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
1021Our Lady of the Lake UniversitySan Antonio, TX · Private nonprofit
−68%−$165,988
1022University of Phoenix-ArizonaPhoenix, AZ · Private for-profit
−68%−$158,110
1023Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA · Private nonprofit
−68%−$196,096
1024Lake Erie CollegePainesville, OH · Private nonprofit
−68%−$178,224
1025Messiah UniversityMechanicsburg, PA · Private nonprofit
−68%−$193,258
1026National Louis UniversityChicago, IL · Private nonprofit
−68%−$155,864
1027Pratt Institute-MainBrooklyn, NY · Private nonprofit
−68%−$264,666
1028Indiana University-SoutheastNew Albany, IN · Public
−68%−$143,522
1029Colorado CollegeColorado Springs, CO · Private nonprofit
−68%−$212,790
1030University of Central MissouriWarrensburg, MO · Public
−68%−$161,448
1031Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IL · Public
−68%−$156,954
1032Willamette UniversitySalem, OR · Private nonprofit
−68%−$190,884
1033Thomas CollegeWaterville, ME · Private nonprofit
−68%−$173,960
1034Oglethorpe UniversityAtlanta, GA · Private nonprofit
−68%−$175,696
1035SUNY College of Technology at CantonCanton, NY · Public
−68%−$164,272
1036University of Advancing TechnologyTempe, AZ · Private for-profit
−68%−$200,438
1037Georgia Gwinnett CollegeLawrenceville, GA · Public
−68%−$166,216
1038Northwestern State University of LouisianaNatchitoches, LA · Public
−68%−$160,144
1039Lycoming CollegeWilliamsport, PA · Private nonprofit
−68%−$175,400
1040Kent State University at KentKent, OH · Public
−68%−$179,938
1041University of MemphisMemphis, TN · Public
−68%−$157,168
1042Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaKutztown, PA · Public
−69%−$181,754
1043Baldwin Wallace UniversityBerea, OH · Private nonprofit
−69%−$199,152
1044Western Oregon UniversityMonmouth, OR · Public
−69%−$170,938
1045Delaware Technical Community College-TerryDover, DE · Public
−69%−$155,422
1046Eastern Oregon UniversityLa Grande, OR · Public
−69%−$170,832
1047Bethel UniversityMcKenzie, TN · Private nonprofit
−69%−$158,320
1048La Sierra UniversityRiverside, CA · Private nonprofit
−69%−$249,254
1049Southeastern Oklahoma State UniversityDurant, OK · Public
−69%−$146,396
1050Westminster CollegeNew Wilmington, PA · Private nonprofit
−69%−$179,186
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