Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in the US by ROI

The 50 highest return-on-investment Associate Degree programs in America — ranked by estimated 20-year net ROI across all majors and states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

# College Major State 20-Yr Net ROI Median Salary Annual Cost
1 Bismarck State College

Grad rate: 49.6%

Nuclear Engineering Technologies/Technicians. ND +$1,937,172 $140,386 $15,274 Full ROI →
2 Contra Costa College

Grad rate: 28.2%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,780,509 $133,295 $14,511 Full ROI →
3 Sacramento City College

Grad rate: 28.5%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,570,087 $123,056 $13,062 Full ROI →
4 Bellingham Technical College

Grad rate: 37.7%

Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies. WA +$1,535,270 $120,252 $14,885 Full ROI →
5 Brazosport College

Grad rate: 37.9%

Physical Science Technologies/Technicians. TX +$1,519,314 $118,808 $8,423 Full ROI →
6 Ohlone College

Grad rate: 55.1%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,432,968 $115,939 $22,906 Full ROI →
7 Foothill College

Grad rate: 58.4%

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. CA +$1,409,996 $114,887 $15,772 Full ROI →
8 Onondaga Community College

Grad rate: 24.8%

Nuclear Engineering Technologies/Technicians. NY +$1,405,314 $113,727 $14,613 Full ROI →
9 College of Marin

Grad rate: 34.4%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,367,893 $114,267 $23,789 Full ROI →
10 Los Angeles Southwest College

Grad rate: 22.6%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,352,584 $111,106 $14,768 Full ROI →
11 Pierpont Community and Technical College

Grad rate: 38.5%

Electrical and Power Transmission Installers. WV +$1,339,452 $110,316 $13,434 Full ROI →
12 North Shore Community College

Grad rate: 19.4%

Fire Protection. MA +$1,329,332 $110,475 $13,204 Full ROI →
13 Los Angeles City College

Grad rate: 23.8%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,321,637 $110,644 $16,176 Full ROI →
14 Yuba College

Grad rate: 30.3%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,277,735 $107,696 $12,200 Full ROI →
15 Santa Rosa Junior College

Grad rate: 32.2%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,257,757 $107,245 $13,649 Full ROI →
16 Baton Rouge Community College

Grad rate: 21.0%

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians. LA +$1,233,214 $106,371 $16,303 Full ROI →
17 College of Staten Island CUNY

Grad rate: 33.7%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. NY +$1,199,694 $104,567 $14,084 Full ROI →
18 Unitek College

Grad rate: 74.5%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,184,483 $105,890 $28,357 Full ROI →
19 City College of San Francisco

Grad rate: 38.3%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,177,337 $103,265 $17,007 Full ROI →
20 SOWELA Technical Community College

Grad rate: 41.5%

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians. LA +$1,153,229 $101,805 $16,402 Full ROI →
21 Skyline College

Grad rate: 40.8%

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. CA +$1,140,018 $100,047 $10,461 Full ROI →
22 College of San Mateo

Grad rate: 50.6%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,098,148 $98,961 $11,875 Full ROI →
23 Wharton County Junior College

Grad rate: 17.5%

Physical Science Technologies/Technicians. TX +$1,082,164 $98,271 $10,406 Full ROI →
24 Los Angeles City College

Grad rate: 23.8%

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. CA +$1,079,208 $97,578 $16,176 Full ROI →
25 Solano Community College

Grad rate: 33.8%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,078,185 $97,762 $11,440 Full ROI →
26 State Technical College of Missouri

Grad rate: 78.0%

Nuclear and Industrial Radiologic Technologies/Technicians. MO +$1,048,290 $96,153 $17,385 Full ROI →
27 College of the Mainland

Grad rate: 27.1%

Physical Science Technologies/Technicians. TX +$1,046,537 $95,837 $8,014 Full ROI →
28 Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing

Grad rate: 66.8%

Bioethics/Medical Ethics. VA +$1,045,107 $100,342 $40,954 Full ROI →
29 Chabot College

Grad rate: 37.9%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,040,189 $96,258 $12,953 Full ROI →
30 CUNY Hostos Community College

Grad rate: 19.0%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. NY +$1,039,345 $95,978 $12,390 Full ROI →
31 Santa Barbara City College

