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
181Mount Saint Mary's UniversityLos Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit
+10%+$26,898
182University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA · Public
+10%+$26,618
183Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew Brunswick, NJ · Public
+10%+$26,736
184Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady UniversityBaton Rouge, LA · Private nonprofit
+10%+$24,442
185Florida Institute of TechnologyMelbourne, FL · Private nonprofit
+9%+$30,194
186Hamilton CollegeClinton, NY · Private nonprofit
+9%+$27,600
187SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NY · Public
+9%+$21,834
188Trinity CollegeHartford, CT · Private nonprofit
+9%+$29,392
189Pennsylvania State University-Penn State YorkYork, PA · Public
+9%+$23,452
190University of Michigan-DearbornDearborn, MI · Public
+9%+$19,552
191University of St ThomasSaint Paul, MN · Private nonprofit
+9%+$26,250
192Rochester Institute of TechnologyRochester, NY · Private nonprofit
+9%+$27,926
193University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyBaltimore, MD · Public
+9%+$21,242
194Clarkson CollegeOmaha, NE · Private nonprofit
+9%+$21,936
195Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont AltoMont Alto, PA · Public
+8%+$21,824
196Pennsylvania State University-World CampusUniversity Park, PA · Public
+8%+$21,440
197Pennsylvania State University-Penn State SchuylkillSchuylkill Haven, PA · Public
+8%+$21,004
198University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA · Public
+8%+$18,444
199Seattle UniversitySeattle, WA · Private nonprofit
+7%+$22,572
200University of Mount Saint VincentBronx, NY · Private nonprofit
+7%+$17,936
201North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC · Public
+6%+$15,818
202Norwich UniversityNorthfield, VT · Private nonprofit
+6%+$15,802
203University of St FrancisJoliet, IL · Private nonprofit
+6%+$13,566
204Trocaire CollegeBuffalo, NY · Private nonprofit
+6%+$14,166
205Galen College of Nursing-LouisvilleLouisville, KY · Private for-profit
+5%+$13,890
206Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, VT · Private nonprofit
+5%+$16,188
207Washington State UniversityPullman, WA · Public
+5%+$12,036
208Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA · Private nonprofit
+5%+$13,284
209The Christ College of Nursing and Health SciencesCincinnati, OH · Private nonprofit
+5%+$12,348
210Walden UniversityMinneapolis, MN · Private for-profit
+5%+$14,552
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