United States · Predominantly bachelor's institutions
Ranking WIDER
Earnings after entry. Earnings relative to cost.
- Institutions
- 1,183
- Median earnings, 10 years
- $56,343
- Median return
- 1.44×
U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard, Most Recent Cohorts (Institution) · File published: May 26, 2026 · Verified: Aug 19, 2026
| # | Institution | Earnings, 10 years | Annual cost | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 | University of IowaIowa City, IAPublic | $64,762 | $28,596 | 2.26× |
| 302 | Metropolitan State UniversitySaint Paul, MNPublic | $64,705 | $25,172 | 2.57× |
| 303 | Seattle Pacific UniversitySeattle, WAPrivate nonprofit | $64,506 | $56,826 | 1.14× |
| 304 | California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CAPublic | $64,403 | $22,679 | 2.84× |
| 305 | Towson UniversityTowson, MDPublic | $64,390 | $28,535 | 2.26× |
| 306 | University of California-MercedMerced, CAPublic | $64,368 | $39,665 | 1.62× |
| 307 | SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NYPublic | $64,355 | $23,741 | 2.71× |
| 308 | Misericordia UniversityDallas, PAPrivate nonprofit | $64,313 | $53,648 | 1.20× |
| 309 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDenver, COPublic | $64,270 | $24,902 | 2.58× |
| 310 | Charter Oak State CollegeNew Britain, CTPublic | $64,209 | $23,210 | 2.77× |
| 311 | California State University-ChicoChico, CAPublic | $64,172 | $26,283 | 2.44× |
| 312 | Mount St. Mary's UniversityEmmitsburg, MDPrivate nonprofit | $64,072 | $63,731 | 1.01× |
| 313 | Smith CollegeNorthampton, MAPrivate nonprofit | $64,027 | $86,030 | 0.74× |
| 314 | Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, ORPublic | $64,010 | $31,653 | 2.02× |
| 315 | Oregon State University-Cascades CampusBend, ORPublic | $64,010 | $29,798 | 2.15× |
| 316 | Point Loma Nazarene UniversitySan Diego, CAPrivate nonprofit | $63,998 | $60,488 | 1.06× |
| 317 | University of St FrancisJoliet, ILPrivate nonprofit | $63,926 | $46,239 | 1.38× |
| 318 | St. Joseph's University-New YorkBrooklyn, NYPrivate nonprofit | $63,905 | $41,897 | 1.53× |
| 319 | Macalester CollegeSaint Paul, MNPrivate nonprofit | $63,878 | $82,991 | 0.77× |
| 320 | Baker UniversityBaldwin City, KSPrivate nonprofit | $63,855 | $50,918 | 1.25× |
| 321 | Bethel UniversitySaint Paul, MNPrivate nonprofit | $63,764 | $58,569 | 1.09× |
| 322 | Wheaton CollegeWheaton, ILPrivate nonprofit | $63,756 | $59,263 | 1.08× |
| 323 | Indiana University-BloomingtonBloomington, INPublic | $63,742 | $28,801 | 2.21× |
| 324 | Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PAPublic | $63,727 | $40,903 | 1.56× |
| 325 | Drew UniversityMadison, NJPrivate nonprofit | $63,646 | $65,301 | 0.97× |
| 326 | University of North DakotaGrand Forks, NDPublic | $63,552 | $25,605 | 2.48× |
| 327 | Ithaca CollegeIthaca, NYPrivate nonprofit | $63,548 | $68,699 | 0.93× |
| 328 | Columbia Southern UniversityOrange Beach, ALPrivate for-profit | $63,534 | $18,226 | 3.49× |
| 329 | University of Arkansas GranthamLIttle Rock, ARPublic | $63,496 | $15,318 | 4.15× |
| 330 | Simmons UniversityBoston, MAPrivate nonprofit | $63,494 | $63,460 | 1.00× |
| 331 | Wilkes UniversityWilkes-Barre, PAPrivate nonprofit | $63,454 | $56,765 | 1.12× |
| 332 | Benedictine UniversityLisle, ILPrivate nonprofit | $63,446 | $46,713 | 1.36× |
| 333 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUniversity Park, PAPublic | $63,435 | $39,694 | 1.60× |
| 334 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State AbingtonAbington, PAPublic | $63,435 | $28,795 | 2.20× |
| 335 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State AltoonaAltoona, PAPublic | $63,435 | $32,559 | 1.95× |
