← All best-college lists
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York, NY · Public$75,971 median pay · $3,033/yr net
CUNY Hunter CollegeNew York, NY · Public$63,163 median pay · $2,984/yr net
CUNY Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, NY · Public$60,752 median pay · $3,103/yr net
CUNY Lehman CollegeBronx, NY · Public$58,013 median pay · $3,148/yr net
Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · Private$110,066 median pay · $6,128/yr net
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeNew York, NY · Public$56,195 median pay · $3,203/yr net
CUNY City CollegeNew York, NY · Public$66,039 median pay · $3,776/yr net
CUNY Queens CollegeQueens, NY · Public$62,763 median pay · $4,195/yr net
California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA · Public$59,211 median pay · $3,967/yr net
University of Florida-OnlineGainesville, FL · Public$71,588 median pay · $4,815/yr net
Texas A & M International UniversityLaredo, TX · Public$48,386 median pay · $3,637/yr net
California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA · Public$59,977 median pay · $4,564/yr net
Indiana University-KokomoKokomo, IN · Public$49,917 median pay · $3,968/yr net
University of FloridaGainesville, FL · Public$71,588 median pay · $6,541/yr net
California State University-BakersfieldBakersfield, CA · Public$59,009 median pay · $5,652/yr net
California State University-StanislausTurlock, CA · Public$63,188 median pay · $6,067/yr net
The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, TX · Public$49,620 median pay · $4,831/yr net
California State University-FullertonFullerton, CA · Public$62,951 median pay · $6,555/yr net
Stanford UniversityStanford, CA · Private$124,080 median pay · $13,807/yr net
California State University-FresnoFresno, CA · Public$61,244 median pay · $7,000/yr net
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA · Public$102,772 median pay · $12,116/yr net
California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, CA · Public$59,115 median pay · $7,021/yr net
Purdue University NorthwestHammond, IN · Public$48,318 median pay · $6,079/yr net
Eastern New Mexico University-Main CampusPortales, NM · Public$38,550 median pay · $4,904/yr net
University of Washington-Tacoma CampusTacoma, WA · Public$78,466 median pay · $10,163/yr net
Uta Mesivta of Kiryas JoelMonroe, NY · Private$31,853 median pay · $4,156/yr net
California State University-East BayHayward, CA · Public$71,401 median pay · $9,320/yr net
University of Michigan-FlintFlint, MI · Public$53,230 median pay · $7,007/yr net
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · Private$143,372 median pay · $20,111/yr net
Berea CollegeBerea, KY · Private$43,150 median pay · $6,106/yr net
California State University-SacramentoSacramento, CA · Public$64,876 median pay · $9,338/yr net
University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA · Public$92,446 median pay · $13,481/yr net
College of the OzarksPoint Lookout, MO · Private$41,592 median pay · $6,100/yr net
University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA · Public$84,943 median pay · $12,470/yr net
Rice UniversityHouston, TX · Private$89,718 median pay · $13,370/yr net
California State University-Dominguez HillsCarson, CA · Public$57,162 median pay · $8,615/yr net
University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA · Public$82,511 median pay · $12,548/yr net
Florida International UniversityMiami, FL · Public$60,249 median pay · $9,288/yr net
Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL · Public$56,746 median pay · $8,752/yr net
Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI · Public$58,612 median pay · $9,120/yr net
Farmingdale State CollegeFarmingdale, NY · Public$69,781 median pay · $10,867/yr net
University of Washington-Bothell CampusBothell, WA · Public$78,466 median pay · $12,319/yr net
University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Public$83,648 median pay · $13,138/yr net
Ferris State UniversityBig Rapids, MI · Public$54,735 median pay · $8,624/yr net
California State University-Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA · Public$62,152 median pay · $9,849/yr net
Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City, NC · Public$40,026 median pay · $6,364/yr net
University of Michigan-DearbornDearborn, MI · Public$59,649 median pay · $9,492/yr net
University of Illinois ChicagoChicago, IL · Public$68,740 median pay · $10,974/yr net
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA · Public$71,902 median pay · $11,531/yr net
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · Public$72,200 median pay · $11,655/yr netFrequently asked questions
Best value colleges
Colleges that deliver the most earnings power for the lowest real cost.
