With all the media attention on the student loan debt crisis and how universities continuously hike tuition, we have to ask: Which schools are worth the outrageous sticker price of about $200,000? According to PayScale.com's annual survey of colleges with the highest return on investment (ROI), Harvey Mudd College tops the list with a 20-year net ROI of $985,300.
PayScale.com’s data is pulled from 1.4 million pay reports from persons who obtained bachelor's degrees in the last 20 years. For more on the methodology, click here. Check out who made the cut below:
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2014 cost: $237,700
20-year net ROI: $985,300
Graduation Rate: 91%
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2014 cost: $221,600
20-year net ROI: $901,400
Graduation Rate: 93%
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2014 cost: $232,000
20-year net ROI: $841,000
Graduation Rate: 79%
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2014 cost: $112,000
20-year net ROI: $831,000
Graduation Rate: 70%
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2014 cost: $230,200
20-year net ROI: $812,800
Graduation Rate: 91%
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2014 cost: $233,300
20-year net ROI: $809,700
Graduation Rate: 96%
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2014 cost: $224,500
20-year net return on investment: $798,500
Graduation Rate: 93%
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2014 cost: $86,700
20-year net ROI: $796,300
Annual ROI: 82%
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2014 cost: $217,300
20-year net ROI: $795,700
Annual ROI: 97%
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2014 cost: $172,000
20-year net ROI: $771,000
Graduation Rate: 70%
Did any of your top choices make the list? If not, would you consider a college based on its ROI? Share your thoughts in the comments section. And don’t forget that even affordable college tuition can still be expensive! Try and fund your education with as much free money as possible – a great place to start is by visiting Scholarships.com and conducting a free college scholarship search where you'll get match with scholarships, grants and other financial aid opportunities that are unique to you!
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