Best Return on Investment
Colleges ranked by earnings-to-debt ratio. Higher = better value for your money.
#1
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ · Private
10.67x
ROI
Earnings: $110,066
Debt: $10,320
Acceptance: 4.5%
Grad Rate: 97.1%
🌍 24% International 👩 48% Women
#2
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private
10.34x
ROI
Earnings: $124,080
Debt: $12,000
Acceptance: 3.9%
Grad Rate: 92.8%
🌍 25% International 👩 48% Women
#3
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY · Public
10.26x
ROI
Earnings: $90,610
Debt: $8,833
Acceptance: 32.5%
Grad Rate: 80.6%
🌍 0% International 👩 18% Women
#4
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA · Private
9.71x
ROI
Earnings: $143,372
Debt: $14,768
Acceptance: 4.7%
Grad Rate: 96.1%
🌍 29% International 👩 44% Women
#5
S
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
NY ·
8.77x
ROI
Earnings: $109,601
Debt: $12,500
Acceptance: N/A
#6
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD · Private
8.54x
ROI
Earnings: $87,555
Debt: $10,250
Acceptance: 7.6%
Grad Rate: 94.6%
🌍 26% International 👩 52% Women
#7
C
Cascadia College
WA ·
8.5x
ROI
Earnings: $54,133
Debt: $6,368
Acceptance: N/A
#8
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · Private
8.48x
ROI
Earnings: $84,803
Debt: $10,000
Acceptance: 13.9%
Grad Rate: 91.2%
🌍 14% International 👩 99% Women
#9
T
Touro University California
CA ·
8.38x
ROI
Earnings: $104,805
Debt: $12,500
Acceptance: N/A
#10
T
Touro University Nevada
NV ·
8.38x
ROI
Earnings: $104,805
Debt: $12,500
Acceptance: N/A
#11
Brown University
Providence, RI · Private
8.18x
ROI
Earnings: $93,487
Debt: $11,428
Acceptance: 5.2%
Grad Rate: 96.0%
🌍 20% International 👩 52% Women
#12
R
Rio Hondo College
CA ·
8.17x
ROI
Earnings: $44,950
Debt: $5,500
Acceptance: N/A
#13
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private
8.16x
ROI
Earnings: $89,718
Debt: $11,000
Acceptance: 7.9%
Grad Rate: 95.7%
🌍 26% International 👩 44% Women
#14
B
Brazosport College
TX ·
8.14x
ROI
Earnings: $45,910
Debt: $5,641
Acceptance: N/A
#15
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private
7.76x
ROI
Earnings: $104,736
Debt: $13,500
Acceptance: 11.1%
Grad Rate: 95.2%
🌍 15% International 👩 50% Women
#16
Yale University
New Haven, CT · Private
7.75x
ROI
Earnings: $100,533
Debt: $12,975
Acceptance: 4.5%
Grad Rate: 96.3%
🌍 24% International 👩 53% Women
#17
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
Saint Louis, MO · Private
7.72x
ROI
Earnings: $137,047
Debt: $17,755
Acceptance: 75.1%
Grad Rate: 75.5%
🌍 3% International 👩 62% Women
#18
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
Rochester, MN · Private
7.59x
ROI
Earnings: $79,652
Debt: $10,500
Acceptance: 38.7%
🌍 11% International 👩 60% Women
#19
A
Albizu University-Miami
Miami, FL · Private
7.55x
ROI
Earnings: $41,544
Debt: $5,500
Acceptance: 100.0%
Grad Rate: 60.0%
🌍 2% International 👩 86% Women
#20
A
Albizu University-San Juan
San Juan, PR · Private
7.55x
ROI
Earnings: $41,544
Debt: $5,500
Acceptance: 100.0%
Grad Rate: 69.0%
🌍 0% International 👩 84% Women
#21
T
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
TX ·
7.53x
ROI
Earnings: $92,348
Debt: $12,268
Acceptance: N/A
#22
Duke University
Durham, NC · Private
7.52x
ROI
Earnings: $97,800
Debt: $13,000
Acceptance: 6.8%
Grad Rate: 95.8%
🌍 25% International 👩 55% Women
#23
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · Private
7.43x
ROI
Earnings: $104,043
Debt: $14,000
Acceptance: 8.2%
Grad Rate: 95.1%
🌍 26% International 👩 53% Women
#24
W
Weill Medical College of Cornell University
NY ·
7.43x
ROI
Earnings: $104,043
Debt: $14,000
