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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina | A | $14,000 | $159 | $72,200 | 0.4 yrs |
| 62 | Bowdoin College | A | $18,500 | $210 | $82,735 | 0.4 yrs |
| 63 | Swarthmore College | A | $17,500 | $199 | $80,257 | 0.4 yrs |
| 64 | Cascadia College Washington | A | $6,368 | $72 | $54,133 | 0.4 yrs |
| 65 | Barnard College | A | $18,000 | $205 | $80,516 | 0.4 yrs |
| 66 | Hamilton College | A | $17,000 | $193 | $78,411 | 0.4 yrs |
| 67 | University of Maryland, College Park | A | $19,000 | $216 | $82,860 | 0.4 yrs |
| 68 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | A | $19,500 | $222 | $83,648 | 0.4 yrs |
| 69 | Emory University Georgia | A | $18,250 | $208 | $80,137 | 0.5 yrs |
| 70 | Capitol Technology University | A | $20,264 | $230 | $85,035 | 0.5 yrs |
| 71 | Davidson College | A | $18,688 | $212 | $81,400 | 0.5 yrs |
| 72 | University of San Francisco California | A | $23,000 | $262 | $89,812 | 0.5 yrs |
| 73 | Carleton College | A | $16,750 | $190 | $75,525 | 0.5 yrs |
| 74 | Colby College | A | $19,157 | $218 | $80,490 | 0.5 yrs |
| 75 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | A | $21,000 | $239 | $84,276 | 0.5 yrs |
| 76 | University of Florida | A | $15,000 | $171 | $71,588 | 0.5 yrs |
| 77 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Illinois | A | $19,500 | $222 | $81,054 | 0.5 yrs |
| 78 | New York University New York | A | $20,500 | $233 | $82,509 | 0.5 yrs |
| 79 | Bates College | A | $14,275 | $162 | $69,498 | 0.5 yrs |
| 80 | University of Miami Florida | A | $17,500 | $199 | $75,328 | 0.5 yrs |
| 81 | Kettering University Michigan | A | $27,000 | $307 | $94,823 | 0.5 yrs |
| 82 | University of San Diego California | A | $22,940 | $261 | $86,522 | 0.5 yrs |
| 83 | University of Portland | A | $21,370 | $243 | $82,804 | 0.5 yrs |
| 84 | Wesleyan University | A | $17,000 | $193 | $73,897 | 0.5 yrs |
| 85 | Case Western Reserve University Ohio | A | $24,000 | $273 | $87,989 | 0.5 yrs |
| 86 | Southern Methodist University Texas | A | $19,500 | $222 | $78,354 | 0.5 yrs |
| 87 | Bucknell University | A | $27,000 | $307 | $93,807 | 0.5 yrs |
| 88 | Loyola Marymount University | A | $19,500 | $222 | $78,349 | 0.5 yrs |
| 89 | Walsh College | A | $16,217 | $184 | $72,081 | 0.5 yrs |
| 90 | Clarkson University New York | A | $26,000 | $296 | $89,696 | 0.5 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.