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

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$594,610

Across all programs

Average Annual Cost

$37,873

Cost of attendance

#	College	State	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Grad rate: 58.5%	WA	+$1,352,288	$114,520	$24,528	N/A	Full ROI →
2	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Grad rate: 84.0%	WA	+$1,329,272	$114,520	$30,282	N/A	Full ROI →
3	University of California-San Diego Grad rate: 87.7%	CA	+$1,175,380	$108,034	$36,325	N/A	Full ROI →
4	Claremont Graduate University	CA	+$1,169,180	$100,459	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
5	Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Grad rate: 53.7%	OR	+$1,154,416	$105,213	$27,461	N/A	Full ROI →
6	Oregon State University Grad rate: 70.3%	OR	+$1,144,556	$105,213	$29,926	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Harvard University Grad rate: 97.5%	MA	+$976,412	$107,389	$82,842	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Azusa Pacific University Grad rate: 62.8%	CA	+$804,360	$93,165	$54,735	N/A	Full ROI →
9	Walden University	MN	+$765,500	$80,275	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Arizona State University Digital Immersion Grad rate: 27.4%	AZ	+$701,100	$77,055	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
11	George Mason University Grad rate: 69.9%	VA	+$676,252	$81,207	$26,972	N/A	Full ROI →
12	University of California-Riverside Grad rate: 76.3%	CA	+$654,900	$81,740	$34,975	N/A	Full ROI →
13	University of California-Berkeley Grad rate: 93.5%	CA	+$635,528	$82,318	$42,708	N/A	Full ROI →
14	University of Massachusetts-Amherst Grad rate: 83.1%	MA	+$625,844	$79,970	$33,389	N/A	Full ROI →
15	University of California-Los Angeles Grad rate: 92.6%	CA	+$605,608	$79,609	$36,643	N/A	Full ROI →
16	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Grad rate: 67.4%	AZ	+$588,912	$77,055	$28,047	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Lesley University Grad rate: 61.6%	MA	+$563,416	$80,016	$49,226	N/A	Full ROI →
18	Northcentral University	CA	+$558,060	$69,903	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
19	Cleveland State University Grad rate: 48.9%	OH	+$543,360	$74,430	$26,310	N/A	Full ROI →
20	University of Southern Mississippi Grad rate: 51.1%	MS	+$483,972	$71,295	$25,482	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Ohio State University-Main Campus Grad rate: 87.9%	OH	+$473,400	$71,534	$29,320	N/A	Full ROI →
22	University of Virginia-Main Campus Grad rate: 95.3%	VA	+$459,232	$72,588	$38,132	N/A	Full ROI →
23	University of Missouri-St Louis Grad rate: 54.4%	MO	+$444,492	$69,713	$27,442	N/A	Full ROI →
24	University of North Carolina at Greensboro Grad rate: 57.9%	NC	+$432,828	$67,567	$19,628	N/A	Full ROI →
25	Capella University	MN	+$414,464	$67,129	$22,029	N/A	Full ROI →
26	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Grad rate: 73.0%	TN	+$408,928	$68,978	$32,658	N/A	Full ROI →
27	University of Colorado Boulder Grad rate: 74.9%	CO	+$371,336	$67,260	$33,466	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Nova Southeastern University Grad rate: 63.4%	FL	+$362,772	$71,268	$55,647	N/A	Full ROI →
29	University of California-Santa Barbara Grad rate: 85.5%	CA	+$349,076	$66,809	$36,776	N/A	Full ROI →
30	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	PA	+$316,788	$74,987	$85,738	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Southern Connecticut State University Grad rate: 50.5%	CT	+$11,932	$48,315	$28,592	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Monmouth University Grad rate: 69.2%	NJ	+$2,468	$54,146	$60,113	N/A	Full ROI →
33	Colorado Mesa University Grad rate: 40.3%	CO	-$90,092	$42,072	$22,883	N/A	Full ROI →
34	Messiah University Grad rate: 78.4%	PA	-$249,196	$40,328	$53,939	N/A	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.