Private college in every state with the best ROI

- Private colleges considered in Alabama: 13
- Samford University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $982,000
- 10-year net present value: $47,000
- Graduation rate: 74%
- Median debt: $15,832

Samford University, located near Birmingham, Alabama, is one of the top Christian universities in the nation and is grounded in the liberal arts. Samford was ranked the second best in the nation for student engagement by the Wall Street Journal, a metric that assesses the preparedness students feel when applying their studies to the real world. Almost all undergraduate alumni find themselves working or continuing their studies within six months of graduation.

- Private colleges considered in Alaska: 1
- Alaska Pacific University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $827,000
- 10-year net present value: $74,000
- Graduation rate: 50%
- Median debt: $12,900

Alaska Pacific University, located in Anchorage, is a small school with an enrollment of less than 400 students, according to U.S. News & World Report. Its tuition is around $20,000 per year, which is about half of the national average.

- Private colleges considered in Arizona: 3
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,328,000
- 10-year net present value: $87,000
- Graduation rate: 61%
- Median debt: $12,250

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott is a university with a focus on arts, sciences, aviation, business, engineering, and intelligence. According to PayScale, the average early career salaries for graduates is almost $70,000. Graduates go on to land careers in fields like aerospace engineering, aircraft piloting, mechanical engineering, and flight test engineering.

- Private colleges considered in Arkansas: 10
- John Brown University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $933,000
- 10-year net present value: $75,000
- Graduation rate: 69%
- Median debt: $16,795

Arkansas' John Brown University was founded in 1919 as a Christian university with more than 40 undergraduate majors, including nursing, engineering, biology, liberal arts, and more. Tuition is much cheaper than the national average, at $28,288 per year for the 2020-21 school year, according to U.S. News & World Report. More than half of its classes have fewer than 20 students, meaning students are given specialized focus and attention from faculty.

- Private colleges considered in California: 58
- Stanford University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $2,068,000
- 10-year net present value: $307,000
- Graduation rate: 94%
- Median debt: $10,874

Founded in the late 19th century, Stanford University is one of the best universities in the country. The school has churned out top researchers and entrepreneurs in academics, as well as top athletes. Its proximity to Silicon Valley means it is strongly connected to the tech industry, and more than half of Stanford students choose to study in the STEM fields.

- Private colleges considered in Colorado: 6
- Regis University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,176,000
- 10-year net present value: $119,000
- Graduation rate: 70%
- Median debt: $18,500

Denver's Regis University is a Jesuit university known for its programs in arts and sciences. As part of tracking its student outcomes, the university has found that almost half of its students find their early career jobs through the university's networking program. More than half of 2019 graduates had secured jobs prior to graduation. 

- Private colleges considered in Connecticut: 13
- Yale University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,777,000
- 10-year net present value: $218,000
- Graduation rate: 98%
- Median debt: $12,000

Connecticut's Yale University is one of the country's prestigious Ivy League universities. Its students are well-prepared for the workforce or further education after college, as more than 90% are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. The top five industries that students enter include finance, education, consulting, technology, and health care.

- Private colleges considered in Delaware: 3
- Goldey-Beacom College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $936,000
- 10-year net present value: $102,000
- Graduation rate: 52%
- Median debt: $15,000

Goldey-Beacom College is a private college in Delaware on 24 acres offering degrees in economics, psychology, computer systems, and business. According to U.S. News & World Report, its annual tuition is just under $25,000, which is less than the national average.

- Private colleges considered in Florida: 38
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,391,000
- 10-year net present value: $151,000
- Graduation rate: 25%
- Median debt: $12,250

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide has one of the largest aerospace engineering programs in the nation. Aerospace engineering is an industry that is growing at 3% with an expected additional 1,900 jobs in the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 data. The average salary for graduates, according to PayScale, is nearly $85,000.

- Private colleges considered in Georgia: 29
- Emory University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,372,000
- 10-year net present value: $135,000
- Graduation rate: 91%
- Median debt: $18,222

Georgia's Emory University is one of the top research universities in the nation, and among the oldest private universities, as well. It has nine schools of learning, including the college of arts and sciences, a business school, school of law, school of medicine, school of public health, and more. Within three months of graduation, more than 90% of students have plans that range from full-time employment to continuing education, internships, or military service.

