Best Master's Degree Programs at University of Southern California by ROI
Every Master's Degree major at University of Southern California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
50
Majors with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$683,137
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$84,678
Cost of attendance
| # | Major | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$2,212,524 | $161,094 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$2,100,504 | $155,493 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,959,324 | $148,434 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Computer Science.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,917,784 | $146,357 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Marketing.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,883,524 | $144,644 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,793,224 | $140,129 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,727,604 | $136,848 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Law.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,683,284 | $134,632 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Real Estate Development.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,506,324 | $125,784 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,393,864 | $120,161 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,242,264 | $112,581 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,172,184 | $109,077 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Engineering, Other.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,169,924 | $108,964 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,129,944 | $106,965 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Dentistry.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$980,224 | $99,479 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Health and Medical Administrative Services.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$975,184 | $99,227 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Mechanical Engineering.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$950,964 | $98,016 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Civil Engineering.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$877,244 | $94,330 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Finance and Financial Management Services.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$870,304 | $93,983 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Taxation.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$771,964 | $89,066 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Biomedical/Medical Engineering.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$697,524 | $85,344 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Accounting and Related Services.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$673,844 | $84,160 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Public Administration.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$569,904 | $78,963 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$544,724 | $77,704 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Student Counseling and Personnel Services.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$514,224 | $76,179 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$500,924 | $75,514 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Medicine.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$498,104 | $75,373 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$495,164 | $75,226 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Communication and Media Studies.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$473,164 | $74,126 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Public Policy Analysis.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$411,924 | $71,064 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Petroleum Engineering.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$393,224 | $70,129 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$385,384 | $69,737 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Geography and Cartography.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$372,444 | $69,090 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Public Health.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$261,364 | $63,536 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
Architecture.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$256,784 | $63,307 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$212,304 | $61,083 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Educational Administration and Supervision.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$166,004 | $58,768 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 38 |
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$128,884 | $56,912 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 39 |
Social Work.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$112,304 | $56,083 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 40 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$13,204 | $51,128 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 41 |
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$3,836 | $50,276 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 42 |
Journalism.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$8,856 | $50,025 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 43 |
Gerontology.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$12,296 | $49,853 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 44 |
Library Science and Administration.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$15,596 | $49,688 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 45 |
International/Global Studies.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$97,556 | $45,590 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 46 |
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$169,296 | $42,003 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 47 |
Film/Video and Photographic Arts.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$256,476 | $37,644 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 48 |
Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$346,916 | $33,122 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 49 |
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$383,496 | $31,293 | $84,678 | $0 | Full ROI → |
| 50 |
Music.
Grad rate: 92.2% |
-$548,376 | $23,049 | $84,678 | $0 | 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.