College outcomes, in dollars
The actual math of a college degree.
Net price after aid, earnings by major, and debt against salary — every number sourced and dated.
Lifetime earnings premium minus total cost. Bachelor's, median.
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 · our math
What graduates of a specific program actually earn
Data almost no one else surfaces. We pair federal earnings records with real net cost, then show the payback in years — by field and by school.
See all 30 fields ranked by payback →| Major | 1-yr earnings | Payback |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing (BSN) | $83,188 | 3.9 yrs |
| Computer Science | $78,610 | 1.8 yrs |
| Psychology | $44,012 | 24+ yrs |
College ROI
What college costs and pays — net price, earnings by major, debt, and payback in years.
Enter ROI →Online Degrees
Degrees that pay off — MBA, nursing, the cheapest accredited paths, and whether recruiters respect them.
Enter Online →Worth it?
How we do the math
Every figure comes from federal data — College Scorecard, IPEDS (NCES), and the Urban Institute (ODC-By). We compute payback and 20-year ROI ourselves, and show the formula: net cost plus the wages forgone during study, measured against the earnings premium a degree actually pays.
Read the full methodology →Featured guides
College ROI by Major
30 fields ranked by payback years — engineering clears its cost in 1.2 years, some fields never do.
Cheapest Online Colleges
Full-degree cost from $4,000, ranked by real per-credit price and accreditor.
Online RN-to-BSN Programs
10 CCNE programs compared on total cost, timeline, and clinical hours.
Average Student Debt in 2026
$40,467 per borrower — about $460 a month on the standard 10-year plan.
Best Online MBA Programs
12 programs by total cost, AACSB status, and salary per tuition dollar.
Highest-Paying Majors
Detailed fields ranked by raw earnings, year 1 and year 4 after graduation.