- Private colleges considered in Hawaii: 3
- Hawaii Pacific University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $984,000
- 10-year net present value: $49,000
- Graduation rate: 43%
- Median debt: $13,250

Honolulu's Hawaii Pacific University is a top university with a focus in academic programs like business, nursing, biology, military studies, and social work. According to U.S. News & World Report its tuition and fees are less than $28,000, which is less than the national average. PayScale reports that the average salary for graduates is over $73,000.

- Private colleges considered in Idaho: 4
- Brigham Young University-Idaho statistics
- 40-year net present value: $922,000
- 10-year net present value: $122,000
- Graduation rate: 58%
- Median debt: $6,606

Brigham Young University-Idaho is a liberal arts college offering programs in sciences, engineering, agriculture, management, and performing arts. It has one of the lowest tuition rates in the nation, at roughly $4,300 per semester for those not affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (It is significantly cheaper for students who are part of the church.) According to College Factional, it will take 1.5 years for graduates to break even if you make $36,000 a year as a starting salary.

- Private colleges considered in Illinois: 44
- Illinois Institute of Technology statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,462,000
- 10-year net present value: $167,000
- Graduation rate: 72%
- Median debt: $22,500

Located in Chicago, the Illinois Institute of Technology is a leading institution in the fields of architecture, business, communications, design, engineering, technology, law, and others. The average starting salary for graduates is over $62,000 and graduates land jobs at top companies like SpaceX, Deloitte, Siemens, Twitter, Uber, Honeywell, and others.

- Private colleges considered in Indiana: 31
- Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,665,000
- 10-year net present value: $149,000
- Graduation rate: 82%
- Median debt: $27,000

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, located in Terre Haute, Indiana, is a private college that specializes in STEM subjects. It has some of the highest job placement rates in the country. The average accepted starting offer salary among 2020 graduates was $76,253.

- Private colleges considered in Iowa: 27
- Drake University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,185,000
- 10-year net present value: $92,000
- Graduation rate: 79%
- Median debt: $22,500

Iowa's Drake University is a private university that offers undergraduate and graduate programs across several schools, from the College of Arts and Sciences to the College of Business and Public Administration, School of Education, School of Journalism, Law School, and College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The average starting salary for 2018 graduates was $51,034.

- Private colleges considered in Kansas: 17
- Baker University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,066,000
- 10-year net present value: $105,000
- Graduation rate: 56%
- Median debt: $19,500

Baker University is a private liberal arts university that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ten years after graduation, Baker alumni earn $48,000, more than graduates of other Kansas universities.

- Private colleges considered in Kentucky: 19
- Thomas More College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,038,000
- 10-year net present value: $112,000
- Graduation rate: 48%
- Median debt: $15,077

Thomas More University is a Catholic institution founded in 1921. According to U.S. News & World Report, the student to faculty ratio is 15:1 and more than two-thirds of classes have fewer than 20 students. Ninety-eight percent of graduates from the class of 2019 were employed within six months of graduation.

- Private colleges considered in Louisiana: 8
- Tulane University of Louisiana statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,217,000
- 10-year net present value: $61,000
- Graduation rate: 83%
- Median debt: $22,000

New Orleans' Tulane University was originally founded as a public medical college in the 19th century. Today it is the 9th oldest private university in America and one of the major research universities in the country. PayScale reports that the early career salary average for graduates is just shy of $60,000.

- Private colleges considered in Maine: 9
- Bowdoin College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,350,000
- 10-year net present value: $122,000
- Graduation rate: 95%
- Median debt: $16,778

Bowdoin College, located in Maine, offers 34 majors and 36 minors. It also has joint engineering programs with Columbia University, Caltech, Dartmouth College, and the University of Maine. According to a survey conducted by the college, around 75% of graduates are employed within a year after graduation. Fifteen percent were attending graduate school. Employers of Bowdoin grads include companies like Amazon, Americorps, Apple, Bloomberg, Citigroup, Conde Nast, and more.

- Private colleges considered in Maryland: 13
- Johns Hopkins University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,508,000
- 10-year net present value: $136,000
- Graduation rate: 93%
- Median debt: $12,645

One of the top private research institutions in the world, Johns Hopkins University undergraduate education is among the highest rated in the country. In 2020 its rate of admission was 7.7%, according to the Johns Hopkins News-Letter. But this exclusivity comes with perks, like a very high starting salary. PayScale reports graduates of Johns Hopkins have an early career salary over $70,000.

