Verified data from IPEDS & College Scorecard
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Best Colleges: Low Debt, High Earnings

Schools where graduates carry low debt but earn strong salaries, the best return on investment.

Methodology: Schools where median debt < $25k and 10-year earnings > $45k, ranked by earnings-to-debt ratio.
1

Alvin Community College

Alvin, TX · Public

Grad24%Net Price$4k/yr10yr Earnings$46kMedian Debt$5kAcceptance50%
2

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA · Private

Grad96%Net Price$20k/yr10yr Earnings$143kMedian Debt$15kAcceptance5%
3

Oakton College

Des Plaines, IL · Public

Grad37%Net Price$6k/yr10yr Earnings$48kMedian Debt$5kAcceptance100%
4

Ocean County Vocational-Technical School

Toms River, NJ · Public

Grad65%Net Price$10k/yr10yr Earnings$47kMedian Debt$6kAcceptance50%
5

Wellesley College

Wellesley, MA · Private

Grad92%Net Price$25k/yr10yr Earnings$85kMedian Debt$10kAcceptance14%
6

Brown University

Providence, RI · Private

Grad96%Net Price$27k/yr10yr Earnings$93kMedian Debt$11kAcceptance5%
7

Brazosport College

Lake Jackson, TX · Public

Grad56%Net Price$3k/yr10yr Earnings$46kMedian Debt$6kAcceptance50%
8

Massachusetts Bay Community College

Wellesley Hills, MA · Public

Grad17%Net Price$7k/yr10yr Earnings$53kMedian Debt$7kAcceptance100%
9

Pratt Community College

Pratt, KS · Public

Grad45%Net Price$8k/yr10yr Earnings$52kMedian Debt$7kAcceptance100%
10

Irvine Valley College

Irvine, CA · Public

Grad57%Net Price$2k/yr10yr Earnings$49kMedian Debt$7kAcceptance100%
11

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private

Grad95%Net Price$32k/yr10yr Earnings$104kMedian Debt$14kAcceptance9%
12

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA · Private

Grad98%Net Price$17k/yr10yr Earnings$102kMedian Debt$14kAcceptance4%
13

San Diego Miramar College

San Diego, CA · Public

Grad48%Net Price$-3k/yr10yr Earnings$48kMedian Debt$7kAcceptance100%
14

Flint Hills Technical College

Emporia, KS · Public

Grad68%Net Price$16k/yr10yr Earnings$47kMedian Debt$7kAcceptance100%
15

GateWay Community College

Phoenix, AZ · Public

Grad29%Net Price$13k/yr10yr Earnings$46kMedian Debt$7kAcceptance50%
16

Veeb Nassau County School of Practical Nursing

Hicksville, NY · Public

Grad48%Net Price$40k/yr10yr Earnings$62kMedian Debt$10kAcceptance50%
17

Marion Military Institute

Marion, AL · Public

Grad36%Net Price$10k/yr10yr Earnings$60kMedian Debt$9kAcceptance97%
18

Elgin Community College

Elgin, IL · Public

Grad41%Net Price$6k/yr10yr Earnings$46kMedian Debt$7kAcceptance100%
19

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale, AZ · Public

Grad17%Net Price$14k/yr10yr Earnings$48kMedian Debt$8kAcceptance50%
20

Honolulu Community College

Honolulu, HI · Public

Grad25%Net Price$6k/yr10yr Earnings$45kMedian Debt$8kAcceptance100%
21

Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake City, UT · Public

Grad29%Net Price$8k/yr10yr Earnings$48kMedian Debt$8kAcceptance100%
22

University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR · Public

Grad49%Net Price$13k/yr10yr Earnings$49kMedian Debt$8kAcceptance57%
23

Rockland Community College

Suffern, NY · Public

Grad29%Net Price$9k/yr10yr Earnings$50kMedian Debt$8kAcceptance100%
24

Anne Arundel Community College

Arnold, MD · Public

Grad31%Net Price$16k/yr10yr Earnings$46kMedian Debt$8kAcceptance100%
25

County College of Morris

Randolph, NJ · Public

Grad36%Net Price$9k/yr10yr Earnings$50kMedian Debt$9kAcceptance100%
26

Middlebury College

Middlebury, VT · Private

Grad91%Net Price$26k/yr10yr Earnings$76kMedian Debt$14kAcceptance11%
27

Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital

East Syracuse, NY · Private

Grad100%Net Price$22k/yr10yr Earnings$84kMedian Debt$15kAcceptance78%
28

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · Private

Grad91%Net Price$40k/yr10yr Earnings$104kMedian Debt$19kAcceptance16%
29

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public

Grad85%Net Price$13k/yr10yr Earnings$78kMedian Debt$15kAcceptance39%
30

Saddleback College

Mission Viejo, CA · Public

Grad48%Net Price$3k/yr10yr Earnings$51kMedian Debt$10kAcceptance100%

Median debt: College Scorecard. Earnings: College Scorecard. Rankings reflect available federal data and do not constitute endorsement.

Best Colleges: Low Debt, High Earnings, ranked using verified federal data from IPEDS and College Scorecard (U.S. Dept. of Education). Schools where median debt < $25k and 10-year earnings > $45k, ranked by earnings-to-debt ratio.