−28%−$79,488
472Gannon UniversityErie, PA · Private nonprofit
−28%−$76,732
473Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FL · Public
−28%−$63,978
474Wabash CollegeCrawfordsville, IN · Private nonprofit
−29%−$79,874
475Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX · Public
−29%−$73,810
476Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw, GA · Public
−29%−$69,212
477University of Saint MaryLeavenworth, KS · Private nonprofit
−29%−$77,906
478California Lutheran UniversityThousand Oaks, CA · Private nonprofit
−29%−$86,716
479Endicott CollegeBeverly, MA · Private nonprofit
−29%−$99,036
480Andrews UniversityBerrien Springs, MI · Private nonprofit
−29%−$67,288
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.
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