COLLEGE RANKINGS

Best-Value US Colleges: High Earnings, Reasonable Tuition

Divide what graduates earn by what the school charges and you get a simple value score. These colleges deliver the most earnings per tuition dollar — a useful lens for families paying out-of-state or international rates.

Methodology: Median 10-year earnings divided by out-of-state tuition. Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates or missing either figure excluded. Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Always verify current figures on each school's official site.

#	College	Location	Earnings ÷ tuition	Acceptance	Tuition (out-of-state)
1	Brigham Young University	Provo, Utah	11.3×	67.8%	$6,688
2	Columbia Southern University	Orange Beach, Alabama	9.4×	—	$6,760
3	University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez	Mayaguez, Puerto Rico	9.3×	56.5%	$5,274
4	Colorado State University Global	Denver, Colorado	8.5×	98.4%	$9,000
5	Brigham Young University-Hawaii	Laie, Hawaii	7.9×	47.0%	$6,630
6	Thomas Edison State University	Trenton, New Jersey	7.8×	—	$8,856
7	University of Arkansas Grantham	LIttle Rock, Arkansas	7.5×	—	$8,520
8	Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global	Marion, Indiana	7.3×	—	$8,208
9	Western Governors University	Salt Lake City, Utah	7.0×	—	$8,658
10	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide	Daytona Beach, Florida	7.0×	57.9%	$12,097
11	University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras	San Juan, Puerto Rico	6.7×	54.6%	$5,354
12	Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies	Fayette, Missouri	6.6×	87.5%	$7,440
13	Metropolitan State University	Saint Paul, Minnesota	6.6×	98.7%	$9,840
14	Louisiana State University-Shreveport	Shreveport, Louisiana	6.3×	50.5%	$7,518
15	Bellevue University	Bellevue, Nebraska	6.2×	—	$9,903
16	Minot State University	Minot, North Dakota	5.9×	64.6%	$8,702
17	University of Puerto Rico at Ponce	Ponce, Puerto Rico	5.9×	52.4%	$5,354
18	University of Puerto Rico at Cayey	Cayey, Puerto Rico	5.8×	53.0%	$5,354
19	Western Carolina University	Cullowhee, North Carolina	5.7×	81.8%	$8,630
20	Wayne State College	Wayne, Nebraska	5.7×	—	$8,216
21	University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo	Arecibo, Puerto Rico	5.7×	59.2%	$5,354
22	University of North Carolina at Pembroke	Pembroke, North Carolina	5.7×	93.3%	$7,648
23	University of Puerto Rico-Humacao	Humacao, Puerto Rico	5.5×	54.8%	$5,364
24	University of Puerto Rico	Bayamon, Puerto Rico	5.5×	35.3%	$6,284
25	Saint Cloud State University	Saint Cloud, Minnesota	5.4×	94.8%	$10,245
26	Franklin University	Columbus, Ohio	5.4×	—	$9,577
27	Southwestern Oklahoma State University	Weatherford, Oklahoma	5.4×	—	$8,499
28	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Metro	San Juan, Puerto Rico	5.3×	69.7%	$5,780
29	University of Maryland Global Campus	Adelphi, Maryland	5.3×	—	$12,336
30	American Public University System	Charles Town, West Virginia	5.3×	—	$8,400
31	Bemidji State University	Bemidji, Minnesota	5.3×	56.0%	$10,237
32	University of Massachusetts Global	Aliso Viejo, California	5.2×	—	$12,540
33	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon	Bayamon, Puerto Rico	5.2×	39.6%	$5,780
34	National University	San Diego, California	5.1×	—	$13,284
35	Southwest Minnesota State University	Marshall, Minnesota	5.0×	62.2%	$10,361
36	Universidad del Sagrado Corazon	Santurce, Puerto Rico	5.0×	58.0%	$6,410
37	CUNY Bernard M Baruch College	New York, New York	4.9×	47.5%	$15,414
38	Nicholls State University	Thibodaux, Louisiana	4.9×	90.8%	$9,242
39	South Dakota School of Mines and Technology	Rapid City, South Dakota	4.8×	79.9%	$14,900
40	Governors State University	University Park, Illinois	4.8×	48.3%	$12,004
41	Minnesota State University Moorhead	Moorhead, Minnesota	4.8×	58.8%	$10,428
42	Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico	Hato Rey, Puerto Rico	4.8×	—	$9,870
43	Fayetteville State University	Fayetteville, North Carolina	4.8×	82.2%	$8,353
44	Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies	Fort Wayne, Indiana	4.8×	—	$9,896
45	McNeese State University	Lake Charles, Louisiana	4.7×	78.3%	$9,989
46	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce	Mercedita, Puerto Rico	4.6×	33.7%	$5,780
47	West Texas A & M University	Canyon, Texas	4.6×	98.7%	$10,996