| 336 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State BerksReading, PAPublic | $63,435 | $32,242 | 1.97× |
| 337 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State BrandywineMedia, PAPublic | $63,435 | $31,088 | 2.04× |
| 338 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend CollegeErie, PAPublic | $63,435 | $34,081 | 1.86× |
| 339 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State HarrisburgMiddletown, PAPublic | $63,435 | $32,521 | 1.95× |
| 340 | Pennsylvania State University-World CampusUniversity Park, PAPublic | $63,435 | $27,678 | 2.29× |
| 341 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaColumbia, MOPublic | $63,403 | $31,713 | 2.00× |
| 342 | Iowa State UniversityAmes, IAPublic | $63,386 | $24,018 | 2.64× |
| 343 | Utica UniversityUtica, NYPrivate nonprofit | $63,277 | $37,205 | 1.70× |
| 344 | Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LAPrivate nonprofit | $63,268 | $87,004 | 0.73× |
| 345 | College of Saint BenedictSaint Joseph, MNPrivate nonprofit | $63,260 | $68,453 | 0.92× |
| 346 | The University of Texas at ArlingtonArlington, TXPublic | $63,199 | $25,261 | 2.50× |
| 347 | Valparaiso UniversityValparaiso, INPrivate nonprofit | $63,191 | $58,437 | 1.08× |
| 348 | California State University-StanislausTurlock, CAPublic | $63,188 | $19,739 | 3.20× |
| 349 | CUNY Hunter CollegeNew York, NYPublic | $63,163 | $13,905 | 4.54× |
| 350 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, OKPublic | $63,126 | $28,872 | 2.19× |
| 351 | Northwood UniversityMidland, MIPrivate nonprofit | $63,075 | $48,780 | 1.29× |
| 352 | Howard UniversityWashington, DCPrivate nonprofit | $63,066 | $54,630 | 1.15× |
| 353 | Augustana CollegeRock Island, ILPrivate nonprofit | $62,971 | $63,553 | 0.99× |
| 354 | California State University-FullertonFullerton, CAPublic | $62,951 | $18,269 | 3.45× |
| 355 | Reed CollegePortland, ORPrivate nonprofit | $62,927 | $86,376 | 0.73× |
| 356 | California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos, CAPublic | $62,908 | $21,649 | 2.91× |
| 357 | John Carroll UniversityUniversity Heights, OHPrivate nonprofit | $62,860 | $65,827 | 0.95× |
| 358 | Emerson CollegeBoston, MAPrivate nonprofit | $62,832 | $80,399 | 0.78× |
| 359 | Grinnell CollegeGrinnell, IAPrivate nonprofit | $62,830 | $83,440 | 0.75× |
| 360 | CUNY Queens CollegeQueens, NYPublic | $62,763 | $14,367 | 4.37× |
| 361 | Le Moyne CollegeSyracuse, NYPrivate nonprofit | $62,731 | $53,183 | 1.18× |
| 362 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionTempe, AZPublic | $62,668 | $30,111 | 2.08× |
| 363 | Lebanon Valley CollegeAnnville, PAPrivate nonprofit | $62,621 | $66,497 | 0.94× |
| 364 | University of Minnesota-DuluthDuluth, MNPublic | $62,616 | $27,680 | 2.26× |
| 365 | Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WAPublic | $62,569 | $30,359 | 2.06× |
| 366 | University of VermontBurlington, VTPublic | $62,472 | $35,649 | 1.75× |
| 367 | Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TXPublic | $62,454 | $27,443 | 2.28× |
| 368 | Elizabethtown CollegeElizabethtown, PAPrivate nonprofit | $62,399 | $50,865 | 1.23× |
| 369 | Clark UniversityWorcester, MAPrivate nonprofit | $62,381 | $68,432 | 0.91× |
| 370 | University of HoustonHouston, TXPublic | $62,377 | $26,185 | 2.38× |
| 371 | Holy Family UniversityPhiladelphia, PAPrivate nonprofit | $62,235 | $40,539 | 1.54× |
| 372 | Rider UniversityLawrenceville, NJPrivate nonprofit | $62,208 | $55,967 | 1.11× |
| 373 | Lewis & Clark CollegePortland, ORPrivate nonprofit | $62,205 | $79,987 | 0.78× |