- Private colleges considered in Massachusetts: 54
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health statistics
- 40-year net present value: $2,421,000
- 10-year net present value: $247,000
- Graduation rate: 76%
- Median debt: $25,000

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health is a university that focuses on medical and health-related sciences, particularly pharmacy. PayScale reports that the early career salaries for graduates average more than $65,000. The school has a 7.3% return on investment.

- Private colleges considered in Michigan: 25
- Kettering University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,662,000
- 10-year net present value: $153,000
- Graduation rate: 57%
- Median debt: $24,500

Michigan's Kettering University is a leading school for STEM and business fields. As part of its curriculum, it requires that students participate in up to the equivalent of 2.5 years of practical, professional work experience through its co-op program. The average co-op earnings over 4.5 years are between $45,000-70,000.

- Private colleges considered in Minnesota: 23
- Saint John's University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,247,000
- 10-year net present value: $111,000
- Graduation rate: 76%
- Median debt: $25,000

St. John's University offers more than 100 degree programs across all of its levels. It has seven campuses, as well. Its class of 2019 had a job placement rate of 94.4%. Some of the top employers of graduates of St. John's University include Apple, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Teach for America, and others.

- Private colleges considered in Mississippi: 7
- Millsaps College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $977,000
- 10-year net present value: $76,000
- Graduation rate: 69%
- Median debt: $18,500

Millsaps College, based in Jackson, Mississippi, was founded at the end of the 19th century. The student body of undergraduates is less than 1,000, and those who do attend are rewarded with small class sizes, a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, 32 majors to choose from, and 90% employment/graduate school rate within six months of graduation. One hundred percent of applicants from the class of 2019 were accepted into medical school, as well.

- Private colleges considered in Missouri: 31
- St. Louis College of Pharmacy statistics
- 40-year net present value: $2,714,000
- 10-year net present value: $389,000
- Graduation rate: 72%
- Median debt: $19,500

The University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis is one of the original pharmacy colleges in the United States. It offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees for healthcare professions. PayScale reports that the average salary for graduates is over $126,000. The global pharmaceuticals industry is expected to be worth $1.57 trillion by 2023. It is a rapidly growing industry, according to the Global Pharmaceuticals Industry Analysis and Trends 2023 report.

- Private colleges considered in Montana: 3
- Carroll College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $917,000
- 10-year net present value: $57,000
- Graduation rate: 69%
- Median debt: $21,500

Montana's Carroll College offers more than 35 majors across liberal arts, engineering, education, computer science, nursing, and more. According to College Factual, the average yearly cost is $29,000, while the average starting salary for graduates is $41,000. This means it will take only 3.1 years to break even.

- Private colleges considered in Nebraska: 16
- Creighton University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,202,000
- 10-year net present value: $83,000
- Graduation rate: 80%
- Median debt: $23,000

Creighton University was founded in 1878 in Omaha and has nine undergraduate, graduate, and professional colleges. According to U.S. News & World Report, the student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and more than 45% of the school's classes have fewer than 20 students. Its top majors are business management, marketing, health professions, biological and biomedical sciences, and psychology.

- Private colleges considered in Nevada: 1
- Sierra Nevada College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $756,000
- 10-year net present value: -$33,000
- Graduation rate: 40%
- Median debt: $15,000

Located on the banks of Lake Tahoe, Sierra Nevada University (formerly Sierra Nevada College) offers majors and interdisciplinary studies in fine arts, humanities, business, science, and technology. Its location near some of the most beautiful outdoor scenery in the U.S. gives its students a great quality of living while at school. PayScale reports that the average early career salary for graduates is over $55,000.

- Private colleges considered in New Hampshire: 8
- Dartmouth College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,561,000
- 10-year net present value: $146,000
- Graduation rate: 96%
- Median debt: $12,000

Dartmouth College, an Ivy League research university in New Hampshire, is one of the oldest universities in the nation. It offers more than 50 majors and is often ranked among the best schools in the country. The top employment sectors for graduates include finance, education, health, tech, and law, and the biggest employers have been Google, Goldman Sachs & Co., Mckinsey & Company, Amazon, and Dartmouth College itself.

- Private colleges considered in New Jersey: 16
- Stevens Institute of Technology statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,833,000
- 10-year net present value: $162,000
- Graduation rate: 83%
- Median debt: $26,000

Stevens Institute of Technology sits just across the Hudson River from Manhattan in Hoboken, New Jersey. It is one of the first colleges in America dedicated to mechanical engineering. That field is growing at 4%, according to 2020 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, and there will be an increase of 12,400 jobs in the sector over the next 10 years.

