Best Biological and Physical Sciences Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
63
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$130,457
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$13,527
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ferris State University
Grad rate: 48.6% |
MI | +$372,217 | $64,507 | $26,066 | $19,104 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Blue Ridge Community College
Grad rate: 34.0% |
VA | +$175,328 | $52,894 | $15,437 | $8,650 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Golden West College
Grad rate: 43.2% |
CA | +$135,688 | $50,005 | $12,206 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
San Joaquin Delta College
Grad rate: 30.7% |
CA | +$131,066 | $50,267 | $17,137 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Crafton Hills College
Grad rate: 35.2% |
CA | +$126,172 | $50,147 | $18,384 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
College of the Canyons
Grad rate: 43.4% |
CA | +$93,894 | $47,719 | $10,243 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Richland Community College
Grad rate: 43.0% |
IL | +$85,726 | $47,427 | $11,407 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Evergreen Valley College
Grad rate: 38.6% |
CA | +$68,626 | $47,687 | $22,557 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Cerritos College
Grad rate: 29.1% |
CA | +$43,926 | $45,641 | $8,409 | $8,945 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
San Diego Mesa College
Grad rate: 33.8% |
CA | +$37,582 | $45,701 | $12,964 | $7,785 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
El Camino Community College District
Grad rate: 35.9% |
CA | +$32,268 | $44,951 | $13,376 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Norco College
Grad rate: 33.1% |
CA | +$4,022 | $43,476 | $12,749 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Grad rate: 33.6% |
VA | -$2,690 | $43,109 | $12,435 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Sussex County Community College
Grad rate: 37.8% |
NJ | -$10,590 | $42,908 | $14,375 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Modesto Junior College
Grad rate: 25.4% |
CA | -$20,216 | $43,076 | $14,769 | $9,036 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Laramie County Community College
Grad rate: 29.8% |
WY | -$25,044 | $42,020 | $12,722 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Elgin Community College
Grad rate: 38.9% |
IL | -$60,894 | $39,939 | $9,837 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Imperial Valley College
Grad rate: 40.8% |
CA | -$63,212 | $40,086 | $12,466 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Moreno Valley College
Grad rate: 27.5% |
CA | -$89,448 | $38,730 | $12,024 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Yuba College
Grad rate: 30.3% |
CA | -$91,980 | $38,621 | $12,200 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
College of Lake County
Grad rate: 36.0% |
IL | -$99,352 | $38,658 | $10,969 | $7,833 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
American River College
Grad rate: 29.5% |
CA | -$99,912 | $39,275 | $12,986 | $14,400 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Santa Ana College
Grad rate: 29.2% |
CA | -$107,912 | $38,332 | $11,848 | $8,042 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Laurel Ridge Community College
Grad rate: 40.0% |
VA | -$110,004 | $38,222 | $11,552 | $8,400 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
San Bernardino Valley College
Grad rate: 20.6% |
CA | -$127,350 | $37,098 | $14,655 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Kaskaskia College
Grad rate: 43.6% |
IL | -$128,736 | $36,767 | $12,038 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Waubonsee Community College
Grad rate: 36.9% |
IL | -$131,592 | $37,431 | $14,661 | $8,067 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Lake Tahoe Community College
Grad rate: 38.0% |
CA | -$136,382 | $36,954 | $17,731 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Southwestern Illinois College
Grad rate: 32.5% |
IL | -$136,896 | $36,833 | $12,596 | $6,196 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Citrus College
Grad rate: 42.8% |
CA | -$138,124 | $36,335 | $12,412 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Rock Valley College
Grad rate: 38.0% |
IL | -$140,315 | $36,867 | $14,351 | $6,632 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Victor Valley College
Grad rate: 26.9% |
CA | -$141,738 | $36,713 | $11,786 | $9,205 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
San Jacinto Community College
Grad rate: 33.3% |
TX | -$142,447 | $37,001 | $14,990 | $9,250 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
College of the Desert
Grad rate: 28.1% |
CA | -$154,466 | $36,282 | $20,053 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Lake Land College
Grad rate: 50.1% |
IL | -$170,226 | $34,491 | $10,023 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
Riverside City College
Grad rate: 32.3% |
CA | -$180,535 | $34,804 | $12,427 | $8,712 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Triton College
Grad rate: 31.9% |
IL | -$192,544 | $34,275 | $11,608 | $10,984 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
John Wood Community College
Grad rate: 46.3% |
IL | -$197,012 | $33,484 | $13,346 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
Parkland College
Grad rate: 33.1% |
IL | -$213,469 | $33,310 | $14,011 | $8,628 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
Highland Community College
Grad rate: 47.7% |
IL | -$217,894 | $32,345 | $12,397 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Illinois Valley Community College
Grad rate: 43.2% |
IL | -$221,476 | $32,512 | $11,563 | $6,363 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
Lincoln Land Community College
Grad rate: 41.2% |
IL | -$223,260 | $32,672 | $11,600 | $10,000 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
Sauk Valley Community College
Grad rate: 48.3% |
IL | -$225,246 | $32,163 | $14,253 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Black Hawk College
Grad rate: 40.2% |
IL | -$226,303 | $32,237 | $11,809 | $5,500 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
Heartland Community College
Grad rate: 45.8% |
IL | -$226,858 | $32,931 | $15,314 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Kishwaukee College
Grad rate: 37.2% |
IL | -$228,887 | $32,641 | $14,504 | $9,407 | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
Moraine Valley Community College
Grad rate: 33.8% |
IL | -$231,917 | $32,035 | $11,921 | $6,500 | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Northern Virginia Community College
Grad rate: 36.3% |
VA | -$239,837 | $32,299 | $15,821 | $10,500 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Carl Sandburg College
Grad rate: 40.4% |
IL | -$241,510 | $31,004 | $10,795 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
MiraCosta College
Grad rate: 41.8% |
CA | -$242,446 | $31,449 | $15,713 | N/A | 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 Best Biological and Physical Sciences Degrees by State
Browse Biological and Physical Sciences programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.