The 100 colleges with the fastest debt payback
The 100 US colleges where median student debt pays back fastest against graduate earnings, based on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data.
FAQ
How is college ROI calculated here?
We divide each school's median completer debt by 10% of median earnings six years after entry. The result is roughly how many years of that income stream it would take to cover the typical debt load.
Does a low-cost college always have the best ROI?
Not necessarily. A cheap program with weak post-graduation earnings can rank behind a pricier school whose graduates earn much more, because ROI weighs debt against income, not sticker price alone.
Why do some well-known colleges not appear near the top?
We only rank colleges with at least 200 enrolled students and complete earnings and debt data. Highly selective schools with small class sizes or missing federal aid data can be excluded.
How often is this list updated?
We refresh from the College Scorecard API on an ongoing basis; the data itself trails a few years behind because earnings and debt need time to be observed by the Department of Education.
Is this the same as a college ranking?
No — it is a single financial ratio, not a measure of academics, campus life or research output. Use it alongside, not instead of, other criteria when comparing schools.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.