- Private colleges considered in New Mexico: 2
- University of the Southwest statistics
- 40-year net present value: $755,000
- 10-year net present value: $77,000
- Graduation rate: 20%
- Median debt: $9,500

University of the Southwest is a rural university that sits on 142 acres. According to U.S. News & World Report, its tuition and fees are just over $16,000, which is a fraction of the national average. It offers degrees in liberal arts, business, and education.

- Private colleges considered in New York: 87
- Albany College of Pharmacy and Health statistics
- 40-year net present value: $2,722,000
- 10-year net present value: $385,000
- Graduation rate: 74%
- Median debt: $25,000

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health is a private college in upstate New York. The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named it the #1 value-added college or university in the country for 2019. PayScale reports that its graduates earn an average early career salary of over $77,000.

- Private colleges considered in North Carolina: 35
- Duke University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,754,000
- 10-year net present value: $173,000
- Graduation rate: 95%
- Median debt: $9,000

Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina. It's one of the most selective schools in the country, with an admission rate of 7.7%. Those who are accepted into the fold have a bright future, especially in tech, health care, and finance. The top employers hiring three or more Duke graduates are Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Capital One, Deloitte, and National Institute of Health, among others.

- Private colleges considered in North Dakota: 3
- University of Mary statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,017,000
- 10-year net present value: $118,000
- Graduation rate: 54%
- Median debt: $14,715

North Dakota's University of Mary is an affordable school with an average yearly tuition of roughly $23,000, according to College Factual. Ninety-nine percent of students receive some sort of financial aid, whether that's scholarships, grants, loans, work-study, or a combination. Average starting salary is $47,000 for graduates, meaning it will take about 2.1 years to break even.

- Private colleges considered in Ohio: 49
- Case Western Reserve University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,519,000
- 10-year net present value: $121,000
- Graduation rate: 82%
- Median debt: $22,000

Case Western Reserve University is a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio. It is noted for its research in electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering. In fact, the majority of its students go into the engineering industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the engineering industry expects to add 65,000 jobs between 2014 and 2024.

- Private colleges considered in Oklahoma: 11
- Oklahoma Wesleyan University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,030,000
- 10-year net present value: $76,000
- Graduation rate: 45%
- Median debt: $16,666

Oklahoma Wesleyan University was founded in the 1970s in suburban Oklahoma. Its tuition costs just under $28,000 per year, according to U.S. News & World Report. Students can choose from about 35 programs. According to College Factual, the average early career salary for graduates is about $51,000.

- Private colleges considered in Oregon: 15
- University of Portland statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,172,000
- 10-year net present value: $70,000
- Graduation rate: 82%
- Median debt: $20,662

University of Portland, a private Catholic university in Portland, Oregon, is known for its college of arts and sciences, graduate school, and professional schools that specialize in business, education, engineering, and nursing. The most popular majors are nursing, biology, marketing, finance, and education. According to PayScale, the average early career salary for graduates is more than $61,000 and students go on to careers in mechanical engineering, financial analysis, software engineering, and marketing.

- Private colleges considered in Pennsylvania: 76
- University of the Sciences statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,928,000
- 10-year net present value: $211,000
- Graduation rate: 71%
- Median debt: $27,000

University of the Sciences is a university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that focuses on degrees in pharmacy and other health-related industries. In 2020 it was awarded the Social Innovation Award for Post Secondary Education: Social Mobility. Social mobility data is drawn from indicators like median early career income, percentage of low-income students attending, and affordability.

- Private colleges considered in Rhode Island: 8
- Bryant University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,393,000
- 10-year net present value: $94,000
- Graduation rate: 78%
- Median debt: $26,000

Smithfield, Rhode Island's Bryant University has two colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business. More than 90% of Bryant students complete an internship while attending. The school has partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and international nonprofits. Bryant also requires a major and a minor—one in liberal arts and one in business.

- Private colleges considered in South Carolina: 19
- Wofford College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,050,000
- 10-year net present value: $84,000
- Graduation rate: 80%
- Median debt: $21,500

Wofford College is a private liberal arts college that was founded in 1854. It offers more than 25 majors and pre-professional programs in education, dentistry, medicine, law, ministry, engineering, and veterinary sciences. Most recent data is from the class of 2018, of which 89% are employed, interning, or in graduate school. The overall career outcomes rate is 99%.

