Colleges With the Best Return on Investment

Schools that offer the best returns

Although students and families are increasingly questioning the value of higher education, a degree often still comes with economic and community benefits. Colleges that award bachelor’s degrees offer the highest long-term returns, while community colleges and certificate programs provide better short-term returns, according to data from Georgetown University‘s Center on Education and the Workforce, which includes the return on investment for 4,600 colleges. The following list presents in ascending order the 22 four-year, U.S. News-ranked schools with the highest 40-year net present value, a metric that compares the cost of college to a student’s potential future earnings.

Duke University (NC)

The net present value of a bachelor’s degree from Duke University in North Carolina after 40 years is $3,371,000. The cost of tuition and fees in 2024-2025 was $69,140 and student loan borrowers in the 2023 graduating class had an average total debt of $27,788.

U.S. News rank: 6 (tie), National Universities

Santa Clara University (CA)

Santa Clara University offers bachelor’s degree-holders a return on investment of $3,381,000 after 40 years. Tuition and fees at the California college were $61,293 in 2024-2025, and the average total indebtedness of those in the 2023 graduating class who borrowed to pay for college was $25,337.

U.S. News rank: 63 (tie), National Universities

Yale University (CT)

Tied with Santa Clara University, Yale University in Connecticut offers students who earn a bachelor’s degree a return on investment of $3,381,000 after 40 years, according to Georgetown researchers. The university charged $67,250 for tuition and fees in 2024-2025, and student loan borrowers who graduated in 2023 left with an average of $8,796 in debt.

U.S. News rank: 5, National Universities

Harvard University (MA)

After 40 years, a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University has a net value of $3,382,000. This Massachusetts Ivy League charged $61,676 for tuition and fees during the 2024-2025 academic year. Sixteen percent of graduating students in 2023 borrowed, with an average indebtedness of $17,940.

U.S. News rank: 3, National Universities

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)

Between 10 and 40 years post-graduation, the value of a bachelor’s degree at Worcester Polytechnic Institute grew from $258,000 to $3,408,000. Tuition and fees in 2024-2025 at this private Massachusetts college was $60,765, with an average of $36,353 in need-based scholarships or grants awarded to first-year students.

U.S. News rank: 86 (tie), National Universities

Cornell University (NY)

A bachelor’s degree from Cornell University has a net value of $3,424,000 — slightly below Columbia University, another New York-based Ivy League. In 2024-2025, Cornell charged $69,314 in tuition and fees. Thirty-three percent of graduating students in 2023 took out loans, with an average indebtedness of $27,244.

U.S. News rank: 11 (tie), National Universities

Columbia University (NY)

In the long term, researchers calculated the return on investment of a degree from Columbia University in New York to be $3,430,000 after 40 years. Tuition and fees cost $71,170 in 2024-2025, according to its website. Families with a household income under $150,000 can attend tuition-free.

U.S. News rank: 13 (tie), National Universities

Georgia Institute of Technology

Many of the schools with the highest long-term returns are private colleges, but a degree from this public institution’s main campus has a net present value of $3,437,000 after 40 years. Georgia Institute of Technology’s tuition and fees was $12,058 for in-state students in 2024-2025 and $34,484 for out-of-staters. Borrowers in the 2023 graduating class had an average total indebtedness of $28,656.

U.S. News rank: 33 (tie), National Universities

Claremont McKenna College (CA)

The return on investment of a degree from Claremont McKenna College in California is $3,444,000 after 40 years. The school is a part of the Claremont Colleges consortium, so students can take classes at any member institution. Tuition and fees at Claremont McKenna were $67,980 in 2024-2025, and among 2023 graduates who borrowed to pay for college, the average total indebtedness was $21,331.

U.S. News rank: 8 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)

A degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a technological research university in New York, has a net present value of $3,446,000 after 40 years. The cost of tuition and fees in 2024-2025 was $64,081, with an average of $13,345 in need-based scholarships or grants awarded to first-year students. The average indebtedness of 2023 graduates was $37,839.

