Ordered by how long the earnings premium takes to clear the median debt — least time first. The typical graded US university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,089 against $22,500 of debt.
| # | University | Grade | You borrow | Monthly | You earn | Debt clears in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Colgate University | A | $15,000 | $171 | $85,139 | 0.3 yrs |
| 32 | Lehigh University | A | $21,960 | $250 | $105,584 | 0.3 yrs |
| 33 | University of California, Los Angeles | A | $14,000 | $159 | $82,511 | 0.3 yrs |
| 34 | University of Southern California California | A | $18,000 | $205 | $92,498 | 0.3 yrs |
| 35 | Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia | A | $21,672 | $246 | $102,772 | 0.3 yrs |
| 36 | Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | A | $15,000 | $171 | $83,847 | 0.3 yrs |
| 37 | University of California, San Diego | A | $15,500 | $176 | $84,943 | 0.3 yrs |
| 38 | Washington & Lee University | A | $19,500 | $222 | $94,810 | 0.4 yrs |
| 39 | Amherst College | A | $13,740 | $156 | $77,644 | 0.4 yrs |
| 40 | California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo | A | $18,500 | $210 | $90,768 | 0.4 yrs |
| 41 | University of California, Irvine | A | $15,000 | $171 | $80,735 | 0.4 yrs |
| 42 | Southern California University of Health Sciences California | A | $11,400 | $130 | $70,649 | 0.4 yrs |
| 43 | University of Virginia Virginia | A | $17,500 | $199 | $86,863 | 0.4 yrs |
| 44 | Tufts University | A | $16,250 | $185 | $83,214 | 0.4 yrs |
| 45 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey California | A | $13,857 | $158 | $76,310 | 0.4 yrs |
| 46 | Middlebury College | A | $13,857 | $158 | $76,310 | 0.4 yrs |
| 47 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | A | $23,750 | $270 | $102,051 | 0.4 yrs |
| 48 | San Jose State University | A | $15,000 | $171 | $78,988 | 0.4 yrs |
| 49 | Stevens Institute of Technology | A | $27,000 | $307 | $108,772 | 0.4 yrs |
| 50 | Thomas Jefferson University | A | $14,744 | $168 | $77,449 | 0.4 yrs |
| 51 | Colorado School of Mines | A | $23,000 | $262 | $97,335 | 0.4 yrs |
| 52 | George Washington University | A | $20,449 | $233 | $90,873 | 0.4 yrs |
| 53 | Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | A | $25,000 | $284 | $101,253 | 0.4 yrs |
| 54 | University of California, Santa Barbara | A | $13,993 | $159 | $74,915 | 0.4 yrs |
| 55 | SUNY Maritime College | A | $23,250 | $264 | $95,951 | 0.4 yrs |
| 56 | Loma Linda University | A | $20,854 | $237 | $89,816 | 0.4 yrs |
| 57 | University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | A | $14,000 | $159 | $73,827 | 0.4 yrs |
| 58 | Villanova University Pennsylvania | A | $25,874 | $294 | $100,423 | 0.4 yrs |
| 59 | Thomas Edison State University | A | $12,500 | $142 | $69,331 | 0.4 yrs |
| 60 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | A | $27,000 | $307 | $103,470 | 0.4 yrs |
The universities that clear their debt quickest are rarely the most famous. Payback is a ratio: a modest salary against very little borrowing beats a high salary carrying a large loan. Specialist institutions and low-cost publics dominate here for exactly that reason.
It says nothing about teaching, class size or how much you will enjoy three years there. It also cannot tell you what your subject pays — the federal figures are published per institution, so every course on campus shares one number.
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject at each institution. Information only, not financial advice.