10 Colleges with the Best ROI
Apr 24, 2012
Going to college often comes at a steep cost, but earning a degree provides considerable professional benefits that can justify the expense. PayScale.com performs an annual analysis designed to determine which schools provide the greatest return on investment (ROI) for postsecondary expenses. Learn about the 10 schools that are most worth the money.
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1. Harvey Mudd College
Annual ROI: 11.2%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 13.1%
Located in Claremont, California, Harvey Mudd is a private institution specializing in math, science and engineering degree programs. The school offers financial aid to an impressive 82% of students, the recipients of which enjoy an average 30-year net return on investment of more than $1.5 million.
2. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Annual ROI: 11.2%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 13.9%
Caltech is a private institution most renowned for its academic programs in engineering and science. The Pasadena, California school is known for research, and it is widely perceived to be a hotbed of innovation. Caltech alumni are often highly recruited by tech and engineering firms after graduation.
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Annual ROI: 10.7%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 14.3%
Founded in 1861, MIT is among the most renowned higher ed institutions for engineering, computer science and related technological disciplines. The private research institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts offers an especially high return on investment for those who receive financial aid - roughly two-thirds of students.
4. Stanford University
Annual ROI: 10.4%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 14.0%
Stanford has played a major role in the development of Silicon Valley, a locus of computer science and technological innovation in the southern Bay Area. Ongoing relationships between the school and technology companies ensure a plentitude of lucrative career opportunities for graduates of the university's much-heralded academic programs.
5. Princeton University
Annual ROI: 10.6%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 14.4%
Among the oldest American universities, Princeton has a prominent standing in the higher ed landscape. The prestigious New Jersey institution offers programs in the humanities and sciences that are designed to position individuals for professional success within many high-paying industries.
6. Harvard University
Annual ROI: 10.4%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 14.5%
No institution's name carries more weight than that of Harvard, the Cambridge, Massachusetts university thought by many to represent the pinnacle of higher education. Graduates benefit significantly from the school's status in the job market, earning a cool $1.1 million net return on investment over a 30-year period.
7. Dartmouth College
Annual ROI: 10.3%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 13.8%
This Ivy League institution in Hanover, New Hampshire features prominent programs in medicine, engineering, business and the liberal arts. The school features unique higher ed programming, including a year-round academic calendar with four 10-week terms. Students can also craft their own degree programs.
8. Duke University
Annual ROI: 10.2%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 13.2%
Known as an elite private research institution, Duke University routinely attracts some of the best and brightest to its top-tier programs in medicine, law, business and engineering. Graduates of the Durham, North Carolina school entering the workforce enjoy the sixth highest median salaries among U.S. colleges.
9. University of Pennsylvania
Annual ROI: 10.0%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 13.2%
The University of Pennsylvania, founded by Benjamin Franklin, features an interdisciplinary approach to education designed to adequately prepare students for highly sought positions in law, business, medicine and public service. The Philadelphia institution routinely ranks among the top 10 schools in annual college rankings lists.
10. University of Notre Dame
Annual ROI: 10.1%
Annual ROI (with financial aid): 12.6%
Located near South Bend, Indiana, the University of Notre Dame features strong academics in a wide range of academic disciplines. The Catholic institution is also known for its excellent research programs. Prestige conveyed by the university's name pays off in the job market as grads earn a net ROI of $978,000 over 30 years.
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