U.S. News rank: 70 (tie), National Universities

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

The value of a bachelor’s degree from Massachusetts Maritime Academy rose from $323,000 to $3,458,000 between 10 and 40 years post-graduation. In-state students were charged $11,420 for tuition and fees in 2024-2025, while the price for out-of-state students was $23,722. The average total indebtedness of 2023 graduates at this Massachusetts public college was $41,296.

U.S. News rank: 10, Regional Universities (North)

Georgetown University (DC)

A bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University has a net present value of $3,475,000 after 40 years. The Washington, D.C.-based institution listed tuition and fees at $68,016 in 2024-2025. Among 2023 graduates who borrowed student loans, the average total debt was $26,733.

U.S. News rank: 24 (tie), National Universities

Lehigh University (PA)

The net present value of a bachelor’s from this Pennsylvania university is $3,486,000 after 40 years. For the 2024-2025 academic year, Lehigh University charged $64,980, with an average debt of $33,270 among 2023 graduates who took out student loans.

U.S. News rank: 46 (tie), National Universities

Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ)

A degree from the Stevens Institute of Technology was found to be highly valuable in the long term. The net present value of a bachelor’s from this New Jersey institution was $3,603,000 after 40 years. In 2024-2025, tuition and fees cost $63,462, and borrowers in the 2023 graduating class had an average of $42,548 in total debt.

U.S. News rank: 76 (tie), National Universities

Bentley University (MA)

The net value of a bachelor’s degree from Bentley University grew from $312,000 to $3,830,000 between 10 and 40 years post-graduation. The Massachusetts private school charged $61,480 in tuition and fees for the 2024-2025 academic year. Fifty percent of 2023 graduates borrowed, with an average indebtedness of $39,343.

U.S. News rank: 2, Regional Universities (North)

Carnegie Mellon University (PA)

A bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University was found to have a net present value of $3,855,000 after 40 years. The Pennsylvania university had a tuition price of $65,636 for the 2024-2025 school year. Thirty-one percent of its 2023 graduating students borrowed, with the average debt being $29,092.

U.S. News rank: 21 (tie), National Universities

Stanford University (CA)

The return on investment from a degree at Stanford University in California has a net present value of $3,872,000 after 40 years. In 2024-2025, tuition and fees cost $65,910. Students in the 2023 graduating class who borrowed to pay for college had an average total indebtedness of $21,372.

U.S. News rank: 4, National Universities

California Institute of Technology

A bachelor’s degree from the California Institute of Technology has a net present value of $3,903,000 after 40 years. Tuition and fees at Caltech were $65,898 in 2024-2025, and the average total indebtedness among student loan borrowers in the 2023 graduating class was $15,896.

U.S. News rank: 6 (tie), National Universities

University of Pennsylvania

A bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania has a net present value of $3,920,000 after 40 years, according to the Georgetown report. The private university charged $68,686 for tuition and fees in 2024-2025, and student loan borrowers in the 2023 graduating class had an average of $28,497 in total debt.

U.S. News rank: 10, National Universities

Princeton University (NJ)

The return on investment of a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in New Jersey is $3,949,000 after 40 years. Tuition and fees were $62,400 in 2024-2025. The average indebtedness of 2023 graduates was far lower compared to other schools on this list at $17,494.

U.S. News rank: 1, National Universities

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology had the second-highest return on investment in the long term on this list. The net present value of an MIT degree after 40 years is $4,484,000. The cost of tuition and fees was $62,396 in 2024-2025. Students in the 2023 graduating class who took out student loans left with $26,522 in debt, on average.

U.S. News rank: 2, National Universities

Harvey Mudd College (CA)

Harvey Mudd College tops the list when it comes to return on investment among all U.S. News-ranked colleges and universities. A degree from this California college boasts a net present value of $4,506,000 after 40 years. Tuition and fees cost $68,613 in 2024-2025, and student loan borrowers in the 2023 graduating class had $28,766 in debt, on average.

U.S. News rank: 12 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges

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Colleges that pay off in the long term

— Harvey Mudd College (CA)

— Massachusetts Institute of Technology

— Princeton University (NJ)

— University of Pennsylvania

— California Institute of Technology

— Stanford University (CA)

— Carnegie Mellon University (PA)

— Bentley University (MA)

— Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ)

— Lehigh University (PA)

— Georgetown University (DC)