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
61Chamberlain University-GeorgiaSandy Springs, GA · Private for-profit
+61%+$190,638
62Chamberlain University-VirginiaVienna, VA · Private for-profit
+61%+$190,594
63Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills, CA · Public
+61%+$127,988
64South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyRapid City, SD · Public
+60%+$157,358
65Milwaukee School of EngineeringMilwaukee, WI · Private nonprofit
+60%+$161,548
66Molloy UniversityRockville Centre, NY · Private nonprofit
+60%+$165,532
67Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA · Private nonprofit
+60%+$163,182
68Rice UniversityHouston, TX · Private nonprofit
+58%+$135,480
69Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA · Private nonprofit
+58%+$219,612
70Wentworth Institute of TechnologyBoston, MA · Private nonprofit
+55%+$174,610
71Chamberlain University-CaliforniaRancho Cordova, CA · Private for-profit
+54%+$177,154
72Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyTerre Haute, IN · Private nonprofit
+54%+$189,728
73University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA · Public
+53%+$140,130
74University of Washington-Tacoma CampusTacoma, WA · Public
+52%+$115,388
75Chamberlain University-New JerseyNorth Brunswick, NJ · Private for-profit
+52%+$171,454
76Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA · Private nonprofit
+52%+$183,286
77Oregon Institute of TechnologyKlamath Falls, OR · Public
+49%+$119,666
78University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit
+49%+$153,120
79Clarkson UniversityPotsdam, NY · Private nonprofit
+49%+$147,600
80Colorado State University GlobalDenver, CO · Public
+49%+$119,840
81Dominican University of CaliforniaSan Rafael, CA · Private nonprofit
+48%+$153,928
82Chamberlain University-ArizonaPhoenix, AZ · Private for-profit
+48%+$163,006
83University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD · Public
+47%+$113,128
84University of Washington-Bothell CampusBothell, WA · Public
+47%+$106,764
85Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME · Private nonprofit
+46%+$109,768
86Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA · Private nonprofit
+44%+$117,920
87George Washington UniversityWashington, DC · Private nonprofit
+42%+$138,076
88University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle, WA · Public
+42%+$99,676
89Holy Family UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · Private nonprofit
+42%+$97,828
90Manhattan UniversityRiverdale, NY · Private nonprofit
+42%+$121,396
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