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
541The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN · Public
−35%−$89,554
542Trine UniversityAngola, IN · Private nonprofit
−35%−$98,640
543University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia, SC · Public
−35%−$95,604
544CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeBrooklyn, NY · Public
−35%−$71,532
545University of New EnglandBiddeford, ME · Private nonprofit
−35%−$117,418
546Elizabethtown CollegeElizabethtown, PA · Private nonprofit
−35%−$101,242
547University of MaryBismarck, ND · Private nonprofit
−35%−$88,770
548Olivet Nazarene UniversityBourbonnais, IL · Private nonprofit
−36%−$93,556
549Franklin UniversityColumbus, OH · Private nonprofit
−36%−$100,562
550Mississippi University for WomenColumbus, MS · Public
−36%−$82,194
551University of Saint Francis-Fort WayneFort Wayne, IN · Private nonprofit
−36%−$90,974
552Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, MA · Private nonprofit
−36%−$119,698
553Bowie State UniversityBowie, MD · Public
−36%−$92,922
554CUNY New York City College of TechnologyBrooklyn, NY · Public
−36%−$72,588
555University of Massachusetts GlobalAliso Viejo, CA · Public
−36%−$112,476
556Houston Christian UniversityHouston, TX · Private nonprofit
−36%−$95,146
557California State University, Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA · Public
−36%−$79,566
558DeSales UniversityCenter Valley, PA · Private nonprofit
−36%−$111,672
559Saint Peter's UniversityJersey City, NJ · Private nonprofit
−37%−$83,596
560University of HartfordWest Hartford, CT · Private nonprofit
−37%−$110,058
561DeVry University-GeorgiaDecatur, GA · Private for-profit
−37%−$107,306
562Mount Mercy UniversityCedar Rapids, IA · Private nonprofit
−37%−$95,682
563Indiana University-IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · Public
−37%−$83,212
564Misericordia UniversityDallas, PA · Private nonprofit
−37%−$121,270
565Bellevue CollegeBellevue, WA · Public
−37%−$83,120
566University of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, NV · Public
−37%−$81,566
567University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC · Public
−37%−$89,120
568Dominican University New YorkOrangeburg, NY · Private nonprofit
−37%−$128,658
569Saint Francis UniversityLoretto, PA · Private nonprofit
−37%−$101,624
570University of Alaska SoutheastJuneau, AK · Public
−37%−$85,418
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