# Colleges With the Best Loan Repayment Rates

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: Outcomes
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-repayment-rates

## Methodology

Ranked by 3-year loan repayment rate — are graduates paying down debt?

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

When it comes to repaying student loans, not all colleges are created equal. Some schools help their graduates find stable careers that allow them to pay off their debt more effectively. For families considering higher education options, focusing on loan repayment rates can reveal which institutions are genuinely supporting their students' financial futures.

The metrics that matter here are clear: earnings after graduation, graduation rates, total debt, and loan repayment success. The schools on this list have demonstrated strong outcomes in these areas, with an average earnings figure of $54,306 and an average graduation rate of 57%. This information provides a solid foundation for understanding how graduates are faring in the real world.

Take, for instance, the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Alabama A & M University. Both schools have similar debt levels, with Alabama A & M at $31,000 and Huntsville at $20,705. However, Huntsville graduates earn significantly more—$61,767 compared to Alabama A & M's $40,628—showing how critical strong earnings can be in loan repayment success. This contrast highlights the importance of considering both debt and potential income when making a college choice.

## Key Findings

- Alabama A & M University has a 26% graduation rate and graduates earn $40,628.
- University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates earn an average of $54,501 with a 63% graduation rate.
- The University of Alabama in Huntsville graduates earn $61,767, significantly higher than Alabama A & M's earnings.
- The average debt among top schools here is $22,300, with an average loan repayment rate that suggests many graduates are successfully managing their loans.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Auburn University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/auburn-university) | Auburn, AL | 81% | $65,337 | $24,323 | $21,000 | 0.32x |
| 2 | [University of Connecticut](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-connecticut) | Storrs, CT | 84% | $73,997 | $25,097 | $21,500 | 0.29x |
| 3 | [Colorado College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/colorado-college) | Colorado Springs, CO | 87% | $65,222 | $33,375 | $18,257 | 0.28x |
| 4 | [Colorado School of Mines](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/colorado-school-of-mines) | Golden, CO | 81% | $97,335 | $28,690 | $23,000 | 0.24x |
| 5 | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus) | Atlanta, GA | 93% | $102,772 | $12,116 | $21,672 | 0.21x |
| 6 | [University of Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-georgia) | Athens, GA | 89% | $68,726 | $13,936 | $18,500 | 0.27x |
| 7 | [University of Iowa](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-iowa) | Iowa City, IA | 74% | $64,762 | $22,531 | $22,500 | 0.35x |
| 8 | [University of Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida) | Gainesville, FL | 91% | $71,588 | $6,541 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 9 | [University of South Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-florida) | Tampa, FL | 76% | $57,743 | $9,812 | $17,988 | 0.31x |
| 10 | [Michigan State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/michigan-state-university) | East Lansing, MI | 81% | $67,253 | $19,680 | $23,250 | 0.35x |
| 11 | [Michigan Technological University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/michigan-technological-university) | Houghton, MI | 68% | $78,198 | $14,182 | $24,990 | 0.32x |
| 12 | [Louisiana Tech University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/louisiana-tech-university) | Ruston, LA | 61% | $52,279 | $11,864 | $22,135 | 0.42x |
| 13 | [Oakland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oakland-university) | Rochester Hills, MI | 57% | $58,612 | $9,120 | $22,750 | 0.39x |
| 14 | [University of Southern Mississippi](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-southern-mississippi) | Hattiesburg, MS | 50% | $44,140 | $21,708 | $22,500 | 0.51x |
| 15 | [The University of Montana](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-montana) | Missoula, MT | 47% | $44,511 | $16,784 | $22,400 | 0.5x |
| 16 | [New Jersey Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/new-jersey-institute-of-technology) | Newark, NJ | 73% | $84,276 | $16,504 | $21,000 | 0.25x |
| 17 | [North Carolina A & T State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-carolina-a-t-state-university) | Greensboro, NC | 56% | $44,440 | $10,846 | $27,000 | 0.61x |
| 18 | [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) | Chapel Hill, NC | 92% | $72,200 | $11,655 | $14,000 | 0.19x |
| 19 | [University of Toledo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-toledo) | Toledo, OH | 56% | $50,632 | $17,249 | $22,250 | 0.44x |
