Best Social Sciences, General 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
35
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$250,836
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$16,065
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Merritt College
Grad rate: 20.9% |
CA | +$191,882 | $53,850 | $22,559 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
College of San Mateo
Grad rate: 50.6% |
CA | +$54,570 | $45,916 | $11,875 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Evergreen Valley College
Grad rate: 38.6% |
CA | -$4,974 | $44,007 | $22,557 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Laney College
Grad rate: 30.0% |
CA | -$47,614 | $41,897 | $22,777 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
San Joaquin Delta College
Grad rate: 30.7% |
CA | -$103,134 | $38,557 | $17,137 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Arizona Western College
Grad rate: 22.6% |
AZ | -$118,834 | $37,644 | $15,857 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
East Los Angeles College
Grad rate: 31.1% |
CA | -$179,215 | $35,275 | $18,645 | $5,500 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Santa Rosa Junior College
Grad rate: 32.2% |
CA | -$216,138 | $32,558 | $13,649 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
Grad rate: 46.1% |
NY | -$220,490 | $33,604 | $26,285 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Yuba College
Grad rate: 30.3% |
CA | -$221,580 | $32,141 | $12,200 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Napa Valley College
Grad rate: 31.7% |
CA | -$231,586 | $32,577 | $21,563 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
American River College
Grad rate: 29.5% |
CA | -$235,312 | $31,533 | $12,986 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Northern Virginia Community College
Grad rate: 36.3% |
VA | -$243,337 | $32,124 | $15,821 | $10,500 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Roxbury Community College
Grad rate: 12.4% |
MA | -$243,894 | $31,395 | $15,897 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Harrisburg Area Community College
Grad rate: 17.9% |
PA | -$249,557 | $32,772 | $16,636 | $23,500 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Brookdale Community College
Grad rate: 28.7% |
NJ | -$251,543 | $31,601 | $15,369 | $9,500 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Crafton Hills College
Grad rate: 35.2% |
CA | -$255,648 | $31,056 | $18,384 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Grad rate: 28.2% |
VA | -$274,753 | $30,298 | $11,919 | $12,500 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill
Grad rate: 42.0% |
NY | -$275,056 | $30,958 | $27,108 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Central Oregon Community College
Grad rate: 23.2% |
OR | -$279,604 | $29,742 | $17,222 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Citrus College
Grad rate: 42.8% |
CA | -$282,064 | $29,138 | $12,412 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Palomar College
Grad rate: 32.2% |
CA | -$287,434 | $29,028 | $13,997 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Montgomery County Community College
Grad rate: 23.2% |
PA | -$300,382 | $28,438 | $14,571 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Essex County College
Grad rate: 18.3% |
NJ | -$323,720 | $27,391 | $11,821 | $5,851 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Butte College
Grad rate: 32.8% |
CA | -$330,410 | $27,453 | $13,636 | $9,036 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Virginia Western Community College
Grad rate: 36.5% |
VA | -$332,186 | $27,196 | $11,892 | $9,128 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Antelope Valley Community College District
Grad rate: 30.5% |
CA | -$336,175 | $27,565 | $15,158 | $12,711 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Tidewater Community College
Grad rate: 28.7% |
VA | -$359,932 | $26,275 | $15,291 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Tulsa Community College
Grad rate: 25.2% |
OK | -$365,867 | $25,811 | $12,522 | $12,625 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Mt San Antonio College
Grad rate: 39.6% |
CA | -$372,734 | $24,571 | $12,077 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Dine College
Grad rate: 12.6% |
AZ | -$380,084 | $24,383 | $13,872 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Barstow Community College
Grad rate: 31.7% |
CA | -$381,545 | $25,387 | $20,871 | $5,588 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Grad rate: 32.3% |
VA | -$409,325 | $23,537 | $12,945 | $10,500 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Fresno City College
Grad rate: 25.8% |
CA | -$431,286 | $21,642 | $12,063 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Merced College
Grad rate: 29.1% |
CA | -$480,312 | $19,786 | $12,722 | $7,843 | 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 Social Sciences, General Degrees by State
Browse Social Sciences, General programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.