However, a return on investment (ROI) analysis from Georgetown University of 4,600 colleges across the country, post-graduate studies have confirmed what most already assume: Much of a postgraduate's success comes down to the school name on their diploma. But it's not the Ivy Leagues like Harvard with necessarily the best bang-for-your-buck.
Graduates of the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy in St. Louis and Harvey Mudd College in California on average have the highest ROI over 40 years—with the average grad having by then accrued over $4.5 million. The schools are health and STEM focused, respectively.
More well-known colleges topped the list, too. Within 10 years of obtaining a bachelor’s degree, graduates of top tech schools like California Institute of Technology (CalTech), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Stanford University will have earned over $500,000 thanks to their degree—with millions more earned with each decade.
The top 10 universities—if you want a return on your steep investment
Within a decade of graduating with a bachelor’s degree, these are the top universities with the highest ROI:
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California Institute of Technology ($627,000)
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($579,000)
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Stanford University ($509,000)
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University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis ($502,000)
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Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences ($492,000)
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Franklin W Olin College of Engineering ($483,000)
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Princeton University ($477,000)
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Harvey Mudd College ($476,000)
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United States Merchant Marine Academy ($453,000)
After 40 years, the potential to be a multimillionaire as a graduate of certain universities is high, with the best ROIs being at:
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University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis ($4,562,000)
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Harvey Mudd College ($4,506,000)
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($4,484,000)
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Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences ($4,447,000)
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MCPHS University ($4,239,000)
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Franklin W Olin College of Engineering ($4,160,000)
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Princeton University ($3,949,000)
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University of Pennsylvania ($3,920,000)
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California Institute of Technology ($3,903,000)
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Stanford University ($3,872,000)
The analysis took post-college earnings data and tuition costs from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, and despite debt not being included in the calculations, the report authors said the ROI numbers in reality are likely to be much higher.
“This is a very conservative approach, and because earnings actually tend to grow with age, our estimates of ROI can be assumed to be at the lower end of possible outcomes,” the researchers wrote.
At some schools, like the Manhattan School of Music, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and Hussian College-Los Angeles, it can take upwards of 15 years to have a positive ROI from a college degree, according to the Georgetown data.
