We have gathered, updated and combined a list of top 25 best public colleges and universities that are worth your review for a possible “admission” investment. These findings have been compiled from hundreds of public, college and public universities and institutions across the country. Return On Investment (ROI ) is calculated using the cost of college, tuition and fees, estimated median pay for the college graduate, percentage of applicants admitted, average financial aid packages offered, plus four-to-six years to compensate for time spent in school. We are using a 30-year returns which are based on real terms and the annual ROI figures include a 4.3% yearly wage inflation*.
Related Charts for Top Ranked Colleges That Offer Best Return on Investment:
Top 25 Overall Best Colleges | Top 25 Best Private Colleges
Below is the chart of the top 25 overall best schools for return on investment.
|
Rank
|
School Name
|
Ave. Cost for College in 2009
|
30 Year ROI (2010 Dollars)
|
Annual ROI
|
% of Applicants Admitted | % of students returning sophomore year | Ave. financial aid package | Ave. non-need based aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
University of California, Berkeley
|
$118,900
|
$1,223,000
|
13.1%
|
22% | 97% | $20,400 | $5,120 |
|
2
|
Colorado School of Mines
|
$95,700
|
$1,132,000
|
13.6%
|
63% | 90% | $13,830 | $4,408 |
|
3
|
Georgia Institute of Technology
|
$79,140
|
$1,111,000
|
14.2%
|
59% | 93% | $11,216 | $4,025 |
|
4
|
University of Virginia (UVA)
|
$74,410
|
$1,038,000
|
14.1%
|
32% | 97% | $19,664 | $8,757 |
|
5
|
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) |
$106,600
|
$966,900
|
12.6%
|
42% | 94% | $16,844 | $8,708 |
|
6
|
University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) | $94,100 | $961,200 | 13.1% | 22% | 97% | $17,905 | $4,601 |
|
7
|
College of William and Mary | $74,720 | $895,000 | 13.6% | 34% | 94% | $13,219 | $6,246 |
|
8
|
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) | $106,500 | $888,200 | 12.4% | Not reported | Not reported | $10,418 | $2,796 |
|
9
|
University of Michigan | $84,690 | $875,400 | 13.1% | 50% | 96% | $8,615 | $5,808 |
|
10
|
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (CalPoly) | $86,440 | $844,000 | 12.9% | 37% | 91% | $8,544 | $2,018 |
|
11
|
Texas A&M University | $88,540 | $816,000 | 12.7% | 67% | 92% | $15,670 | $4,320 |
|
12
|
University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | $114,400 | $813,900 | 11.8% | 46% | 92% | $17,676 | $5,496 |
|
13
|
Saint Mary’s College of Maryland | $96,930 | $791,100 | 12.3% | 57% | 91% | $7,500 | $3,000 |
|
14
|
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) | $117,400 | $783,900 | 11.6% | 67% | 84% | $13,500 | $14,200 |
|
15
|
University of California, Irvine (UCI) | $108,200 | $769,300 | 11.8% | 44% | 94% | $14,621 | $6,325 |
|
16
|
University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) | $117,000 | $767,900 | 11.6% | 48% | 91% | $17,022 | $6,105 |
|
18
|
Miami University | $121,700 | $760,500 | 11.4% | 79% | 89% | $13,870 | $3,785 |
|
19
|
Purdue University | $85,320 | $721,300 | 12.4% | ||||
|
20
|
Missouri University of Science and Technology | $84,670 | $720,400 | 12.4% | 73% | 87% | $10,950 | $1,790 |
|
21
|
University of Maryland (UMD) | $167,700 | $715,500 | 10.2% | 42% | 93% | $9,920 | $5,167 |
|
22
|
Binghamton University | $82,800 | $705,300 | 12.4% | 33% | 90% | $11,083 | $2,133 |
|
23
|
University of Florida (UF) | $70,150 | $696,700 | 13% | 9% | - | Not reported | Not reported |
|
24
|
University of Texas (UT) – Austin | $95,900 | $696,200 | 11.9% | 45% | 93% | $13,378 | Not reported |
|
25
|
University of Connecticut (UConn) | $99,350 | $680,800 | 11.7% | 50% | 92% | $12,930 | $6,866 |
Sources: *PayScale ; CollegeBoard
Updated: July 23, 2010