These 10 schools offer the best return on investment | College Connection
- The highest ROI for bachelor's degrees tends to be at prestigious schools and those focused on computer science, engineering, and medicine.
- California Institute of Technology has the highest ROI at $627,000 after 10 years and $3.9 million after 40 years.
- Other top schools for ROI include MIT, Stanford, and specialized institutions like the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis.
Students searching for their ideal college often have varying criteria in mind. But one that should garner careful consideration is return on investment (ROI). This is the amount of money they earn after a set period – typically 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years – minus the cost of education.
Such data, collected by the Center of Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University, demonstrates that earning a college degree results in a significant return on investment in the vast majority of cases.
Money reports that the Top 10 colleges and universities, when it comes to ROI for a bachelor’s degree, include many of the most prestigious schools as well as those that focus on Computer Science, Engineering and Medicine – fields that typically result in high-earning potential.
Topping the list is California Institute of Technology (Caltech) with an ROI of $627,000 after 10 years and $3.9 million after 40 years. Close to 30% of its students major in the lucrative field of Computer Science.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) earned second place with an ROI of $579,000 after 10 years and $4.5 million after 40 years. Here, too, almost 30% of students major in Computer Science.
Stanford University earned third place with an ROI of $509,000 after 10 years and $3.9 million after 40 years. Its most popular majors are Computer Science, Human Biology and Economics.
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis earned fourth place with an ROI of $502,000 after 10 years and $4.7 million after 40 years. More than two-thirds of all students major in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in New York came in fifth place with an ROI of $492,000 after 10 years and $4.4 million after 40 years. Fifty percent of students major in Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering earned sixth place with an ROI of $483,000 after 10 years and $4.2 million after 40 years. As its name indicates, virtually all students pursue an education in a field of engineering.
Princeton University earned seventh place with an ROI of $477,000 after 10 years and $3.9 million after 40 years. Computer Science and Economics are the most popular majors at this Ivy League institution.
Harvey Mudd College came in eighth place with an ROI of $476,000 after 10 years and $4.5 million after 40 years. Almost half of the student body majors in either Computer Science or Engineering.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy earned ninth place with an ROI of $453,000 after 10 years and $3.1 million after 40 years. Almost all students major in either Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer or Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
Closing the Top 10 list is Georgia Institute of Technology with an ROI of $407,000 after 10 years and $3.4 million after 40 years. Computer and Information Sciences is studied by 25% of students while another 10% pursue Mechanical Engineering.
Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362.