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
1111Oral Roberts UniversityTulsa, OK · Private nonprofit
−74%−$207,800
1112Valley City State UniversityValley City, ND · Public
−74%−$168,070
1113Northwestern CollegeOrange City, IA · Private nonprofit
−74%−$209,538
1114Bethel College-North NewtonNorth Newton, KS · Private nonprofit
−74%−$230,658
1115Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville, AL · Public
−74%−$175,926
1116Rasmussen University-IllinoisRockford, IL · Private for-profit
−74%−$192,816
1117Berry CollegeMount Berry, GA · Private nonprofit
−75%−$200,620
1118Millikin UniversityDecatur, IL · Private nonprofit
−75%−$200,036
1119University of Central ArkansasConway, AR · Public
−75%−$183,974
1120University of Rio GrandeRio Grande, OH · Private nonprofit
−75%−$205,984
1121University of Mount OliveMount Olive, NC · Private nonprofit
−75%−$191,532
1122East Texas Baptist UniversityMarshall, TX · Private nonprofit
−75%−$206,814
1123Rasmussen University-FloridaOcala, FL · Private for-profit
−75%−$201,036
1124Florida SouthWestern State CollegeFort Myers, FL · Public
−75%−$157,058
1125University of South Carolina AikenAiken, SC · Public
−75%−$170,294
1126Dordt UniversitySioux Center, IA · Private nonprofit
−75%−$213,048
1127Fisher CollegeBoston, MA · Private nonprofit
−75%−$215,676
1128Central Penn CollegeSummerdale, PA · Private for-profit
−75%−$192,532
1129Bowling Green State University-FirelandsHuron, OH · Public
−75%−$188,340
1130University of Northern ColoradoGreeley, CO · Public
−75%−$189,190
1131University of Central OklahomaEdmond, OK · Public
−75%−$190,996
1132Lees-McRae CollegeBanner Elk, NC · Private nonprofit
−75%−$221,350
1133Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville, FL · Public
−75%−$148,322
1134Missouri State University-SpringfieldSpringfield, MO · Public
−76%−$189,152
1135Taylor UniversityUpland, IN · Private nonprofit
−76%−$211,080
1136Trevecca Nazarene UniversityNashville, TN · Private nonprofit
−76%−$186,802
1137Western New Mexico UniversitySilver City, NM · Public
−76%−$161,818
1138Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV · Public
−76%−$158,748
1139College for Creative StudiesDetroit, MI · Private nonprofit
−76%−$241,228
1140Charleston Southern UniversityCharleston, SC · Private nonprofit
−76%−$202,164
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