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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | Loyola Marymount University California | A | $19,500 | $222 | $78,349 | 0.5 yrs |
| 92 | Walsh College Michigan | A | $16,217 | $184 | $72,081 | 0.5 yrs |
| 93 | Clarkson University New York | A | $26,000 | $296 | $89,696 | 0.5 yrs |
| 94 | Franklin and Marshall College Pennsylvania | A | $19,000 | $216 | $76,124 | 0.5 yrs |
| 95 | New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology New Mexico | A | $19,085 | $217 | $76,489 | 0.5 yrs |
| 96 | Union College New York | A | $25,337 | $288 | $88,604 | 0.5 yrs |
| 97 | George Mason University Virginia | A | $19,500 | $222 | $76,343 | 0.5 yrs |
| 98 | Western Governors University Utah | A | $11,116 | $126 | $60,615 | 0.5 yrs |
| 99 | Boston University Massachusetts | A | $23,250 | $264 | $83,238 | 0.5 yrs |
| 100 | University of Rochester New York | A | $21,000 | $239 | $79,042 | 0.5 yrs |
| 101 | Bryant University Rhode Island | A | $26,849 | $305 | $90,008 | 0.5 yrs |
| 102 | College of the Holy Cross Massachusetts | A | $27,000 | $307 | $90,543 | 0.5 yrs |
| 103 | Fordham University New York | A | $24,300 | $276 | $85,569 | 0.5 yrs |
| 104 | Milwaukee School of Engineering Wisconsin | A | $27,000 | $307 | $89,070 | 0.5 yrs |
| 105 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri | A | $23,250 | $264 | $82,957 | 0.5 yrs |
| 106 | Pepperdine University California | A | $23,510 | $267 | $82,939 | 0.5 yrs |
| 107 | San Francisco State University California | A | $15,371 | $175 | $68,077 | 0.5 yrs |
| 108 | Texas A&M University - College Station Texas | A | $17,804 | $202 | $72,097 | 0.6 yrs |
| 109 | Drexel University Pennsylvania | A | $25,325 | $288 | $84,648 | 0.6 yrs |
| 110 | Seattle University Washington | A | $19,883 | $226 | $75,272 | 0.6 yrs |
| 111 | Pitzer College California | A | $16,750 | $190 | $69,512 | 0.6 yrs |
| 112 | Wake Forest University North Carolina | A | $21,500 | $244 | $78,158 | 0.6 yrs |
| 113 | California State University, Long Beach California | A | $14,289 | $162 | $64,403 | 0.6 yrs |
| 114 | California State University, Stanislaus California | A | $13,540 | $154 | $63,188 | 0.6 yrs |
| 115 | Kenyon College Ohio | A | $18,527 | $211 | $71,830 | 0.6 yrs |
| 116 | Providence College Rhode Island | A | $27,000 | $307 | $87,054 | 0.6 yrs |
| 117 | University of Illinois Chicago Illinois | A | $16,704 | $190 | $68,740 | 0.6 yrs |
| 118 | University of Richmond Virginia | A | $21,000 | $239 | $76,178 | 0.6 yrs |
| 119 | Yeshiva University New York | A | $18,250 | $208 | $71,353 | 0.6 yrs |
| 120 | University of Texas at Austin Texas | A | $20,500 | $233 | $75,121 | 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.