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College ROI Calculator

Compare the return on investment across 4,408 colleges. Select a major and school type to see 20-year cost vs. earnings projections.

Field of Study

School Type

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Select a field of study and school type above, then click Calculate ROI to see which colleges provide the best 20-year return on investment.

Understanding ROI

How We Calculate College ROI

20-Year Projection

We calculate the total cost of attendance (4 years) plus the opportunity cost of delayed earnings, then compare against projected earnings over 20 years using real school-level data.
Earnings Data

Earnings at 6 and 10 years after graduation come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. We use these to project your 20-year earnings trajectory at each school.
Net Price Matters

The net price (tuition minus grants and scholarships) is what you actually pay. A school with moderate earnings but low cost can deliver better ROI than a high-earnings, high-cost school.
Completion Rate Impact

Schools with higher graduation rates mean you're more likely to finish on time — avoiding extra semesters of tuition and delayed earnings. We factor this into the ROI calculation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good college ROI?

A positive ROI means your expected earnings over 20 years exceed your total cost of attendance. Top public schools often deliver 3-5x ROI, while some expensive private schools may take 10+ years to break even.

Does major matter for ROI?

Absolutely. Engineering, Computer Science, and Business graduates typically see the highest earnings. Humanities and Education degrees may have lower earnings but can still deliver positive ROI at affordable schools. Use our field selector to filter by your area of study.

Should I choose a school based on ROI alone?

ROI is one important factor, but consider fit, location, program quality, and campus culture. A school where you're likely to graduate on time and succeed is often a better choice than one with slightly better ROI but lower completion rates.

How does net price differ from tuition?

Net price is the actual cost after subtracting grants and scholarships. It's typically much lower than the published tuition price. The College Scorecard data we use reflects the average net price paid by students at each institution.

College ROI Calculator

How We Calculate College ROI

20-Year Projection

Earnings Data

Net Price Matters

Completion Rate Impact

Frequently Asked Questions

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes