# Best ROI Colleges for Human Resources

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

## Methodology

Ranked by return on investment with program concentration in Business & Marketing

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 considering a degree in human resources, the return on investment (ROI) of your college choice is crucial. These schools stand out not just for their programs, but for the financial outcomes they produce. On average, graduates from this list earn $83,616 annually, a solid benchmark as we weigh options in today’s job market.

The strongest programs in this ranking excel in key areas: graduation rates, post-college earnings, manageable debt, and upward mobility. For instance, the average graduation rate among these top institutions is 85%, indicating a commitment to student success. The schools listed below have been carefully selected based on their ROI, allowing students to see which colleges may lead to the best financial futures.

Take Cornell University and CUNY Bernard M Baruch College, for example. Graduates from Cornell can expect earnings of $104,043, while Baruch College graduates earn $75,971. However, Baruch’s net price is significantly lower at $3,033 compared to Cornell's $28,690. This contrast illustrates the trade-offs between high upfront costs and potential earnings, helping students make informed choices about their education.

## Key Findings

- Cornell University graduates earn an average of $104,043 annually.
- CUNY Bernard M Baruch College has a net price of only $3,033.
- The average graduation rate among these top schools is 85%.
- University of Pennsylvania students face a debt of $15,715 on average.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college) | New York, NY | 72% | $75,971 | $3,033 | $11,512 | 0.15x |
| 2 | [Cornell University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cornell-university) | Ithaca, NY | 95% | $104,043 | $28,690 | $14,000 | 0.13x |
| 3 | [Washington and Lee University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-and-lee-university) | Lexington, VA | 94% | $94,810 | $23,781 | $19,500 | 0.21x |
| 4 | [University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania) | Philadelphia, PA | 97% | $111,371 | $28,699 | $15,715 | 0.14x |
| 5 | [Rice University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rice-university) | Houston, TX | 95% | $89,718 | $13,370 | $11,000 | 0.12x |
| 6 | [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 |
| 7 | [University of Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida) | Gainesville, FL | 91% | $71,588 | $6,541 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 8 | [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 |
| 9 | [Babson College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/babson-college) | Wellesley, MA | 93% | $123,938 | $40,514 | $20,000 | 0.16x |
| 10 | [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-brooklyn-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 55% | $60,752 | $3,103 | $11,000 | 0.18x |
| 11 | [Emory University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/emory-university) | Atlanta, GA | 91% | $80,137 | $22,585 | $18,250 | 0.23x |
| 12 | [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 |
| 13 | [Washington University in St Louis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis) | St. Louis, MO | 94% | $86,182 | $21,786 | $17,500 | 0.2x |
| 14 | [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university) | Pittsburgh, PA | 93% | $114,862 | $31,944 | $21,750 | 0.19x |
| 15 | [University of Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-georgia) | Athens, GA | 89% | $68,726 | $13,936 | $18,500 | 0.27x |
| 16 | [Northwestern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northwestern-university) | Evanston, IL | 96% | $89,363 | $29,167 | $15,000 | 0.17x |
| 17 | [Georgetown University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgetown-university) | Washington, DC | 95% | $103,494 | $40,815 | $15,500 | 0.15x |
| 18 | [Brigham Young University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/brigham-young-university) | Provo, UT | 82% | $75,790 | $15,564 | $11,069 | 0.15x |
| 19 | [Boston College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/boston-college) | Chestnut Hill, MA | 91% | $103,937 | $41,704 | $19,000 | 0.18x |
| 20 | [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-queens-college) | Queens, NY | 56% | $62,763 | $4,195 | $10,298 | 0.16x |
| 21 | [San Jose State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-jose-state-university) | San Jose, CA | 67% | $78,988 | $13,760 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 22 | [Bentley University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bentley-university) | Waltham, MA | 88% | $120,959 | $37,930 | $25,023 | 0.21x |
| 23 | [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 |
| 24 | [Claremont McKenna College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/claremont-mckenna-college) | Claremont, CA | 93% | $104,736 | $28,849 | $13,500 | 0.13x |
| 25 | [William & Mary](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/william-mary) | Williamsburg, VA | 90% | $73,490 | $19,096 | $18,500 | 0.25x |
| 26 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 27 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 28 | [Florida State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-state-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 84% | $61,675 | $11,297 | $18,000 | 0.29x |
| 29 | [CUNY Hunter College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-hunter-college) | New York, NY | 59% | $63,163 | $2,984 | $11,000 | 0.17x |
| 30 | [CUNY Lehman College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-lehman-college) | Bronx, NY | 50% | $58,013 | $3,148 | $10,950 | 0.19x |
| 31 | [Northeastern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeastern-university) | Boston, MA | 90% | $92,538 | $30,915 | $24,250 | 0.26x |
| 32 | [Boston University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/boston-university) | Boston, MA | 89% | $83,238 | $24,402 | $23,250 | 0.28x |
| 33 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 34 | [Wake Forest University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wake-forest-university) | Winston-Salem, NC | 90% | $78,158 | $28,719 | $21,500 | 0.28x |
| 35 | [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 |
| 36 | [Ramapo College of New Jersey](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ramapo-college-of-new-jersey) | Mahwah, NJ | 71% | $67,541 | $18,173 | $21,000 | 0.31x |
| 37 | [Florida Atlantic University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-atlantic-university) | Boca Raton, FL | 63% | $56,746 | $8,752 | $17,236 | 0.3x |
| 38 | [University of Richmond](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-richmond) | University of Richmond, VA | 86% | $76,178 | $31,309 | $21,000 | 0.28x |
| 39 | [Trinity University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trinity-university) | San Antonio, TX | 83% | $71,668 | $23,464 | $22,954 | 0.32x |
| 40 | [Lehigh University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lehigh-university) | Bethlehem, PA | 89% | $105,584 | $36,931 | $21,960 | 0.21x |
| 41 | [Binghamton University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/binghamton-university) | Vestal, NY | 83% | $80,596 | $21,620 | $18,500 | 0.23x |
| 42 | [The University of Texas at Austin](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin) | Austin, TX | 88% | $75,121 | $19,857 | $20,500 | 0.27x |
| 43 | [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida-online) | Gainesville, FL | 81% | $71,588 | $4,815 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 44 | [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/santa-clara-university) | Santa Clara, CA | 88% | $109,183 | $50,062 | $19,162 | 0.18x |
| 45 | [University of South Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-florida) | Tampa, FL | 76% | $57,743 | $9,812 | $17,988 | 0.31x |
| 46 | [Saint Johns University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-johns-university) | Collegeville, MN | 76% | $76,786 | $25,672 | $27,000 | 0.35x |
| 47 | [SUNY Maritime College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-maritime-college) | Throggs Neck, NY | 70% | $95,951 | $22,367 | $23,250 | 0.24x |
| 48 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 49 | [George Mason University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/george-mason-university) | Fairfax, VA | 69% | $76,343 | $17,915 | $19,500 | 0.26x |
| 50 | [University of Utah](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-utah) | Salt Lake City, UT | 64% | $67,170 | $16,200 | $19,000 | 0.28x |

## 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. "Best ROI Colleges for Human Resources." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-roi-human-resources

## 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/.