Ordered by median earnings ten years after entry — with the debt each cohort carries, because a big salary against a bigger loan is not a win. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 421 | University of North Florida Florida | B | $15,531 | $177 | $56,343 | 0.9 yrs |
| 422 | Rhode Island College | C | $20,500 | $233 | $56,318 | 1.2 yrs |
| 423 | Park University | C | $21,685 | $247 | $56,309 | 1.3 yrs |
| 424 | Weber State University | B | $15,113 | $172 | $56,287 | 0.9 yrs |
| 425 | Truman State University | C | $21,000 | $239 | $56,280 | 1.3 yrs |
| 426 | Agnes Scott College | C | $26,749 | $304 | $56,274 | 1.6 yrs |
| 427 | Lycoming College | C | $27,000 | $307 | $56,210 | 1.6 yrs |
| 428 | Wartburg College Iowa | C | $27,000 | $307 | $56,201 | 1.6 yrs |
| 429 | Niagara University | C | $25,475 | $290 | $56,196 | 1.5 yrs |
| 430 | Grand Valley State University Michigan | C | $24,500 | $279 | $56,118 | 1.5 yrs |
| 431 | University of Texas Permian Basin | C | $17,750 | $202 | $56,073 | 1.1 yrs |
| 432 | Barry University | C | $26,997 | $307 | $55,966 | 1.6 yrs |
| 433 | West Virginia University | C | $22,500 | $256 | $55,939 | 1.4 yrs |
| 434 | Belmont University | C | $20,500 | $233 | $55,930 | 1.3 yrs |
| 435 | University of New England | C | $25,250 | $287 | $55,921 | 1.5 yrs |
| 436 | Central Michigan University | C | $27,000 | $307 | $55,874 | 1.7 yrs |
| 437 | Marywood University Pennsylvania | C | $26,186 | $298 | $55,817 | 1.6 yrs |
| 438 | Saint Cloud State University | C | $21,058 | $239 | $55,813 | 1.3 yrs |
| 439 | Lawrence University | C | $26,000 | $296 | $55,789 | 1.6 yrs |
| 440 | Midwestern State University | C | $21,030 | $239 | $55,747 | 1.3 yrs |
| 441 | Abilene Christian University | C | $24,250 | $276 | $55,736 | 1.5 yrs |
| 442 | Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio | C | $27,000 | $307 | $55,624 | 1.7 yrs |
| 443 | University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh | C | $21,500 | $244 | $55,548 | 1.3 yrs |
| 444 | Lipscomb University | C | $19,500 | $222 | $55,541 | 1.2 yrs |
| 445 | Frostburg State University Maryland | C | $21,105 | $240 | $55,493 | 1.3 yrs |
| 446 | Utah Valley University Utah | B | $14,750 | $168 | $55,486 | 0.9 yrs |
| 447 | University of Wisconsin - Whitewater | C | $23,188 | $264 | $55,356 | 1.5 yrs |
| 448 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania | C | $23,507 | $267 | $55,246 | 1.5 yrs |
| 449 | University of Northern Iowa | C | $19,691 | $224 | $55,177 | 1.3 yrs |
| 450 | East Carolina University | C | $22,750 | $259 | $55,146 | 1.5 yrs |
Several universities near the top of this list also carry some of the heaviest borrowing in the country. Earning well while repaying heavily is not obviously better than earning less with nothing to repay — which is why the debt column sits right beside the salary.
The earnings figure blends every subject a university teaches. A campus that teaches nothing but medicine or engineering reports the medicine or engineering number; a broad university reports a blended one, however strong its individual departments are.
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.