How we ranked this: Ranked by 10-year median earnings relative to the average net price after aid: a rough return on what you actually pay. Limited to schools that report both, with a graduation rate of 40% or higher and at least 1,000 students.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew York, NY · Public$75,971 median pay · $3,033/yr netCUNY Hunter CollegeNew York, NY · Public$63,163 median pay · $2,984/yr netCUNY Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, NY · Public$60,752 median pay · $3,103/yr netCUNY Lehman CollegeBronx, NY · Public$58,013 median pay · $3,148/yr netPrinceton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · Private$110,066 median pay · $6,128/yr netCUNY John Jay College of Criminal JusticeNew York, NY · Public$56,195 median pay · $3,203/yr netCUNY City CollegeNew York, NY · Public$66,039 median pay · $3,776/yr netCUNY Queens CollegeQueens, NY · Public$62,763 median pay · $4,195/yr netCalifornia State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA · Public$59,211 median pay · $3,967/yr netTexas A & M International UniversityLaredo, TX · Public$48,386 median pay · $3,637/yr netCalifornia State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA · Public$59,977 median pay · $4,564/yr netUniversity of FloridaGainesville, FL · Public$71,588 median pay · $6,541/yr netCalifornia State University-BakersfieldBakersfield, CA · Public$59,009 median pay · $5,652/yr netCalifornia State University-StanislausTurlock, CA · Public$63,188 median pay · $6,067/yr netThe University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyEdinburg, TX · Public$49,620 median pay · $4,831/yr netCalifornia State University-FullertonFullerton, CA · Public$62,951 median pay · $6,555/yr netStanford UniversityStanford, CA · Private$124,080 median pay · $13,807/yr netCalifornia State University-FresnoFresno, CA · Public$61,244 median pay · $7,000/yr netPurdue University NorthwestHammond, IN · Public$48,318 median pay · $6,079/yr netCalifornia State University-East BayHayward, CA · Public$71,401 median pay · $9,320/yr netUniversity of Michigan-FlintFlint, MI · Public$53,230 median pay · $7,007/yr netMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA · Private$143,372 median pay · $20,111/yr netBerea CollegeBerea, KY · Private$43,150 median pay · $6,106/yr netCalifornia State University-SacramentoSacramento, CA · Public$64,876 median pay · $9,338/yr netUniversity of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA · Public$92,446 median pay · $13,481/yr netCollege of the OzarksPoint Lookout, MO · Private$41,592 median pay · $6,100/yr netUniversity of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA · Public$84,943 median pay · $12,470/yr netRice UniversityHouston, TX · Private$89,718 median pay · $13,370/yr netCalifornia State University-Dominguez HillsCarson, CA · Public$57,162 median pay · $8,615/yr netUniversity of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA · Public$82,511 median pay · $12,548/yr netFlorida International UniversityMiami, FL · Public$60,249 median pay · $9,288/yr netFlorida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, FL · Public$56,746 median pay · $8,752/yr netOakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI · Public$58,612 median pay · $9,120/yr netFarmingdale State CollegeFarmingdale, NY · Public$69,781 median pay · $10,867/yr netUniversity of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI · Public$83,648 median pay · $13,138/yr netFerris State UniversityBig Rapids, MI · Public$54,735 median pay · $8,624/yr netCalifornia State University-Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA · Public$62,152 median pay · $9,849/yr netElizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City, NC · Public$40,026 median pay · $6,364/yr netUniversity of Michigan-DearbornDearborn, MI · Public$59,649 median pay · $9,492/yr netUniversity of Illinois ChicagoChicago, IL · Public$68,740 median pay · $10,974/yr netCalifornia State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA · Public$71,902 median pay · $11,531/yr netUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · Public$72,200 median pay · $11,655/yr net- How are best value colleges ranked?
- Ranked by 10-year median earnings relative to the average net price after aid: a rough return on what you actually pay. Limited to schools that report both, with a graduation rate of 40% or higher and at least 1,000 students. We only rank schools with enough public data to compare fairly.
- Is the net price before or after financial aid?
- Net price is the average yearly cost after grants and scholarships are subtracted, reported across aided students. Your own price depends on your family's finances.
- Where does this ranking data come from?
- All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. No school pays to be listed or ranked.
- How do I find the list that actually fits me?
- These lists use the same data for everyone. Take Blueprint's free Matchmaker to get your personal odds and net price at every school.
Which of these is right for you?
These lists are a great start, but the one list that actually matters is yours. Blueprint builds it in two free steps.
1 Discovery quiz: find your major2 Matchmaker: your odds + net price at every school