Best & Worst Colleges for 10-Year ROI

Ten years after graduating from college, will you be making a lot of money - or not so much. Today, I'll discus data that shows many colleges in the US don't do a great job of putting you in too much of a better financial position than an average high school graduate. I just mention a few colleges in this video. For the full report, data, and list, see below.

***Note: the mean salary data discussed for St. John's College was for its New Mexico campus, not its Maryland campus. Full data set can be found below.

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#roi
#collegeadmissions
#expertadvice

[TheLauren]

For many majors you need a graduate degree. If students aren’t going on for a graduate or professional degree, it isn’t surprising that earnings are lower. The schools you’re naming tend to be liberal arts college or fine arts focused. It’s not fair to compare to business and engineering degrees. One of my kids is a musical theatre major and I know her earnings potential will be variable. It’s possible she could earn a lot certain years based on how equity tours and Broadway pay but she may also fit the starving artist definition some years. Unless she goes to law school! However, she is graduating debt free because we planned for the difficulties of a performing arts career. Performing arts/fine arts/liberal arts aren’t a “sinking ship.”

[amangiaracina]

As a former college career counselor, I think a lot of the lower numbers have to do with either the fields graduates have chosen - arts, social services, etc. - or with a lack of experience during college. Many employers are less concerned with majors - unless, of course a specific major is necessary, i.e. engineering - and more concerned with candidates' skills and experience. For example, one can major in something like philosophy or English, and still end up with a well-paying job in business if they have appropriate business experience. This can take the form of roles such as treasurer of a campus organization, member of a finance club, and/or internships in business. This is why I think it's critically important to look at prospective colleges' career services offices, alumni networks, and the like when deciding where to go.

[gheller]

I get what you're saying, but just looking at raw salaries does not tell the whole story. For example, a school like Sarah Lawrence produces a lot of Ph.D. candidates, so of course those students are not going to earn much early in their careers.

[themacromic]

I got into WashU ED2. I have a question which has been bugging me for quite a while. How will my career be different from a guy who got into a better college than me, like did I make a hasty decision choosing washu, for context I am studying Economics and Strategy + Computer Science

[gheller]

What do you mean "even" Lehigh? That's a lot of snobbery there.