US college cost, value & outcomes
US college cost, value & outcomes — net price, graduation rates, grad earnings and ROI.
ScoreCardU compares the real cost and value of 167 major US colleges using official U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data (102 public, 65 private nonprofit, across 45 states). For every school you get the average net price (what families actually pay after aid), the graduation rate, median earnings 10 years after entry, and a transparent ROI signal (earnings ÷ net price). Net price depends on your income, so treat these as estimates and verify on the College Scorecard.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Data as of June 2026.
What you can look up
Featured schools
Net $19,066/yr · earn $101,817 · ROI 5.3×
The University of Texas at AustinNet $19,857/yr · earn $75,121 · ROI 3.8×
University of California-BerkeleyNet $13,481/yr · earn $92,446 · ROI 6.9×
University of FloridaNet $6,541/yr · earn $71,588 · ROI 10.9×
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyNet $20,111/yr · earn $143,372 · ROI 7.1×
University of Michigan-Ann ArborNet $13,138/yr · earn $83,648 · ROI 6.4×
Best ROI colleges (earnings vs net price)
| School | State | Net price/yr | Median earnings (10yr) | ROI signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton University | New Jersey | $6,128 | $110,066 | 18.0× |
| University of Florida | Florida | $6,541 | $71,588 | 10.9× |
| California State University-Fullerton | California | $6,555 | $62,951 | 9.6× |
| Stanford University | California | $13,807 | $124,080 | 9.0× |
| Utah Valley University | Utah | $6,376 | $55,486 | 8.7× |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | Georgia | $12,116 | $102,772 | 8.5× |
See the full best-ROI ranking, cheapest by net price (led by Princeton University), and highest graduate earnings (led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
From the blog
The US colleges with the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in 2026, led by Princeton, the University of Florida and Cal State Fullerton, using official College Scorecard data.
2026-06-20 Cheapest colleges by net price (not sticker)The lowest-net-price US colleges in 2026, after grants and scholarships — led by Princeton, Utah Valley, the University of Florida and Cal State Fullerton, all under $7,000/yr.
2026-06-19 Sticker price vs net price, explainedWhat the difference between a college's sticker price and net price means, why net price is the number that matters, and how to find yours — with real 2026 examples.
2026-06-18 Which colleges earn the most 10 years out?The US colleges whose graduates have the highest median earnings 10 years after entry — MIT, Harvey Mudd, Caltech and Stanford lead, all driven by STEM and selective admissions.
2026-06-17 Public vs private college: which is cheaper for you?Public colleges have lower net prices on average ($17,000 vs $30,000/yr), but private aid and the in-state vs out-of-state gap can flip the math. How to decide for your situation.
2026-06-16 How to read college graduation ratesWhat a college graduation rate measures, why it's one of the most important cost signals, and how the top schools (Princeton and Harvard at ~98%) compare.
2026-06-15Where the data comes from
Every figure on ScoreCardU is from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Public domain (U.S. Government work)), captured as a dated snapshot (June 2026). Net price is the average after grant and scholarship aid; earnings are the median for federally-aided students 10 years after entry; the ROI signal and payback figures are computed by us from those inputs and documented on the methodology page. These are estimates to inform your research, not financial advice — always verify on the College Scorecard before making a decision.
Last updated: 2026-06-20