See Which 20 Colleges Give You the Biggest Bang for Your Buck

Is college worth it these days? It’s a question weighing on the minds of millions of students and parents across the U.S.

While public opinion in recent years has been creeping toward “no,” new data from the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University shows that in the overwhelming majority of cases, a college degree or certificate comes with a significant return on investment.

The center analyzed data on the cost of attendance and median earnings for enrollees at 4,600 different colleges and universities to determine each institution’s return on investment, or ROI. Researchers looked at how much alumni earned cumulatively after 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, 30 years and 40 years — minus the cost of attendance.

Across school type and credential (certificate, associate's degree or bachelor's degree), the typical college enrollee had an ROI of $174,000 after 10 years of attendance and $1.5 million after 40 years.

However, the ROI can vary widely between colleges and degree types, and in some cases, certain schools (typically those related to fine arts, music or theological studies) have little-to-no ROI for upwards of 15 years. That means students who attended those schools hadn't earned enough to cover the price tag of attendance after 15 years of working.

Overall, Georgetown researchers noted some certificate or associate programs tend to have higher ROI after 10-years than traditional bachelor’s degrees — or in other words, the certificates tend to pay for themselves faster — but that bachelor’s degrees have higher long-term earning potential. That's likely because of the price tag of the credential: Shorter programs are typically much cheaper than a four-year degree.

Here’s a closer look at the best colleges and universities for ROI in the U.S.

Top 10 colleges for ROI on an associate’s degree

When it comes to associate’s degrees, private nursing schools dominate Georgetown’s analysis.

1. Helene Fuld College of Nursing in New York: $604,000 ROI after 10 years; $3.8 million after 40
2. St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens in New York: $500,000 after 10 years; $3.4 million after 40
3. St. Joseph's College of Nursing in New York: $463,000 at 10 years; $2.7 million at 40
4. Belanger School of Nursing in New York: $448,000 at 10 years; $2.6 at 40
5. Emory University-Oxford College in New York: $429,000 at 10 years; $3 million at 40
6. Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital in Georgia: $408,000 at 10 years; $2.4 million at 40
7. Ambria College of Nursing in New York: $403,000 at 10 years; $2.5 million at 40
8. Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Illinois: $398,000 at 10 years; $3.7 million at 40
9. Mercy College of Ohio: $397,000 at 10 years; $2.3 million at 40
10. Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences: $389,000 at 10 years; $2.1 million at 40

Top 10 colleges for ROI on a bachelor’s degree

Several of the nation’s most prestigious universities also have the highest return on investment of four-year schools, but many lesser-known institutions — particularly those with an engineering or medical focus — also provide incredible bang for your buck.

1. California Institute of Technology: $627,000 ROI after 10 years; $3.9 million after 40
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $579,000 after 10 years; $4.5 million after 40
3. Stanford University in California: $509,000 after 10 years; $3.9 million after 40
4. University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, Missouri: $502,000 after 10 years; $4.7 million after 40
5. Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in New York: $492,000 after 10 years; $4.4 million after 40
6. Franklin W Olin College of Engineering in Massachusetts: $483,000 after 10 years; $4.2 million after 40
7. Princeton University in New Jersey: $477,000 after 10 years; $3.9 million after 40
8. Harvey Mudd College in California: $476,000 after 10 years; $4.5 million after 40
9. United States Merchant Marine Academy in New York: $453,000 after 10 years; $3.1 million after 40
10. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus: $407,000 after 10 years; $3.4 million after 40

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