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
1441Mars Hill UniversityMars Hill, NC · Private nonprofit
−103%−$266,880
1442Alabama State UniversityMontgomery, AL · Public
−104%−$272,610
1443Fort Valley State UniversityFort Valley, GA · Public
−105%−$231,382
1444University of Maine at FarmingtonFarmington, ME · Public
−105%−$258,808
1445Chowan UniversityMurfreesboro, NC · Private nonprofit
−105%−$248,024
1446Unity Environmental UniversityNew Gloucester, ME · Private nonprofit
−105%−$269,466
1447Johnson C Smith UniversityCharlotte, NC · Private nonprofit
−105%−$277,046
1448University of the OzarksClarksville, AR · Private nonprofit
−105%−$262,370
1449Houghton UniversityHoughton, NY · Private nonprofit
−105%−$276,006
1450Grace College and Theological SeminaryWinona Lake, IN · Private nonprofit
−105%−$273,688
1451Coker UniversityHartsville, SC · Private nonprofit
−105%−$275,254
1452Southeastern UniversityLakeland, FL · Private nonprofit
−105%−$324,688
1453College of Central FloridaOcala, FL · Public
−106%−$241,182
1454Beckfield College-FlorenceFlorence, KY · Private for-profit
−106%−$309,512
1455Drury UniversitySpringfield, MO · Private nonprofit
−106%−$279,084
1456Villa Maria CollegeBuffalo, NY · Private nonprofit
−106%−$248,016
1457Campbellsville UniversityCampbellsville, KY · Private nonprofit
−106%−$272,884
1458Covenant CollegeLookout Mountain, GA · Private nonprofit
−106%−$302,660
1459Lackawanna CollegeScranton, PA · Private nonprofit
−106%−$275,904
1460Sarah Lawrence CollegeBronxville, NY · Private nonprofit
−106%−$367,878
1461South Florida State CollegeAvon Park, FL · Public
−107%−$208,748
1462The Evergreen State CollegeOlympia, WA · Public
−107%−$296,146
1463Jackson State UniversityJackson, MS · Public
−107%−$294,264
1464South Carolina State UniversityOrangeburg, SC · Public
−107%−$270,268
1465Drury University-College of Continuing Professional StudiesSpringfield, MO · Private nonprofit
−107%−$238,024
1466Georgia Highlands CollegeRome, GA · Public
−108%−$223,882
1467The College of WestchesterWhite Plains, NY · Private for-profit
−108%−$264,444
1468Bob Jones UniversityGreenville, SC · Private nonprofit
−108%−$266,554
1469University of Science and Arts of OklahomaChickasha, OK · Public
−108%−$223,346
1470School of Visual ArtsNew York, NY · Private for-profit
−108%−$445,916
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