College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Ivy league Colleges
Comprised of eight private colleges and universities in the northeastern United States, the Ivy League is in a class of its own. Renowned for being among the best institutions of higher education in the world, Ivy League Schools provide a world-class education to students who are “wicked smart.”
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Princeton University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,049,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$301,000 | Graduation Rate:97% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$30,200 |
| Rank:2 | School Name: Harvard University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,032,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$311,000 | Graduation Rate:98% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,000 |
| Rank:3 | School Name: University of Pennsylvania (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$969,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$327,000 | Graduation Rate:96% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$50,000 |
| Rank:4 | School Name: | 20 Year Net ROI:$911,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$326,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$67,400 |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Yale University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$903,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$323,000 | Graduation Rate:98% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$19,700 |
| Rank:6 | School Name: Cornell University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$852,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$319,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$33,200 |
| Rank:7 | School Name: Dartmouth College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$820,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$323,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$25,600 |
| Rank:8 | School Name: Brown University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$799,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$324,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$40,200 |
Although all of the schools are privately funded, many enjoy sizable endowments that allow them to subsidize all or part of many students’ educations. There’s no need to ask why someone would want to earn a degree from an Ivy League school; doing so virtually guarantees a successful, lucrative future.
Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, delivers incredible value for high-achieving students. Founded in 1746, Princeton was one of the nine original Colonial Colleges and has upheld its impeccable Ivy League reputation perfectly through the years. Specializing in undergraduate and graduate degrees in the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and engineering, Princeton counts First Lady Michelle Obama, former U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and James Madison and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos among its alumni. Though he didn’t graduate from Princeton, Albert Einstein was something of a fixture there, visiting and giving guest lectures on a regular basis.
Ranked third for conferring PhDs in the Ivy League, the University of Pennsylvania is located in West Philadelphia’s University City neighborhood and counts several billionaires, U.S. Supreme Court justices and heads of state among its alumni. One U.S. President, William Henry Harrison, also graduated from the prestigious school, which currently boasts a student population of around 25,000 students. When it comes to Ivy League schools return on investment, it’s tough to do better.
If there’s one university in the country that needs little or no introduction, it’s Harvard University. Widely regarded as the most prestigious Ivy League school, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Harvard was founded in 1636. The school sprawls across a campus of around 210 acres, which is mostly centered around Harvard Yard. Prestigious alumni from the school include eight U.S. Presidents, 150 Nobel laureates, 62 living billionaires and current U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Harvard is made up of 11 academic units that offer 46 undergraduate majors, 134 graduate degree programs and 32 professional degree programs.
Appearing 16th overall on our national 20 Year Net ROI list, New York City’s Columbia University is a prestigious Ivy League school that was also one of the nine colonial colleges founded before the Revolutionary War, and the school where — among other US Presidents — President Barack Obama earned his undergraduate degree.
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