| 20 | [Oklahoma City University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oklahoma-city-university) | Oklahoma City, OK | 65% | $54,655 | $22,857 | $20,835 | 0.38x |
| 21 | [University of Oregon](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-oregon) | Eugene, OR | 72% | $61,324 | $22,182 | $20,139 | 0.33x |
| 22 | [Clemson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/clemson-university) | Clemson, SC | 87% | $71,513 | $22,253 | $21,500 | 0.3x |
| 23 | [South Carolina State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/south-carolina-state-university) | Orangeburg, SC | 33% | $38,262 | $18,097 | $31,000 | 0.81x |
| 24 | [George Mason University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/george-mason-university) | Fairfax, VA | 69% | $76,343 | $17,915 | $19,500 | 0.26x |
| 25 | [Old Dominion University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/old-dominion-university) | Norfolk, VA | 45% | $54,914 | $14,638 | $24,000 | 0.44x |
| 26 | [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university) | Blacksburg, VA | 86% | $81,698 | $24,953 | $21,500 | 0.26x |
| 27 | [Virginia State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/virginia-state-university) | Petersburg, VA | 40% | $45,543 | $15,840 | $26,500 | 0.58x |
| 28 | [University of Utah](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-utah) | Salt Lake City, UT | 64% | $67,170 | $16,200 | $19,000 | 0.28x |
| 29 | [William & Mary](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/william-mary) | Williamsburg, VA | 90% | $73,490 | $19,096 | $18,500 | 0.25x |
| 30 | [University of Arkansas](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-arkansas) | Fayetteville, AR | 70% | $58,191 | $18,209 | $21,500 | 0.37x |
| 31 | [Yale University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/yale-university) | New Haven, CT | 96% | $100,533 | $23,777 | $12,975 | 0.13x |
| 32 | [University of Delaware](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-delaware) | Newark, DE | 80% | $72,950 | $17,799 | $24,572 | 0.34x |
| 33 | [American University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/american-university) | Washington, DC | 77% | $77,370 | $41,943 | $22,750 | 0.29x |
| 34 | [George Washington University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/george-washington-university) | Washington, DC | 85% | $90,873 | $36,586 | $20,449 | 0.23x |
| 35 | [University of San Francisco](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-francisco) | San Francisco, CA | 71% | $89,812 | $41,431 | $23,000 | 0.26x |
| 36 | [University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california) | Los Angeles, CA | 92% | $92,498 | $32,740 | $18,000 | 0.19x |
| 37 | [Emory University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/emory-university) | Atlanta, GA | 91% | $80,137 | $22,585 | $18,250 | 0.23x |
| 38 | [Georgia State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-state-university) | Atlanta, GA | 53% | $47,384 | $15,931 | $20,903 | 0.44x |
| 39 | [University of Idaho](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-idaho) | Moscow, ID | 59% | $54,670 | $14,831 | $21,982 | 0.4x |
| 40 | [University of Notre Dame](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-notre-dame) | Notre Dame, IN | 96% | $99,980 | $26,780 | $19,000 | 0.19x |
| 41 | [Florida Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-institute-of-technology) | Melbourne, FL | 64% | $43,137 | $35,639 | $27,000 | 0.63x |
| 42 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 43 | [Florida State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-state-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 84% | $61,675 | $11,297 | $18,000 | 0.29x |
| 44 | [University of Miami](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-miami) | Coral Gables, FL | 84% | $75,328 | $37,244 | $17,500 | 0.23x |
| 45 | [University of Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-chicago) | Chicago, IL | 95% | $91,885 | $14,860 | $15,000 | 0.16x |
| 46 | [Illinois Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-institute-of-technology) | Chicago, IL | 74% | $82,592 | $18,425 | $25,000 | 0.3x |
| 47 | [Tufts University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tufts-university) | Medford, MA | 93% | $83,214 | $39,998 | $16,250 | 0.2x |
| 48 | [Johns Hopkins University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/johns-hopkins-university) | Baltimore, MD | 94% | $87,555 | $18,809 | $10,250 | 0.12x |
| 49 | [University of Kansas](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-kansas) | Lawrence, KS | 69% | $61,945 | $18,059 | $21,000 | 0.34x |
| 50 | [Kansas State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kansas-state-university) | Manhattan, KS | 71% | $57,262 | $19,406 | $21,250 | 0.37x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Colleges With the Best Loan Repayment Rates." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-repayment-rates

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.