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PayScale’s College ROI report shows that service academies outshine traditional colleges and universities in terms of having a high return on tuition investment 20 years after graduation.
Back in the day, you could attend a four year university for the low average cost of $3,190 a year, according to a 2017 college tuition study by College Board. During those glory days in the 1980s, college was considered relatively affordable, and most colleges were seen as equally credible institutions. Fast forward 20 years, and the price of college has increased by 213 percent, with students spending an average of $9,970 for one year of college.
The silver lining here is that while pricing of colleges has continued to increase, information about these colleges has too. Specifically, information that shows you exactly why not all colleges are created equal. There are also new tools and research that can provide you with the information you need to make sound financial decisions about your college education. One of these resources is PayScale’s own College ROI Report, which was just updated today, May 1, 2018.
PayScale’s College ROI Report ranks colleges and universities across the United States according to the 20-year return on tuition investment. It’s a hefty report, but if you look closely there are clear winners when it comes to finding the most worthwhile place to spend your tuition dollars. And you don’t have to look much further than to Uncle Sam himself. Our latest ROI report shows that military colleges continue to be one of the most financially sound college choices you can make.
One of the biggest takeaways from this year’s College ROI Report? Military service schools continue to provide the best possible value for students. The reason service academies continue to earn the top spots for return on tuition has to do with a couple of things. First, because the cost to attend is significantly lower than traditional four year universities. The second reason is because service academies do the best job of ensuring their alumni have lucrative careers after graduation –something traditional colleges can’t always offer no matter how much money you throw their way. Below, we’ve provided a few of the top ranked service academies so you can see the ROI for yourself. The lowest-ranked service academy is the Coast guard, which still cracks the top 30 on our list at spot number 27.
sERVICE ACADEMIES Provide The Best Value For Students
United States Merchant Marine Academy
- Location: Nassau County, New York
- Enrollment: 902
- 20 year net ROI: $1,094,000
United States Military Academy
- Location: West Point, New York
- Enrollment: 4,389
- 20 year net ROI: $1,041,000
United States Naval Academy
- Location: Annapolis, Maryland
- Enrollment: 4,526
- 20 year net ROI: $1,004,000
SUNY Maritime College
- Location: Bronx, New York
- Enrollment: 1,891
- 20 year net ROI: $1,003,000
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