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 $57,146 against $22,500 of debt.
| # | University | Grade | You borrow | Monthly | You earn | Debt clears in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | University of Maryland, Baltimore Maryland | A | $15,000 | $171 | $88,174 | 0.3 yrs |
| 32 | University of Notre Dame Indiana | A | $19,000 | $216 | $99,980 | 0.3 yrs |
| 33 | Colgate University New York | A | $15,000 | $171 | $85,139 | 0.3 yrs |
| 34 | Lehigh University Pennsylvania | A | $21,960 | $250 | $105,584 | 0.3 yrs |
| 35 | University of California, Los Angeles California | A | $14,000 | $159 | $82,511 | 0.3 yrs |
| 36 | University of Southern California California | A | $18,000 | $205 | $92,498 | 0.3 yrs |
| 37 | Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia | A | $21,672 | $246 | $102,772 | 0.3 yrs |
| 38 | Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art New York | A | $15,000 | $171 | $83,847 | 0.3 yrs |
| 39 | University of California, San Diego California | A | $15,500 | $176 | $84,943 | 0.3 yrs |
| 40 | Washington & Lee University Virginia | A | $19,500 | $222 | $94,810 | 0.4 yrs |
| 41 | Amherst College Massachusetts | A | $13,740 | $156 | $77,644 | 0.4 yrs |
| 42 | California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California | A | $18,500 | $210 | $90,768 | 0.4 yrs |
| 43 | University of California, Irvine California | A | $15,000 | $171 | $80,735 | 0.4 yrs |
| 44 | Southern California University of Health Sciences California | A | $11,400 | $130 | $70,649 | 0.4 yrs |
| 45 | University of Virginia Virginia | A | $17,500 | $199 | $86,863 | 0.4 yrs |
| 46 | Tufts University Massachusetts | A | $16,250 | $185 | $83,214 | 0.4 yrs |
| 47 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey California | A | $13,857 | $158 | $76,310 | 0.4 yrs |
| 48 | Middlebury College Vermont | A | $13,857 | $158 | $76,310 | 0.4 yrs |
| 49 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York | A | $23,750 | $270 | $102,051 | 0.4 yrs |
| 50 | San Jose State University California | A | $15,000 | $171 | $78,988 | 0.4 yrs |
| 51 | Stevens Institute of Technology New Jersey | A | $27,000 | $307 | $108,772 | 0.4 yrs |
| 52 | Thomas Jefferson University Pennsylvania | A | $14,744 | $168 | $77,449 | 0.4 yrs |
| 53 | Colorado School of Mines Colorado | A | $23,000 | $262 | $97,335 | 0.4 yrs |
| 54 | George Washington University District of Columbia | A | $20,449 | $233 | $90,873 | 0.4 yrs |
| 55 | Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Indiana | A | $25,000 | $284 | $101,253 | 0.4 yrs |
| 56 | University of California, Santa Barbara California | A | $13,993 | $159 | $74,915 | 0.4 yrs |
| 57 | SUNY Maritime College New York | A | $23,250 | $264 | $95,951 | 0.4 yrs |
| 58 | Loma Linda University California | A | $20,854 | $237 | $89,816 | 0.4 yrs |
| 59 | University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Arkansas | A | $14,000 | $159 | $73,827 | 0.4 yrs |
| 60 | Villanova University Pennsylvania | A | $25,874 | $294 | $100,423 | 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.