Top 50 Highest ROI College Degrees in the US

The best college + major combinations in America ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — across all states, fields, and credential levels. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs Analyzed

190,000+

Across all majors & colleges

Avg Top 50 Net ROI

+$3,444,854

20-year net return

Avg Top 50 Annual Cost

$61,129

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	Level	State	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost
1	Ohio State University-Main Campus Grad rate: 87.9%	Dentistry.	Master's Degree	OH	+$4,456,040	$267,734	$29,320	Full ROI →
2	The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Doctoral Degree	TX	+$4,134,520	$248,726	N/A	Full ROI →
3	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Grad rate: 45.6%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	CO	+$4,107,862	$249,730	$23,369	Full ROI →
4	Texas A&M University-College Station Grad rate: 83.7%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	TX	+$3,981,350	$244,276	$32,085	Full ROI →
5	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Finance and Financial Management Services.	Master's Degree	PA	+$3,980,004	$249,574	$85,738	Full ROI →
6	Columbia University in the City of New York Grad rate: 95.1%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	NY	+$3,910,136	$246,111	$86,042	Full ROI →
7	California Institute of Technology Grad rate: 93.6%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	Bachelor's Degree	CA	+$3,891,708	$253,305	$83,598	Full ROI →
8	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Grad rate: 91.7%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	NC	+$3,873,898	$238,213	$25,181	Full ROI →
9	University of Maryland Baltimore	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Doctoral Degree	MD	+$3,845,780	$234,289	N/A	Full ROI →
10	The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	TX	+$3,756,420	$229,821	N/A	Full ROI →
11	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Grad rate: 84.0%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Post-baccalaureate Certificate	PA	+$3,756,313	$231,651	$36,707	Full ROI →
12	Saint Louis University Grad rate: 80.5%	Dentistry.	Master's Degree	MO	+$3,720,470	$234,936	$69,125	Full ROI →
13	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	International/Global Studies.	Master's Degree	PA	+$3,686,024	$234,875	$85,738	Full ROI →
14	Ohio State University-Main Campus Grad rate: 87.9%	Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other.	Master's Degree	OH	+$3,679,520	$228,908	$29,320	Full ROI →
15	Harvard University Grad rate: 97.5%	Statistics.	Bachelor's Degree	MA	+$3,636,792	$240,408	$82,842	Full ROI →
16	The University of Tennessee Health Science Center	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	TN	+$3,624,480	$223,224	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Augusta University Grad rate: 49.4%	Dental Residency Programs.	Doctoral Degree	GA	+$3,604,936	$226,676	$22,146	Full ROI →
18	Virginia Commonwealth University Grad rate: 64.9%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	VA	+$3,599,948	$225,432	$34,346	Full ROI →
19	Columbia University in the City of New York Grad rate: 95.1%	Law.	Master's Degree	NY	+$3,588,316	$230,020	$86,042	Full ROI →
20	University of Pikeville Grad rate: 37.1%	Medicine.	Master's Degree	KY	+$3,576,358	$224,145	$33,271	Full ROI →
21	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.	Master's Degree	PA	+$3,540,624	$227,605	$85,738	Full ROI →
22	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Real Estate.	Master's Degree	PA	+$3,485,464	$224,847	$85,738	Full ROI →
23	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies.	Master's Degree	IL	+$3,409,232	$221,242	$87,804	Full ROI →
24	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Certificate	PA	+$3,372,862	$214,930	$85,738	Full ROI →
25	University of Chicago Grad rate: 95.2%	Law.	Master's Degree	IL	+$3,371,548	$219,263	$86,856	Full ROI →
26	Indiana University-Indianapolis Grad rate: 55.1%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	IN	+$3,364,288	$212,436	$22,216	Full ROI →
27	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Law.	Master's Degree	PA	+$3,356,724	$218,410	$85,738	Full ROI →
28	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Business/Commerce, General.	Master's Degree	IL	+$3,307,912	$216,176	$87,804	Full ROI →
29	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other.	Master's Degree	PA	+$3,287,064	$214,927	$85,738	Full ROI →
30	University of California-San Francisco	Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies.	Master's Degree	CA	+$3,279,820	$205,991	N/A	Full ROI →
31	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Doctoral Degree	CA	+$3,249,648	$221,418	$84,678	Full ROI →
32	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Grad rate: 84.0%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	WA	+$3,238,736	$206,965	$30,282	Full ROI →
33	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Law.	Master's Degree	CA	+$3,212,416	$210,837	$82,162	Full ROI →
34	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Grad rate: 84.8%	Computer Science.	Master's Degree	IL	+$3,202,592	$205,343	$32,134	Full ROI →
35	New York University Grad rate: 87.8%	Law.	Master's Degree	NY	+$3,184,438	$209,134	$79,121	Full ROI →
36	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	Master's Degree	IL	+$3,180,720	$201,036	N/A	Full ROI →
37	University of New England Grad rate: 60.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	Master's Degree	ME	+$3,156,448	$205,893	$60,706	Full ROI →
38	University of Pennsylvania Grad rate: 96.5%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	Master's Degree	PA	+$3,149,184	$208,033	$85,738	Full ROI →
39	University of Detroit Mercy Grad rate: 70.5%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	MI	+$3,113,162	$201,665	$40,069	Full ROI →
40	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Law.	Master's Degree	IL	+$3,110,152	$206,288	$87,804	Full ROI →
41	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Computer Science.	Master's Degree	CA	+$3,059,536	$203,193	$82,162	Full ROI →
42	Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Grad rate: 66.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	Master's Degree	MN	+$3,057,600	$200,367	$54,870	Full ROI →
43	Loma Linda University	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Doctoral Degree	CA	+$3,054,440	$194,722	N/A	Full ROI →
44	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Grad rate: 93.2%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	MI	+$3,047,770	$197,723	$33,345	Full ROI →
45	Duke University Grad rate: 96.2%	International Business.	Master's Degree	NC	+$3,030,142	$201,782	$82,749	Full ROI →
46	Albany Medical College	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	Master's Degree	NY	+$3,014,900	$192,745	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Oregon Health & Science University	Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other.	Doctoral Degree	OR	+$3,010,400	$192,520	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine	Education, Other.	Master's Degree	PA	+$3,001,480	$192,074	N/A	Full ROI →
49	Central Connecticut State University Grad rate: 51.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	Master's Degree	CT	+$2,998,916	$194,357	$24,112	Full ROI →
50	University of Illinois Chicago Grad rate: 60.9%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	Master's Degree	IL	+$2,983,624	$193,881	$26,998	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.

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