Best International and Comparative Education 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

4

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$204,806

Across all programs

Average Annual Cost

$78,372

Cost of attendance

# College State 20-Yr Net ROI Median Salary Annual Cost Avg Debt
1 Teachers College at Columbia University NY +$276,440 $55,822 N/A N/A Full ROI →
2 American University

Grad rate: 79.0%

DC +$245,422 $61,426 $71,549 N/A Full ROI →
3 Harvard University

Grad rate: 97.5%

MA +$167,076 $58,638 $82,842 N/A Full ROI →
4 George Washington University

Grad rate: 85.0%

DC +$130,286 $56,587 $80,727 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 International and Comparative Education Degrees by State

Browse International and Comparative Education programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.