Acceptance: N/A
#25
U
Unitek College
CA ·
7.43x
ROI
Earnings: $79,550
Debt: $10,700
Acceptance: N/A
#26
Helene Fuld College of Nursing
New York, NY · Private
7.28x
ROI
Earnings: $111,027
Debt: $15,250
Acceptance: 23.8%
🌍 0% International 👩 87% Women
#27
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private
7.27x
ROI
Earnings: $101,817
Debt: $14,000
Acceptance: 3.5%
Grad Rate: 97.3%
🌍 26% International 👩 54% Women
#28
T
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
TX ·
7.22x
ROI
Earnings: $90,232
Debt: $12,500
Acceptance: N/A
#29
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · Public
7.11x
ROI
Earnings: $92,446
Debt: $13,000
Acceptance: 11.7%
Grad Rate: 92.9%
🌍 17% International 👩 54% Women
#30
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private
7.09x
ROI
Earnings: $111,371
Debt: $15,715
Acceptance: 5.9%
Grad Rate: 96.8%
🌍 24% International 👩 56% Women
#31
D
Del Mar College
TX ·
7.03x
ROI
Earnings: $38,656
Debt: $5,500
Acceptance: N/A
#32
Williams College
Williamstown, MA · Private
6.95x
ROI
Earnings: $88,665
Debt: $12,761
Acceptance: 10.0%
Grad Rate: 96.5%
🌍 10% International 👩 52% Women
#33
T
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
TX ·
6.94x
ROI
Earnings: $92,961
Debt: $13,396
Acceptance: N/A
#34
S
Samuel Merritt University
CA ·
6.88x
ROI
Earnings: $143,238
Debt: $20,825
Acceptance: N/A
#35
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT · Private
6.85x
ROI
Earnings: $75,790
Debt: $11,069
Acceptance: 69.2%
Grad Rate: 82.2%
🌍 3% International 👩 52% Women
#36
G
GateWay Community College
AZ ·
6.84x
ROI
Earnings: $46,147
Debt: $6,750
Acceptance: N/A
#37
T
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
TX ·
6.79x
ROI
Earnings: $88,757
Debt: $13,063
Acceptance: N/A
#38
P
Paradise Valley Community College
AZ ·
6.75x
ROI
Earnings: $47,196
Debt: $6,995
Acceptance: N/A
#39
Georgetown University
Washington, DC · Private
6.68x
ROI
Earnings: $103,494
Debt: $15,500
Acceptance: 13.1%
Grad Rate: 94.3%
🌍 17% International 👩 55% Women
#40
C
College of the Mainland
TX ·
6.65x
ROI
Earnings: $39,639
Debt: $5,960
Acceptance: N/A
#41
F
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
Needham, MA · Private
6.64x
ROI
Earnings: $129,455
Debt: $19,500
Acceptance: 21.7%
Grad Rate: 92.2%
🌍 8% International 👩 48% Women
#42
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private
6.6x
ROI
Earnings: $77,779
Debt: $11,782
Acceptance: 6.8%
Grad Rate: 93.2%
🌍 13% International 👩 55% Women
#43
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY · Public
6.6x
ROI
Earnings: $75,971
Debt: $11,512
Acceptance: 50.5%
Grad Rate: 72.1%
🌍 9% International 👩 51% Women
#44
S
Santa Monica College
CA ·
6.54x
ROI
Earnings: $42,193
Debt: $6,450
Acceptance: N/A
#45
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Private
6.54x
ROI
Earnings: $91,565
Debt: $14,000
Acceptance: 6.3%
Grad Rate: 92.7%
🌍 13% International 👩 56% Women
#46
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
San Juan, PR · Public
6.5x
ROI
Earnings: $35,723
Debt: $5,500
Acceptance: 53.2%
Grad Rate: 52.5%
🌍 0% International 👩 61% Women
#47
N
Northwestern Health Sciences University
MN ·
6.49x
ROI
Earnings: $48,666
Debt: $7,500
Acceptance: N/A
#48
C
Collin County Community College District
TX ·
6.49x
ROI
Earnings: $48,701
Debt: $7,500
Acceptance: N/A
#49
N
Northern New Mexico College
NM ·
6.35x
ROI
Earnings: $38,112
Debt: $6,000
Acceptance: N/A
#50
S
Santa Ana College
CA ·
6.34x
ROI
Earnings: $43,552
Debt: $6,871
Acceptance: N/A
#51
R
Renton Technical College
WA ·
6.29x
ROI
Earnings: $49,782
Debt: $7,920
Acceptance: N/A
#52