| 374 | North Dakota State University-Main CampusFargo, NDPublic | $62,203 | $23,716 | 2.62× |
| 375 | University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia, SCPublic | $62,177 | $31,638 | 1.97× |
| 376 | California State University-Channel IslandsCamarillo, CAPublic | $62,152 | $23,561 | 2.64× |
| 377 | Illinois State UniversityNormal, ILPublic | $62,117 | $34,309 | 1.81× |
| 378 | Maryville University of Saint LouisSaint Louis, MOPrivate nonprofit | $62,105 | $41,959 | 1.48× |
| 379 | Robert Morris UniversityMoon Township, PAPrivate nonprofit | $62,105 | $51,621 | 1.20× |
| 380 | Saint Francis UniversityLoretto, PAPrivate nonprofit | $62,101 | $59,815 | 1.04× |
| 381 | Saint Martin's UniversityLacey, WAPrivate nonprofit | $62,092 | $62,449 | 0.99× |
| 382 | Stevenson UniversityOwings Mills, MDPrivate nonprofit | $62,079 | $58,394 | 1.06× |
| 383 | Allegheny CollegeMeadville, PAPrivate nonprofit | $62,069 | $71,348 | 0.87× |
| 384 | Bellarmine UniversityLouisville, KYPrivate nonprofit | $62,069 | $61,691 | 1.01× |
| 385 | University of KansasLawrence, KSPublic | $61,945 | $26,751 | 2.32× |
| 386 | Walla Walla UniversityCollege Place, WAPrivate nonprofit | $61,885 | $45,903 | 1.35× |
| 387 | Moravian UniversityBethlehem, PAPrivate nonprofit | $61,860 | $65,601 | 0.94× |
| 388 | Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, ILPrivate nonprofit | $61,825 | $70,655 | 0.88× |
| 389 | La Sierra UniversityRiverside, CAPrivate nonprofit | $61,824 | $51,459 | 1.20× |
| 390 | Daemen UniversityAmherst, NYPrivate nonprofit | $61,808 | $45,192 | 1.37× |
| 391 | Carroll CollegeHelena, MTPrivate nonprofit | $61,772 | $55,626 | 1.11× |
| 392 | University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, ALPublic | $61,767 | $27,392 | 2.25× |
| 393 | University of Wisconsin-PlattevillePlatteville, WIPublic | $61,760 | $21,266 | 2.90× |
| 394 | Susquehanna UniversitySelinsgrove, PAPrivate nonprofit | $61,723 | $75,410 | 0.82× |
| 395 | Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FLPublic | $61,675 | $25,720 | 2.40× |
| 396 | Central Washington UniversityEllensburg, WAPublic | $61,580 | $28,816 | 2.14× |
| 397 | Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MDPublic | $61,515 | $28,310 | 2.17× |
| 398 | California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CAPrivate nonprofit | $61,504 | $54,038 | 1.14× |
| 399 | Elmhurst UniversityElmhurst, ILPrivate nonprofit | $61,462 | $54,679 | 1.12× |
| 400 | Montclair State UniversityMontclair, NJPublic | $61,415 | $28,305 | 2.17× |
How we calculate it
Earnings = earnings_10y_usd (MD_EARN_WNE_P10). Return = earnings_10y_usd ÷ cost_year_usd (COSTT4_A). The denominator is annual sticker cost, not the total degree cost. The ratio is not a financial rate of return.
Includes predominantly bachelor's institutions (predominant_award_code = 3) with positive earnings and annual cost. Ties are ordered by name. Filtering recalculates the population, medians and positions.
Institution-wide median ten years after entry among students who entered the institution; the population includes people who did not complete.
It describes an institutional cohort and its mix of programs and students. It is not an individual's expected earnings, a specific program outcome, a quality measure, or a causal effect of the institution.
Current coverage is only the United States, using College Scorecard data from the US Department of Education. We do not use net price: it represents students receiving US federal aid, not the general cost for an international student. Payments, sponsorships and partnerships do not affect positions.
WIDER methodology · How we make money