Top 50 Best Certificate Programs in the US by ROI

The 50 highest return-on-investment Certificate programs in America — ranked by estimated 20-year net ROI across all majors and states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

#	College	Major	State	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost
1	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	PA	+$3,372,862	$214,930	$85,738	Full ROI →
2	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	PA	+$1,948,190	$145,038	$85,738	Full ROI →
3	Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	CA	+$1,713,407	$129,369	$33,973	Full ROI →
4	Howard University Grad rate: 69.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	DC	+$1,533,670	$121,256	$51,450	Full ROI →
5	SOWELA Technical Community College Grad rate: 41.5%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	LA	+$1,333,258	$109,483	$16,402	Full ROI →
6	Cabrillo College Grad rate: 35.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	CA	+$1,096,705	$99,029	$23,625	Full ROI →
7	Cabrillo College Grad rate: 35.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	CA	+$1,013,795	$93,871	$23,625	Full ROI →
8	Prince George's Community College Grad rate: 21.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	MD	+$1,004,633	$93,037	$16,107	Full ROI →
9	Loma Linda University	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	CA	+$991,470	$93,261	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Victor Valley College Grad rate: 26.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	CA	+$986,494	$91,914	$11,786	Full ROI →
11	Purdue University Global Grad rate: 30.4%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	IN	+$980,886	$91,944	$17,994	Full ROI →
12	Great Basin College Grad rate: 49.9%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	NV	+$975,870	$91,394	$12,010	Full ROI →
13	University of Colorado Boulder Grad rate: 74.9%	Computer Science.	CO	+$966,234	$91,985	$33,466	Full ROI →
14	Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College Grad rate: 70.9%	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians.	LA	+$931,233	$89,793	$17,202	Full ROI →
15	Jersey College Grad rate: 31.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	NJ	+$911,768	$89,185	$31,932	Full ROI →
16	University of Maryland-Baltimore County Grad rate: 70.5%	Information Science/Studies.	MD	+$904,925	$90,163	$27,935	Full ROI →
17	Texas State Technical College Grad rate: 37.0%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	TX	+$901,430	$88,624	$20,011	Full ROI →
18	Portland Community College Grad rate: 17.8%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	OR	+$892,589	$87,493	$17,271	Full ROI →
19	Michigan Technological University Grad rate: 68.2%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	MI	+$885,290	$87,892	$32,550	Full ROI →
20	Miami Dade College Grad rate: 44.6%	Fire Protection.	FL	+$882,025	$86,728	$12,535	Full ROI →
21	Perry Technical Institute Grad rate: 77.8%	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians.	WA	+$871,612	$88,212	$29,907	Full ROI →
22	Indiana University-Bloomington Grad rate: 81.2%	Business/Commerce, General.	IN	+$870,274	$88,198	$27,361	Full ROI →
23	Indiana University-Bloomington Grad rate: 81.2%	International Relations and National Security Studies.	IN	+$832,094	$86,289	$27,361	Full ROI →
24	University of Georgia Grad rate: 87.6%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	GA	+$830,779	$86,227	$27,436	Full ROI →
25	Cloud County Community College Grad rate: 44.4%	Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians, Other.	KS	+$827,568	$84,740	$16,432	Full ROI →
26	Red Rocks Community College Grad rate: 38.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	CO	+$819,782	$85,388	$18,048	Full ROI →
27	Tarrant County College District Grad rate: 22.7%	Fire Protection.	TX	+$803,000	$82,736	$11,720	Full ROI →
28	Butte College Grad rate: 32.8%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	CA	+$801,195	$83,782	$13,636	Full ROI →
29	Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College Grad rate: 10.5%	Ground Transportation.	FL	+$773,263	$81,028	$7,297	Full ROI →
30	University of Georgia Grad rate: 87.6%	Non-Professional General Legal Studies (Undergraduate).	GA	+$768,419	$83,109	$27,436	Full ROI →
31	Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts Grad rate: 70.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	CA	+$760,349	$82,446	$34,940	Full ROI →
32	Portland Community College Grad rate: 17.8%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	OR	+$748,009	$80,264	$17,271	Full ROI →
33	Crafton Hills College Grad rate: 35.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	CA	+$744,666	$81,705	$18,384	Full ROI →
34	University of Alaska Anchorage Grad rate: 29.4%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	AK	+$743,512	$80,268	$21,848	Full ROI →
35	Smith Chason College Grad rate: 59.1%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	CA	+$742,098	$82,930	$37,295	Full ROI →
36	Northwest Iowa Community College Grad rate: 59.9%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	IA	+$727,961	$79,665	$17,914	Full ROI →
37	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Grad rate: 84.0%	Nuclear Engineering.	PA	+$725,983	$81,957	$36,707	Full ROI →
38	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Grad rate: 84.0%	Human Resources Management and Services.	PA	+$725,813	$81,611	$36,707	Full ROI →
39	Chippewa Valley Technical College Grad rate: 46.4%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	WI	+$719,632	$79,167	$16,283	Full ROI →
40	Eastern School of Acupuncture and Traditional Medicine	Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems.	NJ	+$717,280	$77,864	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Ferris State University Grad rate: 48.6%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	MI	+$705,114	$80,314	$26,066	Full ROI →
42	Portland Community College Grad rate: 17.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	OR	+$700,029	$77,865	$17,271	Full ROI →
43	City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College Grad rate: 29.4%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	IL	+$683,357	$76,645	$9,543	Full ROI →
44	Dallas College Grad rate: 35.1%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	TX	+$675,064	$77,214	$9,641	Full ROI →
45	University of Maryland Global Campus Grad rate: 23.6%	Information Science/Studies.	MD	+$669,030	$76,441	$19,790	Full ROI →
46	Davidson College Grad rate: 91.8%	Economics.	NC	+$661,351	$80,388	$75,865	Full ROI →
47	Northern Arizona University Grad rate: 58.0%	Finance and Financial Management Services.	AZ	+$661,303	$77,930	$29,495	Full ROI →
48	Odessa College Grad rate: 25.7%	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology.	TX	+$658,245	$75,528	$12,315	Full ROI →
49	Oakland Community College Grad rate: 17.8%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	MI	+$657,533	$75,451	$11,487	Full ROI →
50	Florida State University Grad rate: 83.9%	Statistics.	FL	+$656,572	$77,329	$23,683	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 the Best Certificate by State

Browse the highest ROI Certificate programs ranked in every US state.