University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon
Bayamon, PR · Public
6.26x
ROI
Earnings: $34,409
Debt: $5,500
Acceptance: 92.5%
Grad Rate: 31.4%
🌍 0% International 👩 50% Women
#53
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA · Public
6.22x
ROI
Earnings: $80,838
Debt: $13,000
Acceptance: 41.6%
Grad Rate: 85.1%
🌍 15% International 👩 59% Women
#54
S
Southern California University of Health Sciences
CA ·
6.2x
ROI
Earnings: $70,649
Debt: $11,400
Acceptance: N/A
#55
Babson College
Wellesley, MA · Private
6.2x
ROI
Earnings: $123,938
Debt: $20,000
Acceptance: 19.7%
Grad Rate: 92.4%
🌍 34% International 👩 43% Women
#56
G
Glendale Community College
AZ ·
6.19x
ROI
Earnings: $43,108
Debt: $6,960
Acceptance: N/A
#57
R
Research College of Nursing
MO ·
6.17x
ROI
Earnings: $85,910
Debt: $13,930
Acceptance: N/A
#58
U
Upstate Medical University
NY ·
6.15x
ROI
Earnings: $92,257
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: N/A
#59
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private
6.13x
ROI
Earnings: $91,885
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: 4.8%
Grad Rate: 94.9%
🌍 31% International 👩 46% Women
#60
A
Aims Community College
CO ·
6.12x
ROI
Earnings: $41,887
Debt: $6,844
Acceptance: N/A
#61
CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY · Public
6.09x
ROI
Earnings: $62,763
Debt: $10,298
Acceptance: 68.5%
Grad Rate: 60.2%
🌍 6% International 👩 54% Women
#62
O
Oregon Health & Science University
OR ·
6.08x
ROI
Earnings: $101,028
Debt: $16,625
Acceptance: N/A
#63
P
Phoenix College
AZ ·
6.05x
ROI
Earnings: $40,870
Debt: $6,750
Acceptance: N/A
#64
S
Scottsdale Community College
AZ ·
5.99x
ROI
Earnings: $47,905
Debt: $8,000
Acceptance: N/A
#65
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private
5.96x
ROI
Earnings: $89,363
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: 7.1%
Grad Rate: 95.9%
🌍 21% International 👩 55% Women
#66
C
Center for Advanced Legal Studies
Houston, TX · For-Profit
5.95x
ROI
Earnings: $56,561
Debt: $9,500
Acceptance: N/A
🌍 0% International 👩 89% Women
#67
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR · Public
5.94x
ROI
Earnings: $48,992
Debt: $8,250
Acceptance: 52.2%
Grad Rate: 47.0%
🌍 2% International 👩 45% Women
#68
P
Palm Beach State College
FL ·
5.92x
ROI
Earnings: $41,923
Debt: $7,081
Acceptance: N/A
#69
L
Lake-Sumter State College
FL ·
5.91x
ROI
Earnings: $39,876
Debt: $6,750
Acceptance: N/A
#70
M
Mesa Community College
AZ ·
5.89x
ROI
Earnings: $44,034
Debt: $7,473
Acceptance: N/A
#71
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · Public
5.89x
ROI
Earnings: $82,511
Debt: $14,000
Acceptance: 8.7%
Grad Rate: 92.7%
🌍 14% International 👩 58% Women
#72
M
Medical University of South Carolina
SC ·
5.89x
ROI
Earnings: $88,420
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: N/A
#73
U
University of Maryland, Baltimore
MD ·
5.88x
ROI
Earnings: $88,174
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: N/A
#74
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private
5.87x
ROI
Earnings: $79,966
Debt: $13,621
Acceptance: 12.9%
Grad Rate: 89.4%
🌍 11% International 👩 57% Women
#75
S
Snow College
UT ·
5.86x
ROI
Earnings: $41,022
Debt: $7,000
Acceptance: N/A
#76
Scripps College
Claremont, CA · Private
5.74x
ROI
Earnings: $77,539
Debt: $13,500
Acceptance: 33.9%
Grad Rate: 87.1%
🌍 4% International 👩 99% Women
#77
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY · Public
5.74x
ROI
Earnings: $63,163
Debt: $11,000
Acceptance: 54.0%
Grad Rate: 61.0%
🌍 4% International 👩 67% Women
#78
Lafayette College
Easton, PA · Private
5.71x
ROI
Earnings: $91,410
Debt: $16,000
