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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | Franklin and Marshall College | A | $19,000 | $216 | $76,124 | 0.5 yrs |
| 92 | New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology | A | $19,085 | $217 | $76,489 | 0.5 yrs |
| 93 | Union College | A | $25,337 | $288 | $88,604 | 0.5 yrs |
| 94 | George Mason University Virginia | A | $19,500 | $222 | $76,343 | 0.5 yrs |
| 95 | Western Governors University Utah | A | $11,116 | $126 | $60,615 | 0.5 yrs |
| 96 | Boston University Massachusetts | A | $23,250 | $264 | $83,238 | 0.5 yrs |
| 97 | Bryant University Rhode Island | A | $26,849 | $305 | $90,008 | 0.5 yrs |
| 98 | College of the Holy Cross | A | $27,000 | $307 | $90,543 | 0.5 yrs |
| 99 | Fordham University | A | $24,300 | $276 | $85,569 | 0.5 yrs |
| 100 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | A | $27,000 | $307 | $89,070 | 0.5 yrs |
| 101 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | A | $23,250 | $264 | $82,957 | 0.5 yrs |
| 102 | Pepperdine University | A | $23,510 | $267 | $82,939 | 0.5 yrs |
| 103 | San Francisco State University | A | $15,371 | $175 | $68,077 | 0.5 yrs |
| 104 | Texas A&M University - College Station | A | $17,804 | $202 | $72,097 | 0.6 yrs |
| 105 | Drexel University Pennsylvania | A | $25,325 | $288 | $84,648 | 0.6 yrs |
| 106 | Seattle University Washington | A | $19,883 | $226 | $75,272 | 0.6 yrs |
| 107 | Pitzer College | A | $16,750 | $190 | $69,512 | 0.6 yrs |
| 108 | Wake Forest University | A | $21,500 | $244 | $78,158 | 0.6 yrs |
| 109 | California State University, Long Beach | A | $14,289 | $162 | $64,403 | 0.6 yrs |
| 110 | California State University, Stanislaus | A | $13,540 | $154 | $63,188 | 0.6 yrs |
| 111 | Kenyon College | A | $18,527 | $211 | $71,830 | 0.6 yrs |
| 112 | Providence College | A | $27,000 | $307 | $87,054 | 0.6 yrs |
| 113 | University of Illinois Chicago | A | $16,704 | $190 | $68,740 | 0.6 yrs |
| 114 | University of Richmond | A | $21,000 | $239 | $76,178 | 0.6 yrs |
| 115 | Yeshiva University | A | $18,250 | $208 | $71,353 | 0.6 yrs |
| 116 | University of Texas at Austin Texas | A | $20,500 | $233 | $75,121 | 0.6 yrs |
| 117 | Illinois Institute of Technology | A | $25,000 | $284 | $82,592 | 0.6 yrs |
| 118 | University of California, Santa Cruz | A | $16,666 | $189 | $68,396 | 0.6 yrs |
| 119 | Vassar College | A | $18,625 | $212 | $71,366 | 0.6 yrs |
| 120 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | A | $25,028 | $285 | $82,721 | 0.6 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.