- Private colleges considered in South Dakota: 5
- Augustana University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $907,000
- 10-year net present value: $88,000
- Graduation rate: 71%
- Median debt: $23,259

South Dakota's Augustana University offers more than 100 majors, minors and pre-professional programs. All full-time students are awarded some level of scholarship. Ninety-seven percent of 2020 graduates were employed in their area of study, and their median salary was $42,300.

- Private colleges considered in Tennessee: 31
- Vanderbilt University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,462,000
- 10-year net present value: $169,000
- Graduation rate: 92%
- Median debt: $13,440

Vanderbilt University is a research institution that was founded in 1873. Today it has 10 schools set on a leafy campus in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee. Eighty-six percent of the class of 2019 was employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation.

- Private colleges considered in Texas: 39
- Rice University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,393,000
- 10-year net present value: $167,000
- Graduation rate: 92%
- Median debt: $10,000

Located in Houston, Texas, Rice University offers its students the opportunity to participate in scholarly research activities and internships. The real-world experience preps its students for lucrative careers at companies like Deloitte, Teach for America, Microsoft, Google, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co, and Amazon, among other companies.

- Private colleges considered in Utah: 3
- Brigham Young University-Provo statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,275,000
- 10-year net present value: $156,000
- Graduation rate: 83%
- Median debt: $8,093

Brigham Young University-Provo is a private research university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Student life revolves around religious education. According to U.S. News & World Report, it has a strong language program and about two-thirds of students speak a second language. According to PayScale, the average early career salary for graduates is over $60,000.

- Private colleges considered in Vermont: 10
- Middlebury College statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,188,000
- 10-year net present value: $97,000
- Graduation rate: 94%
- Median debt: $11,995

Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, Vermont, offers more than 40 majors in the arts, humanities, literature, language, social sciences, and natural sciences. The college meets 100% of the financial aid needs of its students. Admissions decisions are need-blind, including DACA and undocumented students. Ninety percent of graduates are working or continuing their schooling with postgraduate education.

- Private colleges considered in Virginia: 27
- Washington and Lee University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,578,000
- 10-year net present value: $152,000
- Graduation rate: 92%
- Median debt: $19,500

Lexington, Virginia is home to Washington and Lee University, a private liberal arts university that is one of the oldest in the United States. It specializes in liberal arts subjects, as well as business, economics, politics, and law. The top fields of employment for recent graduates include finance, economics, education, and consulting.

- Private colleges considered in Washington: 12
- Gonzaga University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,119,000
- 10-year net present value: $68,000
- Graduation rate: 86%
- Median debt: $23,000

Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington is home to seven colleges across a variety of subjects, including arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, law, nursing, and leadership. It has an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, and two-thirds of students finish in four years. More than 90% of graduates are employed or pursuing higher education.

- Private colleges considered in West Virginia: 8
- Wheeling Jesuit University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $963,000
- 10-year net present value: $98,000
- Graduation rate: 60%
- Median debt: $17,750

Wheeling University was founded in 1954 by the Society of Jesus. The school has a small student body—less than 800 undergraduate students. The top majors include psychology, business, and nursing, according to Niche.

- Private colleges considered in Wisconsin: 24
- Milwaukee School of Engineering statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,520,000
- 10-year net present value: $183,000
- Graduation rate: 65%
- Median debt: $25,500

Milwaukee School of Engineering is a private university that offers eight academic departments and nearly 20 bachelor’s degrees, 10 of which are in engineering. Milwaukee School of Engineering offers its students a four-year graduation guarantee and more than 95% of graduates are employed or attending graduate school within six months graduating.

- Private colleges considered in Washington D.C.: 7
- Georgetown University statistics
- 40-year net present value: $1,950,000
- 10-year net present value: $198,000
- Graduation rate: 94%
- Median debt: $14,750

Georgetown University, located in Washington D.C., is a highly selective private Jesuit research university. According to U.S. News & World Report, the student-faculty ratio is 11:1 and more than 60% of its classes have 20 students or fewer. Its most popular majors are social sciences, business, management, psychology, and biomedical sciences. The top employers for the class of 2019 were JPMorgan Chase & Co., Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.