The college explorer
Find a college.
See what it returns.
Look beyond the sticker price. Explore real costs, graduate earnings, and how long a degree takes to pay for itself.
How we measure value3,376colleges to explore
434with a Strong ROI verdict
College Scorecard · 2026 release
Federal figures. Our calculations.
9 matching colleges · Showing 1–9
Compare collegesBrowse by state or territory
Payback guideStrong ≤5 yearsSolid ≤10Slow ≤20Weak >20 or no payback
District of Columbia 9 matching
View state rankingStrong ROI
George Washington University
Washington, DC
Net price / year$36,586Payback3.4 years
Slow ROI
Howard University
Washington, DC
Net price / year$50,539Payback13.7 years
Weak ROI
Strayer University-Global Region
Washington, DC
Net price / year$17,833PaybackNot available
Strong ROI
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Net price / year$40,815Payback3 years
Solid ROI
American University
Washington, DC
Net price / year$41,943Payback5.8 years
Weak ROI
University of the District of Columbia
Washington, DC
Net price / year$10,648PaybackNot available
Strong ROI
The Catholic University of America
Washington, DC
Net price / year$29,561Payback4.8 years
Solid ROI
Trinity Washington University
Washington, DC
Net price / year$9,302Payback6.8 years
Weak ROI
Gallaudet University
Washington, DC
Net price / year$15,845PaybackNot available