48	West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County	Anaheim, California	4.6×	—	$22,506
49	University of the Cumberlands	Williamsburg, Kentucky	4.6×	98.8%	$9,875
50	Chamberlain University-Texas	Houston, Texas	4.5×	83.9%	$20,380
51	Midwestern State University	Wichita Falls, Texas	4.4×	93.5%	$12,530
52	Southeast Missouri State University	Cape Girardeau, Missouri	4.4×	73.5%	$9,903
53	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German	San German, Puerto Rico	4.4×	42.5%	$5,780
54	Northern Illinois University	Dekalb, Illinois	4.4×	69.8%	$13,248
55	Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	Edwardsville, Illinois	4.4×	97.5%	$12,922
56	CUNY Graduate School and University Center	New York, New York	4.3×	68.5%	$15,185
57	CUNY City College	New York, New York	4.3×	60.0%	$15,290
58	University of Florida-Online	Gainesville, Florida	4.3×	61.3%	$16,579
59	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla	Aguadilla, Puerto Rico	4.3×	41.8%	$5,742
60	South Dakota State University	Brookings, South Dakota	4.3×	98.3%	$12,809
61	Chamberlain University-Illinois	Addison, Illinois	4.3×	82.6%	$21,536
62	Wilmington University	New Castle, Delaware	4.3×	—	$12,630
63	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo	Arecibo, Puerto Rico	4.2×	38.2%	$5,780
64	Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus	Portales, New Mexico	4.2×	91.7%	$9,174
65	Alcorn State University	Alcorn State, Mississippi	4.1×	45.3%	$8,785
66	Pennsylvania State University-World Campus	University Park, Pennsylvania	4.1×	91.1%	$15,356
67	CUNY Hunter College	New York, New York	4.1×	53.8%	$15,332
68	University of North Dakota	Grand Forks, North Dakota	4.1×	76.9%	$15,570
69	CUNY Queens College	Queens, New York	4.1×	64.3%	$15,488
70	University of South Dakota	Vermillion, South Dakota	4.0×	98.8%	$12,942
71	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	Carbondale, Illinois	4.0×	86.9%	$13,334
72	Dakota State University	Madison, South Dakota	4.0×	88.0%	$12,756
73	University of Phoenix-Arizona	Phoenix, Arizona	4.0×	—	$9,552
74	North Dakota State University-Main Campus	Fargo, North Dakota	3.9×	95.0%	$15,764
75	CUNY Brooklyn College	Brooklyn, New York	3.9×	58.4%	$15,402
76	University of Puerto Rico-Carolina	Carolina, Puerto Rico	3.8×	54.5%	$7,986
77	Central Michigan University	Mount Pleasant, Michigan	3.8×	89.8%	$14,760
78	Dalton State College	Dalton, Georgia	3.8×	—	$10,656
79	CUNY Lehman College	Bronx, New York	3.8×	56.6%	$15,360
80	Farmingdale State College	Farmingdale, New York	3.8×	63.3%	$18,536
81	San Jose State University	San Jose, California	3.8×	84.6%	$21,010
82	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce	Ponce, Puerto Rico	3.7×	98.1%	$6,650
83	CUNY York College	Jamaica, New York	3.7×	64.1%	$15,308
84	Ferris State University	Big Rapids, Michigan	3.7×	91.4%	$14,778
85	University of Southern Mississippi	Hattiesburg, Mississippi	3.7×	99.1%	$11,998
86	New Jersey City University	Jersey City, New Jersey	3.6×	98.4%	$14,460
87	CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice	New York, New York	3.6×	57.1%	$15,420
88	Youngstown State University	Youngstown, Ohio	3.6×	84.5%	$11,473
89	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania	3.6×	71.5%	$14,676
90	National Louis University	Chicago, Illinois	3.6×	95.0%	$12,705
91	Western Illinois University	Macomb, Illinois	3.5×	71.2%	$15,264
92	Central Connecticut State University	New Britain, Connecticut	3.5×	73.3%	$16,550
93	California State University-East Bay	Hayward, California	3.5×	97.4%	$20,183
94	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	Pomona, California	3.5×	75.2%	$20,380
95	Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania	Shippensburg, Pennsylvania	3.5×	86.5%	$15,974
96	SUNY College of Technology at Canton	Canton, New York	3.5×	92.2%	$13,572
97	University of Wisconsin-Platteville	Platteville, Wisconsin	3.5×	89.4%	$17,603
98	Western Connecticut State University	Danbury, Connecticut	3.5×	87.0%	$16,901
99	College of Staten Island CUNY	Staten Island, New York	3.5×	92.3%	$15,440
100	Gordon State College	Barnesville, Georgia	3.5×	85.9%	$10,948

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Best-Value US Colleges: High Earnings, Reasonable Tuition

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