Best Education, 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
64
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$244,459
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$38,352
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
University of Hawaii-West Oahu
Grad rate: 39.8% |
HI | +$63,270 | $50,444 | $18,190 | $24,333 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Grad rate: 52.3% |
TX | +$62,288 | $49,872 | $23,788 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Grad rate: 83.1% |
MA | +$55,964 | $51,476 | $33,389 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Brown University
Grad rate: 95.5% |
RI | +$53,256 | $61,660 | $84,986 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
University of Oregon
Grad rate: 72.5% |
OR | +$23,666 | $51,067 | $32,636 | $20,096 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Empire State University
Grad rate: 27.3% |
NY | -$39,003 | $45,140 | $18,221 | $21,422 | Full ROI → |
| 7 | City University of Seattle | WA | -$62,416 | $45,889 | $35,049 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Monmouth University
Grad rate: 69.2% |
NJ | -$75,942 | $52,048 | $60,113 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Oregon State University-Cascades Campus
Grad rate: 53.7% |
OR | -$86,404 | $43,172 | $27,461 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Grad rate: 70.4% |
LA | -$95,192 | $44,106 | $34,328 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Oregon State University
Grad rate: 70.3% |
OR | -$96,264 | $43,172 | $29,926 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Grad rate: 61.3% |
WI | -$119,286 | $41,733 | $20,049 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Grad rate: 62.9% |
WI | -$124,784 | $39,493 | $18,661 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Pacific University
Grad rate: 65.5% |
OR | -$131,970 | $51,090 | $69,330 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Grad rate: 49.6% |
WI | -$134,172 | $41,818 | $22,174 | $30,990 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Chapman University
Grad rate: 81.9% |
CA | -$137,045 | $52,881 | $81,327 | $21,746 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
SUNY Brockport
Grad rate: 59.7% |
NY | -$145,480 | $41,608 | $25,635 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Michigan State University
Grad rate: 81.9% |
MI | -$146,222 | $42,617 | $30,528 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Bay Path University
Grad rate: 51.8% |
MA | -$164,316 | $43,197 | $47,064 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Southern Connecticut State University
Grad rate: 50.5% |
CT | -$165,098 | $41,151 | $28,592 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 21 | Goddard College | VT | -$176,472 | $40,429 | $36,263 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
CA | -$179,950 | $41,278 | $36,121 | $15,575 | Full ROI → |
| 23 | Walden University | MN | -$188,900 | $32,555 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Western Governors University
Grad rate: 50.6% |
UT | -$189,514 | $36,955 | $14,464 | $22,784 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Grad rate: 52.7% |
WI | -$190,731 | $37,665 | $18,161 | $23,250 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus
Grad rate: 87.9% |
OH | -$192,000 | $38,264 | $29,320 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Grand Valley State University
Grad rate: 67.4% |
MI | -$202,553 | $39,170 | $26,578 | $29,364 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Florida Atlantic University
Grad rate: 63.2% |
FL | -$204,515 | $37,232 | $21,054 | $18,474 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Truman State University
Grad rate: 69.7% |
MO | -$210,480 | $36,160 | $23,420 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
The University of Montana
Grad rate: 45.9% |
MT | -$226,436 | $35,427 | $23,744 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Midland University
Grad rate: 43.5% |
NE | -$232,734 | $42,663 | $52,386 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Salem College
Grad rate: 59.3% |
NC | -$240,117 | $41,366 | $47,947 | $26,407 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
North Carolina Wesleyan University
Grad rate: 39.4% |
NC | -$240,592 | $39,623 | $48,263 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Flagler College
Grad rate: 56.5% |
FL | -$241,628 | $40,341 | $41,734 | $30,750 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Florida Gulf Coast University
Grad rate: 57.3% |
FL | -$249,255 | $34,592 | $18,269 | $20,755 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
Fairmont State University
Grad rate: 47.3% |
WV | -$254,590 | $34,425 | $18,091 | $22,760 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Wilmington University
Grad rate: 21.0% |
DE | -$270,014 | $34,166 | $19,326 | $26,689 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Salem State University
Grad rate: 55.2% |
MA | -$270,850 | $35,803 | $27,615 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
John Carroll University
Grad rate: 77.3% |
OH | -$275,342 | $42,644 | $62,943 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Grad rate: 52.6% |
MA | -$276,410 | $35,408 | $27,705 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Nelson University
Grad rate: 38.6% |
TX | -$276,505 | $36,584 | $32,765 | $27,500 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
Corban University
Grad rate: 57.2% |
OR | -$293,956 | $39,204 | $50,556 | $26,528 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
Wilmington College
Grad rate: 53.0% |
OH | -$315,774 | $36,384 | $41,751 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Stonehill College
Grad rate: 79.9% |
MA | -$317,808 | $41,547 | $68,412 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
Heidelberg University
Grad rate: 52.3% |
OH | -$319,730 | $37,164 | $46,640 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Vanguard University of Southern California
Grad rate: 57.6% |
CA | -$330,812 | $35,495 | $50,178 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
University of Arkansas
Grad rate: 69.6% |
AR | -$332,368 | $32,404 | $26,161 | $26,522 | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Lindenwood University
Grad rate: 52.3% |
MO | -$341,908 | $31,593 | $33,442 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Clarke University
Grad rate: 56.2% |
IA | -$344,656 | $35,347 | $52,899 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Cabrini University
Grad rate: 50.5% |
PA | -$347,226 | $36,414 | $49,764 | $27,000 | 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 Education, General Degrees by State
Browse Education, General programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.