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
80
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$210,585
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$34,427
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Grad rate: 84.0% |
WA | +$593,117 | $79,100 | $30,282 | $20,559 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Manhattan University
Grad rate: 69.1% |
NY | +$339,264 | $73,231 | $62,537 | $26,080 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Vanderbilt University
Grad rate: 92.7% |
TN | +$257,122 | $72,481 | $84,412 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Grad rate: 48.7% |
NV | +$161,060 | $53,941 | $19,440 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 | Thomas Edison State University | NJ | +$67,731 | $46,830 | N/A | $21,384 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Harvard University
Grad rate: 97.5% |
MA | +$50,757 | $62,452 | $82,842 | $19,937 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
University of North Texas
Grad rate: 59.2% |
TX | +$15,216 | $49,382 | $25,470 | $22,625 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Grad rate: 50.9% |
TX | -$10,373 | $46,516 | $18,343 | $20,238 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
St. Thomas Aquinas College
Grad rate: 58.0% |
NY | -$36,260 | $50,524 | $51,685 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Central Washington University
Grad rate: 51.0% |
WA | -$47,336 | $46,430 | $25,148 | $26,181 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
California State University-Sacramento
Grad rate: 55.1% |
CA | -$48,757 | $45,198 | $22,714 | $16,194 | Full ROI → |
| 12 | University of Massachusetts Global | CA | -$61,720 | $45,587 | $33,365 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
California State University-Stanislaus
Grad rate: 56.6% |
CA | -$62,480 | $43,627 | $18,542 | $15,446 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Grad rate: 67.4% |
AZ | -$62,828 | $44,468 | $28,047 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
University of Oregon
Grad rate: 72.5% |
OR | -$77,741 | $46,187 | $32,636 | $22,917 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Rogers State University
Grad rate: 25.2% |
OK | -$82,815 | $43,655 | $21,023 | $23,573 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Florida Atlantic University
Grad rate: 63.2% |
FL | -$87,856 | $41,818 | $21,054 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Grad rate: 55.3% |
PA | -$91,304 | $43,210 | $28,876 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
University of Maine at Fort Kent
Grad rate: 38.0% |
ME | -$95,488 | $40,932 | $18,532 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Ball State University
Grad rate: 63.6% |
IN | -$95,836 | $42,235 | $25,134 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Washington State University
Grad rate: 62.0% |
WA | -$96,386 | $44,331 | $27,176 | $25,409 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
New York University
Grad rate: 87.8% |
NY | -$112,254 | $54,034 | $79,121 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
CA | -$112,800 | $44,687 | $36,121 | $16,338 | Full ROI → |
| 24 | Colorado State University Global | CO | -$115,165 | $42,468 | $18,384 | $37,770 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Metropolitan State University
Grad rate: 35.5% |
MN | -$124,058 | $43,101 | $26,057 | $31,000 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Caldwell University
Grad rate: 63.5% |
NJ | -$126,024 | $46,416 | $53,586 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Florida State University
Grad rate: 83.9% |
FL | -$141,708 | $41,229 | $23,683 | $23,375 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Michigan State University
Grad rate: 81.9% |
MI | -$147,229 | $42,715 | $30,528 | $29,198 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
University at Buffalo
Grad rate: 73.5% |
NY | -$166,802 | $40,886 | $29,043 | $21,000 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
California State University-Monterey Bay
Grad rate: 62.4% |
CA | -$176,218 | $39,135 | $26,017 | $11,000 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Southern Connecticut State University
Grad rate: 50.5% |
CT | -$177,028 | $38,867 | $28,592 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
St. Joseph's University-New York
Grad rate: 66.6% |
NY | -$186,951 | $42,157 | $39,254 | $24,500 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Grand Valley State University
Grad rate: 67.4% |
MI | -$202,182 | $39,056 | $26,578 | $27,400 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
University of Maryland Global Campus
Grad rate: 23.6% |
MD | -$207,898 | $37,156 | $19,790 | $23,599 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Kansas State University
Grad rate: 69.5% |
KS | -$207,929 | $38,548 | $25,441 | $27,500 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
California State University-San Marcos
Grad rate: 55.3% |
CA | -$209,366 | $37,024 | $21,144 | $18,719 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
University of Wyoming
Grad rate: 60.3% |
WY | -$219,966 | $36,910 | $22,371 | $21,246 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
University of South Florida
Grad rate: 74.4% |
FL | -$220,752 | $37,049 | $22,301 | $24,095 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
University of Utah
Grad rate: 64.2% |
UT | -$230,432 | $36,353 | $21,799 | $22,442 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
California State University-San Bernardino
Grad rate: 54.5% |
CA | -$232,900 | $33,737 | $16,910 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Portland State University
Grad rate: 52.9% |
OR | -$242,706 | $36,447 | $22,449 | $31,000 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
Boise State University
Grad rate: 60.8% |
ID | -$243,818 | $36,574 | $25,387 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
CA | -$260,972 | $45,887 | $84,678 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown
Grad rate: 51.0% |
PA | -$263,214 | $36,362 | $28,501 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg
Grad rate: 39.1% |
PA | -$263,266 | $36,362 | $28,514 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Southern New Hampshire University
Grad rate: 43.2% |
NH | -$266,063 | $38,588 | $37,524 | $35,354 | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford
Grad rate: 42.5% |
PA | -$267,162 | $36,362 | $29,488 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
University of West Florida
Grad rate: 57.0% |
FL | -$273,352 | $33,580 | $18,504 | $22,916 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
University of Houston-Downtown
Grad rate: 32.3% |
TX | -$289,427 | $33,511 | $23,017 | $20,429 | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Grad rate: 84.0% |
PA | -$296,038 | $36,362 | $36,707 | $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 Social Sciences, General Degrees by State
Browse Social Sciences, General programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.