Acceptance: 31.5%
Grad Rate: 88.0%
🌍 7% International 👩 49% Women
#79
University of Puerto Rico at Ponce
Ponce, PR · Public
5.71x
ROI
Earnings: $31,394
Debt: $5,500
Acceptance: 56.1%
Grad Rate: 50.6%
🌍 0% International 👩 53% Women
#80
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private
5.7x
ROI
Earnings: $109,183
Debt: $19,162
Acceptance: 43.8%
Grad Rate: 88.4%
🌍 16% International 👩 50% Women
#81
E
Excelsior University
NY ·
5.7x
ROI
Earnings: $78,493
Debt: $13,769
Acceptance: N/A
#82
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY · Private
5.68x
ROI
Earnings: $85,139
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: 11.9%
Grad Rate: 90.5%
🌍 8% International 👩 56% Women
#83
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private
5.65x
ROI
Earnings: $77,644
Debt: $13,740
Acceptance: 9.8%
Grad Rate: 93.4%
🌍 12% International 👩 54% Women
#84
C
Cochise County Community College District
AZ ·
5.63x
ROI
Earnings: $38,033
Debt: $6,750
Acceptance: N/A
#85
L
Lakeview College of Nursing
IL ·
5.63x
ROI
Earnings: $84,522
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: N/A
#86
B
Broward College
FL ·
5.59x
ROI
Earnings: $41,939
Debt: $7,500
Acceptance: N/A
#87
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
New York, NY · Private
5.59x
ROI
Earnings: $83,847
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: 19.1%
Grad Rate: 80.3%
🌍 14% International 👩 48% Women
#88
B
Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences
IL ·
5.57x
ROI
Earnings: $72,430
Debt: $13,000
Acceptance: N/A
#89
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH · Private
5.57x
ROI
Earnings: $97,434
Debt: $17,500
Acceptance: 6.2%
Grad Rate: 96.0%
🌍 21% International 👩 49% Women
#90
University of Puerto Rico-Carolina
Carolina, PR · Public
5.57x
ROI
Earnings: $30,626
Debt: $5,500
Acceptance: 52.7%
Grad Rate: 40.2%
🌍 0% International 👩 65% Women
#91
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private
5.55x
ROI
Earnings: $138,687
Debt: $25,000
Acceptance: 13.1%
Grad Rate: 93.8%
🌍 10% International 👩 49% Women
#92
T
Thomas Edison State University
NJ ·
5.55x
ROI
Earnings: $69,331
Debt: $12,500
Acceptance: N/A
#93
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
Laie, HI · Private
5.53x
ROI
Earnings: $52,064
Debt: $9,413
Acceptance: 37.9%
Grad Rate: 54.4%
🌍 48% International 👩 58% Women
#94
CUNY Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY · Public
5.52x
ROI
Earnings: $60,752
Debt: $11,000
Acceptance: 53.7%
Grad Rate: 56.6%
🌍 3% International 👩 58% Women
#95
M
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
CA ·
5.51x
ROI
Earnings: $76,310
Debt: $13,857
Acceptance: N/A
#96
CUNY City College
New York, NY · Public
5.51x
ROI
Earnings: $66,039
Debt: $11,990
Acceptance: 58.1%
Grad Rate: 54.7%
🌍 6% International 👩 53% Women
#97
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT · Private
5.51x
ROI
Earnings: $76,310
Debt: $13,857
Acceptance: 10.4%
Grad Rate: 92.6%
🌍 12% International 👩 54% Women
#98
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · Public
5.48x
ROI
Earnings: $84,943
Debt: $15,500
Acceptance: 24.5%
Grad Rate: 87.6%
🌍 18% International 👩 52% Women
#99
T
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
TX ·
5.48x
ROI
Earnings: $82,206
Debt: $15,000
Acceptance: N/A
#100
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private
5.47x
ROI
Earnings: $103,937
Debt: $19,000
Acceptance: 15.7%
Grad Rate: 91.0%
🌍 12% International 👩 55% Women
How ROI is calculated: Median earnings 10 years after enrollment divided by median student debt.
A ratio of 10x means graduates earn 10 times their debt within 10 years.