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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 541 | Louisiana Tech University | D | $22,135 | $252 | $52,279 | 1.7 yrs |
| 542 | University of Northern Colorado Colorado | C | $20,470 | $233 | $52,231 | 1.6 yrs |
| 543 | Taylor University | C | $20,500 | $233 | $52,198 | 1.6 yrs |
| 544 | Xavier University of Louisiana | D | $24,053 | $273 | $52,184 | 1.9 yrs |
| 545 | Midland University Nebraska | D | $26,134 | $297 | $52,163 | 2.1 yrs |
| 546 | Cleveland State University | D | $21,797 | $248 | $52,131 | 1.7 yrs |
| 547 | Friends University | D | $25,000 | $284 | $52,113 | 2 yrs |
| 548 | Brigham Young University Hawaii | B | $9,413 | $107 | $52,064 | 0.8 yrs |
| 549 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point | D | $21,503 | $244 | $52,021 | 1.7 yrs |
| 550 | Eastern Illinois University | D | $21,500 | $244 | $51,989 | 1.7 yrs |
| 551 | Saginaw Valley State University Michigan | D | $25,000 | $284 | $51,955 | 2 yrs |
| 552 | Goshen College | D | $22,974 | $261 | $51,943 | 1.9 yrs |
| 553 | Sweet Briar College | D | $27,000 | $307 | $51,943 | 2.2 yrs |
| 554 | University of South Dakota | D | $23,592 | $268 | $51,926 | 1.9 yrs |
| 555 | Franklin University | C | $20,836 | $237 | $51,892 | 1.7 yrs |
| 556 | University of Alaska - Anchorage | C | $20,210 | $230 | $51,871 | 1.6 yrs |
| 557 | Appalachian State University | C | $20,231 | $230 | $51,836 | 1.6 yrs |
| 558 | Ball State University | D | $23,250 | $264 | $51,833 | 1.9 yrs |
| 559 | Eastern Michigan University Michigan | D | $25,000 | $284 | $51,793 | 2 yrs |
| 560 | Minot State University | C | $19,609 | $223 | $51,759 | 1.6 yrs |
| 561 | LaGrange College | D | $25,730 | $293 | $51,745 | 2.1 yrs |
| 562 | Boise State University Idaho | D | $20,500 | $233 | $51,658 | 1.7 yrs |
| 563 | Stetson University | D | $23,250 | $264 | $51,642 | 1.9 yrs |
| 564 | Eureka College Illinois | D | $23,250 | $264 | $51,641 | 1.9 yrs |
| 565 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | D | $27,000 | $307 | $51,593 | 2.2 yrs |
| 566 | Pfeiffer University North Carolina | D | $26,163 | $297 | $51,562 | 2.2 yrs |
| 567 | Antioch University | D | $23,501 | $267 | $51,541 | 2 yrs |
| 568 | Antioch University - Los Angeles | D | $23,501 | $267 | $51,541 | 2 yrs |
| 569 | Antioch University - Seattle | D | $23,501 | $267 | $51,541 | 2 yrs |
| 570 | Meredith College | D | $25,000 | $284 | $51,539 | 2.1 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.