Grad rate: 37.9%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,036,096 $97,093 $18,682 Full ROI →
32 Santa Ana College

Grad rate: 29.2%

Fire Protection. CA +$1,024,244 $95,342 $11,848 Full ROI →
33 Clackamas Community College

Grad rate: 21.2%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. OR +$1,020,190 $94,082 $10,725 Full ROI →
34 Pacific Union College

Grad rate: 48.8%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,016,262 $99,360 $47,244 Full ROI →
35 Bismarck State College

Grad rate: 49.6%

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians. ND +$1,007,752 $94,725 $15,274 Full ROI →
36 American River College

Grad rate: 29.5%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$1,002,247 $94,784 $12,986 Full ROI →
37 CUNY Queensborough Community College

Grad rate: 24.7%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. NY +$979,134 $93,338 $11,882 Full ROI →
38 Carrington College-Sacramento

Grad rate: 51.8%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$973,375 $97,140 $40,588 Full ROI →
39 Merced College

Grad rate: 29.1%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$970,583 $92,662 $12,722 Full ROI →
40 River Parishes Community College

Grad rate: 31.6%

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians. LA +$957,569 $92,161 $15,274 Full ROI →
41 Lamar Institute of Technology

Grad rate: 27.4%

Physical Science Technologies/Technicians. TX +$946,797 $91,800 $14,139 Full ROI →
42 Columbia College

Grad rate: 28.7%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$943,798 $92,056 $19,688 Full ROI →
43 Napa Valley College

Grad rate: 31.7%

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. CA +$936,194 $90,966 $21,563 Full ROI →
44 Cochran School of Nursing Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. NY +$934,456 $90,529 N/A Full ROI →
45 Antelope Valley Community College District

Grad rate: 30.5%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$933,612 $90,967 $15,158 Full ROI →
46 Napa Valley College

Grad rate: 31.7%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$932,434 $90,778 $21,563 Full ROI →
47 Santa Rosa Junior College

Grad rate: 32.2%

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. CA +$927,442 $89,737 $13,649 Full ROI →
48 College of the Canyons

Grad rate: 43.4%

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. CA +$927,386 $90,558 $10,243 Full ROI →
49 Lee College

Grad rate: 27.5%

Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians. TX +$924,240 $89,417 $12,050 Full ROI →
50 CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College

Grad rate: 24.9%

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. NY +$917,901 $90,052 $12,187 Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.

Find the Best Associate Degree by State

Browse the highest ROI Associate Degree programs ranked in every US state.

Alabama Best Associate Degrees → Alaska Best Associate Degrees → Arizona Best Associate Degrees → Arkansas Best Associate Degrees → California Best Associate Degrees → Colorado Best Associate Degrees → Connecticut Best Associate Degrees → Delaware Best Associate Degrees → Florida Best Associate Degrees → Georgia Best Associate Degrees → Hawaii Best Associate Degrees → Idaho Best Associate Degrees → Illinois Best Associate Degrees → Indiana Best Associate Degrees → Iowa Best Associate Degrees → Kansas Best Associate Degrees → Kentucky Best Associate Degrees → Louisiana Best Associate Degrees → Maine Best Associate Degrees → Maryland Best Associate Degrees → Massachusetts Best Associate Degrees → Michigan Best Associate Degrees → Minnesota Best Associate Degrees → Mississippi Best Associate Degrees → Missouri Best Associate Degrees → Montana Best Associate Degrees → Nebraska Best Associate Degrees → Nevada Best Associate Degrees → New Hampshire Best Associate Degrees → New Jersey Best Associate Degrees → New Mexico Best Associate Degrees → New York Best Associate Degrees → North Carolina Best Associate Degrees → North Dakota Best Associate Degrees → Ohio Best Associate Degrees → Oklahoma Best Associate Degrees → Oregon Best Associate Degrees → Pennsylvania Best Associate Degrees → Rhode Island Best Associate Degrees → South Carolina Best Associate Degrees → South Dakota Best Associate Degrees → Tennessee Best Associate Degrees → Texas Best Associate Degrees → Utah Best Associate Degrees → Vermont Best Associate Degrees → Virginia Best Associate Degrees → Washington Best Associate Degrees → West Virginia Best Associate Degrees → Wisconsin Best Associate Degrees → Wyoming Best Associate Degrees →