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
1171Geneva CollegeBeaver Falls, PA · Private nonprofit
−78%−$222,320
1172Mississippi Christian UniversityClinton, MS · Private nonprofit
−78%−$228,058
1173Emporia State UniversityEmporia, KS · Public
−78%−$192,174
1174Quincy UniversityQuincy, IL · Private nonprofit
−79%−$205,626
1175Ringling College of Art and DesignSarasota, FL · Private nonprofit
−79%−$323,988
1176Ripon CollegeRipon, WI · Private nonprofit
−79%−$205,724
1177East Central UniversityAda, OK · Public
−79%−$169,402
1178North Carolina A&T State UniversityGreensboro, NC · Public
−79%−$176,284
1179Transylvania UniversityLexington, KY · Private nonprofit
−79%−$211,822
1180Hilbert CollegeHamburg, NY · Private nonprofit
−79%−$214,432
1181Agnes Scott CollegeDecatur, GA · Private nonprofit
−79%−$221,146
1182Eastern Kentucky UniversityRichmond, KY · Public
−79%−$177,800
1183Seminole State College of FloridaSanford, FL · Public
−79%−$171,250
1184Malone UniversityCanton, OH · Private nonprofit
−79%−$209,312
1185University of Wisconsin-Green BayGreen Bay, WI · Public
−79%−$185,316
1186SUNY at FredoniaFredonia, NY · Public
−80%−$193,908
1187Gulf Coast State CollegePanama City, FL · Public
−80%−$158,436
1188Missouri Southern State UniversityJoplin, MO · Public
−80%−$181,728
1189Concordia University-NebraskaSeward, NE · Private nonprofit
−80%−$220,020
1190Goshen CollegeGoshen, IN · Private nonprofit
−80%−$189,822
1191University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointStevens Point, WI · Public
−80%−$190,166
1192Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityHickory, NC · Private nonprofit
−80%−$209,786
1193Northern Michigan UniversityMarquette, MI · Public
−80%−$188,770
1194College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, NV · Public
−80%−$165,030
1195Holy Cross CollegeNotre Dame, IN · Private nonprofit
−80%−$230,262
1196Texas Southern UniversityHouston, TX · Public
−80%−$197,790
1197Virginia State UniversityPetersburg, VA · Public
−80%−$195,620
1198Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA · Private nonprofit
−80%−$254,864
1199University of South Carolina BeaufortBluffton, SC · Public
−81%−$192,314
1200Northeastern State UniversityTahlequah, OK · Public
−81%−$186,110
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