Is Your College Worth the Money?
We rank colleges by value — not prestige. See which schools deliver the best return on your investment based on real earnings data.
Earnings Data
Real salaries 10 years after graduation
True Cost
Net price after financial aid
Value Score
ROI ranking from 1–100
Top Colleges by Quality 2026
#
University
Quality
Value
1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
98.6
100
2
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
97
100
3
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
96.9
100
4
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
96.9
94
5
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
96
100
6
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY
95.2
100
7
Yale University
New Haven, CT
94.6
100
8
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA
94.3
90
9
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
94.3
84
10
Duke University
Durham, NC
94.2
80
Top 25 Best Value Colleges
#1
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA·private
Earnings
$128,566
Net Price
$16,075/yr
Grad Rate
94%
100
Value
#2
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA·public
Earnings
$90,768
Net Price
$16,665/yr
Grad Rate
86%
100
Value
#3
California State University-Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA·public
Earnings
$59,009
Net Price
$5,652/yr
Grad Rate
50%
100
Value
#4
California State University-Stanislaus
Turlock, CA·public
Earnings
$63,188
Net Price
$6,067/yr
Grad Rate
56%
100
Value
#5
California State University-San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA·public
Earnings
$59,977
Net Price
$4,564/yr
Grad Rate
55%
100
Value
#6
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA·public
Earnings
$71,902
Net Price
$11,531/yr
Grad Rate
68%
100
Value
#7
California State University-Fresno
Fresno, CA·public
Earnings
$61,244
Net Price
$7,000/yr
Grad Rate
56%
100
Value
#8
California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, CA·public
Earnings
$62,951
Net Price
$6,555/yr
Grad Rate
70%
100
Value
#9
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA·public
Earnings
$64,403
Net Price
$10,440/yr
Grad Rate
69%
100
Value
#10
California State University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA·public
Earnings
$59,211
Net Price
$3,967/yr
Grad Rate
53%
100
Value
#11
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA·public
Earnings
$59,115
Net Price
$7,021/yr
Grad Rate
57%
100
Value
#12
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA·public
Earnings
$92,446
Net Price
$13,481/yr
Grad Rate
93%
100
Value
#13
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA·public
Earnings
$80,838
Net Price
$14,741/yr
Grad Rate
85%
100
Value
#14
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA·public
Earnings
$80,735
Net Price
$14,251/yr
Grad Rate
86%
100
Value
#15
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA·public
Earnings
$82,511
Net Price
$12,548/yr
Grad Rate
93%
100
Value
#16
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA·public
Earnings
$84,943
Net Price
$12,470/yr
Grad Rate
87%
100
Value
#17
San Diego Christian College
Santee, CA·private
Earnings
$49,766
Net Price
$992/yr
Grad Rate
21%
100
Value
#18
Foothill College
Los Altos Hills, CA·public
Earnings
$57,072
Net Price
$7,653/yr
Grad Rate
58%
100
Value
#19
Humphreys University
Stockton, CA·private
Earnings
$39,248
Net Price
$5,524/yr
Grad Rate
67%
100
Value
#20
Modesto Junior College
Modesto, CA·public
Earnings
$42,368
Net Price
$2,818/yr
Grad Rate
28%
100
Value
#21
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, CA·public
Earnings
$43,552
Net Price
$3,133/yr
Grad Rate
31%
100
Value
#22
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, CA·public
Earnings
$42,193
Net Price
$2,779/yr
Grad Rate
36%
100
Value
#23
Skyline College
San Bruno, CA·public
Earnings
$55,702
Net Price
$1,738/yr
Grad Rate
43%
100
Value
#24
Yale University
New Haven, CT·private
Earnings
$100,533
Net Price
$23,777/yr
Grad Rate
96%
100
Value
#25
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL·public
Earnings
$58,308
Net Price
$10,411/yr
Grad Rate
77%
100
Value
Highest Earning Majors
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