College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges in Indiana
Home of the Indianapolis Colts and the Indianapolis 500, the Hoosier state is also home to some of the top ranked colleges in terms of a high return on college tuition dollars. Indiana has plenty of choices when it comes to choosing a college, including a variety of both public and private schools. Using Payscale’s ROI report as a guide, you can easily research the college that’s going to give you the highest 20 year-net ROI, which is the amount of money you will earn 20 years after graduating from a specific college.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name:_50px.png) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$972,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$289,000 | Graduation Rate:81% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$48,200 |
| Rank:2 | School Name: University of Notre Dame (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$754,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$310,000 | Graduation Rate:96% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,600 |
| Rank:3 | School Name: Purdue University-Main Campus (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$728,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$91,400 | Graduation Rate:83% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,500 |
| Rank:4 | School Name: Wabash College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$728,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$241,000 | Graduation Rate:75% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$31,400 |
| Rank:5 | School Name:Purdue University-Main Campus (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$653,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$167,000 | Graduation Rate:83% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,500 |
| Rank:6 | School Name: - Bloomington_50px.png) Indiana University-Bloomington (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$502,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$107,000 | Graduation Rate:81% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$39,000 |
| Rank:7 | School Name:Trine University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$481,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$200,000 | Graduation Rate:65% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$36,700 |
| Rank:8 | School Name: DePauw University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$477,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$278,000 | Graduation Rate:79% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$20,200 |
| Rank:9 | School Name: Indiana Institute of Technology (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$464,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$174,000 | Graduation Rate:37% | Typical Years to Graduate:6 | Average Loan Amount:$31,900 |
| Rank:10 | School Name: | 20 Year Net ROI:$416,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$95,900 | Graduation Rate:56% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$25,700 |
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The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a private school located in south east Indiana, makes a big impact on our list, likely because its curriculum focuses on engineering and natural sciences. RHIT has a reported enrollment of around 2,100 students. If smaller class sizes and more one-on-one attention is what you seek from a college, RHIT is an excellent choice. RHIT has a very active Greek life system, with about 69 percent of the students involved.
Located just northeast of the bustling metro of Indianapolis, Purdue University is a worthwhile public college to consider. Purdue is well-known for its air and space programs, as well as engineering and science. Purdue was even the first college in the US to offer such programs in air and space. If you’re thinking about attending Purdue, you will be in the company of over 39,000 other undergraduate students, a large campus indeed. When not in the classroom, Purdue students can take advantage of a variety of student life activities, including cheering on the famous Purdue football team, the Boilermakers. Purdue is also home to the third-largest Greek system in the US with around 5,000 students participating.
For men, Wabash College offers a unique college experience as it one of the only all-men’s schools in Indiana. This small, liberal arts college has less than 1,000 students enrolled, but is sure to offer smaller class sizes which some students find advantageous. Wabash’s academics focus mostly on the natural sciences, humanities, arts, and social sciences. The close-knit campus is also active in fraternity life. Wabash houses nine fraternities, and around 60 percent of the students are affiliated with some type of Greek life organization.
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