Best Social Sciences, Other 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
38
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$163,963
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$42,155
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
University of California-Berkeley
Grad rate: 93.5% |
CA | +$428,898 | $72,999 | $42,708 | $15,000 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Williams College
Grad rate: 95.8% |
MA | +$315,664 | $74,016 | $81,164 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Grad rate: 84.7% |
NJ | +$182,122 | $59,840 | $35,232 | $25,000 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of California-Davis
Grad rate: 85.7% |
CA | +$93,045 | $55,129 | $38,067 | $12,790 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Columbia University in the City of New York
Grad rate: 95.1% |
NY | +$29,292 | $62,428 | $86,042 | $26,000 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of Rochester
Grad rate: 87.0% |
NY | +$24,195 | $61,172 | $82,600 | $21,366 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Benedictine University
Grad rate: 52.4% |
IL | -$24,604 | $52,295 | $46,548 | $32,824 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Grad rate: 54.6% |
NY | -$39,048 | $42,790 | $13,712 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Boston University
Grad rate: 89.5% |
MA | -$41,596 | $56,459 | $82,694 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Central Michigan University
Grad rate: 61.8% |
MI | -$75,810 | $45,326 | $26,470 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
SUNY Old Westbury
Grad rate: 47.4% |
NY | -$76,341 | $43,486 | $19,934 | $19,500 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Towson University
Grad rate: 68.7% |
MD | -$88,459 | $44,285 | $26,621 | $20,500 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Grad rate: 58.5% |
WA | -$118,016 | $42,308 | $24,528 | $19,307 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus
Grad rate: 52.2% |
PA | -$121,300 | $41,216 | $26,405 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
University of Rhode Island
Grad rate: 71.4% |
RI | -$134,234 | $43,407 | $32,584 | $23,732 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
University of California-Riverside
Grad rate: 76.3% |
CA | -$140,194 | $43,189 | $34,975 | $17,833 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Grad rate: 84.0% |
WA | -$141,032 | $42,308 | $30,282 | $19,307 | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Grad rate: 85.3% |
CA | -$147,642 | $41,749 | $29,918 | $17,000 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Clark University
Grad rate: 76.7% |
MA | -$147,869 | $49,213 | $64,426 | $25,500 | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Grad rate: 55.7% |
PA | -$174,794 | $40,500 | $27,086 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Keystone College
Grad rate: 42.1% |
PA | -$190,978 | $40,622 | $31,742 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Concordia University Texas
Grad rate: 39.7% |
TX | -$194,412 | $42,699 | $52,098 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Lafayette College
Grad rate: 88.6% |
PA | -$198,176 | $47,862 | $78,854 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Loyola University Maryland
Grad rate: 79.5% |
MD | -$204,374 | $47,925 | $71,606 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
University of Southern Maine
Grad rate: 44.2% |
ME | -$243,057 | $35,799 | $21,381 | $24,825 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Grad rate: 60.2% |
NY | -$263,772 | $33,415 | $23,018 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Russell Sage College
Grad rate: 67.2% |
NY | -$266,831 | $40,669 | $50,986 | $26,865 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
University of Pittsburgh-Bradford
Grad rate: 42.5% |
PA | -$270,332 | $34,381 | $29,488 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Grad rate: 52.7% |
WI | -$270,802 | $33,788 | $18,161 | $25,125 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Grad rate: 84.0% |
PA | -$299,208 | $34,381 | $36,707 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Knox College
Grad rate: 71.0% |
IL | -$325,344 | $38,892 | $65,796 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Glenville State University
Grad rate: 34.2% |
WV | -$380,206 | $29,407 | $22,974 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Eastern Oregon University
Grad rate: 37.4% |
OR | -$392,030 | $29,327 | $24,602 | $29,750 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
SUNY at Purchase College
Grad rate: 64.2% |
NY | -$405,924 | $27,412 | $28,541 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
St Lawrence University
Grad rate: 81.3% |
NY | -$413,890 | $39,061 | $79,665 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Grad rate: 52.7% |
TN | -$489,498 | $24,018 | $23,563 | $26,375 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Universidad del Sagrado Corazon
Grad rate: 41.7% |
PR | -$491,400 | $21,340 | $19,550 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Kalamazoo College
Grad rate: 80.9% |
MI | -$532,660 | $31,277 | $71,173 | $24,821 | 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, Other Degrees by State
Browse Social Sciences, Other programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.