College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Sports Colleges
Whether you have dreams of working your way onto the team — a la Notre Dame’s Rudy — or just plan to root, root, root for the home team — ASU’s Curtain of Distraction, anyone? — some students seek out sports colleges because they love attending games and tailgating with friends, while others want to participate in sports themselves.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: at West Point_50px.png) United States Military Academy (Service Academy) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,309,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$0 | Graduation Rate:88% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:- |
| Rank:2 | School Name: at Annapolis_50px.png) United States Naval Academy (Service Academy) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,254,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$0 | Graduation Rate:90% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:- |
| Rank:3 | School Name:_50px.png) United States Air Force Academy (Service Academy) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,161,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$0 | Graduation Rate:100% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:- |
| Rank:4 | School Name: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,091,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$117,000 | Graduation Rate:93% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$28,100 |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Stanford University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,056,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$314,000 | Graduation Rate:95% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$52,000 |
| Rank:6 | 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:7 | 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:8 | School Name:Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$1,006,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$202,000 | Graduation Rate:93% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$28,100 |
| Rank:9 | School Name: University of California-Berkeley (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$970,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$165,000 | Graduation Rate:94% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,000 |
| Rank:10 | 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 |
And though they may be more well know more their athletic achievements than their academics, many sports schools offer prospective students the promise of reaching a bowl game season after season and an excellent education.
With a stellar academic reputation and 36 varsity sports teams, Stanford University is easily among the best values college for athletes and sports fans alike. Located in Stanford, California, which is near Palo Alto in Silicon Valley, Stanford first opened its doors in 1891 and has been producing some of the most prominent names in business, sports and other areas ever since. Stanford has won 105 NCAA championships through the years, the second most in the country. The Stanford Cardinals have a well-known rivalry with UC Berkeley that culminates in the annual “Big Game” football match, and athletes from the school have won medals at every Olympics since 1912.
The Georgia Institute of Technology — aka “Georgia Tech” — Yellow Jackets have produced their fair share of star athletes: The NFL’s Calvin “Megatron” Johnson and Demaryius Thomas; NBA Champion Chris Bosh, and NBA stars Stephon Marbury and Mark Price; and MLB’s beloved Nomar Garciaparra. With its location in the heart of downtown Atlanta, Tech is a fun and exciting place to attend school, and students come out in force to show support for their teams. The public university is located on a 400-acre campus and boasts a student population of around 23,100 students.
In addition to being a highly esteemed Ivy League school, Princeton University enjoys an exceptional reputation in athletics. Indeed, the Princeton Tigers football team has won 26 national championships, which is more than any other school. Founded in 1746 and located in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton was one of the nine original Colonial Colleges and boasts one of the most beautiful college campuses in the world. The approximately 8,000 students who attend the prestigious Ivy League school proudly wear orange-and-black regalia in support of the Tigers, and games tend to be very well-attended.
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