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Best Value Private Colleges

A degree earned at a private college or university usually carries a certain degree of prestige, but that prestige often comes at a price; private schools can have shockingly high tuitions. Read More

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ROI Type

20-Yr Net Annual %

Rank

School Name

20 Year Net ROI

Total 4 Year Cost

Graduation Rate

Typical Years to Graduate

Average Loan Amount

856

Voorhees College(Private)

($118,300)

$90,600

33%

5 Years

$27,100

856	Voorhees College(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($118,300)
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($80,900)
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$90,600
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Grad Rate	33%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$27,100
	Grant Money Received	99%

857

Pikeville College(Private)

($118,900)

$135,000

40%

5 Years

$25,000

857	Pikeville College(Private)
	Annual ROI	-10.0%
	Annual ROI	-10.0%
	Annual ROI	-6.9%
	Annual ROI	-6.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	($118,900)
	20 Year Net ROI	($119,400)
	20 Year Net ROI	($52,500)
	20 Year Net ROI	($53,000)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$135,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$136,000
	Grad Rate	40%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$25,000
	Grant Money Received	100%

858

Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary(Private)

($120,000)

$106,000

64%

5 Years

$19,000

858	Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($120,000)
	20 Year Net ROI	($120,000)
	20 Year Net ROI	($75,400)
	20 Year Net ROI	($75,400)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$106,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$106,000
	Grad Rate	64%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$19,000
	Grant Money Received	97%

859

Benedict College(Private)

($126,800)

$122,000

31%

5 Years

$36,000

859	Benedict College(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($126,800)
	20 Year Net ROI	($170,000)
	20 Year Net ROI	($73,100)
	20 Year Net ROI	($116,300)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$122,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$165,000
	Grad Rate	31%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$36,000
	Grant Money Received	96%

860

Wheelock College(Private)

($129,600)

$195,000

55%

4 Years

$42,100

860	Wheelock College(Private)
	Annual ROI	-5.3%
	Annual ROI	-5.3%
	Annual ROI	-2.8%
	Annual ROI	-2.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	($129,600)
	20 Year Net ROI	($129,600)
	20 Year Net ROI	($50,800)
	20 Year Net ROI	($50,800)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$195,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$195,000
	Grad Rate	55%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$42,100
	Grant Money Received	100%

861

Martin Luther College(Private)

($134,900)

$89,400

72%

4 Years

$27,300

861	Martin Luther College(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($134,900)
	20 Year Net ROI	($134,900)
	20 Year Net ROI	($113,300)
	20 Year Net ROI	($113,300)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$89,400
	Total 4 Year Cost	$89,400
	Grad Rate	72%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$27,300
	Grant Money Received	88%

862

Miles College - Fairfield, AL(Private)

($142,200)

$89,300

20%

5 Years

$31,400

862	Miles College - Fairfield, AL(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($142,200)
	20 Year Net ROI	($156,600)
	20 Year Net ROI	($118,900)
	20 Year Net ROI	($133,400)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$89,300
	Total 4 Year Cost	$104,000
	Grad Rate	20%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$31,400
	Grant Money Received	99%

863

Maine College of Art(Private)

($144,500)

$181,000

46%

4 Years

$35,700

863	Maine College of Art(Private)
	Annual ROI	-7.7%
	Annual ROI	-7.6%
	Annual ROI	-5.8%
	Annual ROI	-5.6%
	20 Year Net ROI	($144,500)
	20 Year Net ROI	($139,800)
	20 Year Net ROI	($82,600)
	20 Year Net ROI	($77,900)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$181,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$176,000
	Grad Rate	46%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$35,700
	Grant Money Received	100%

864

Montserrat College of Art(Private)

($147,800)

$161,000

53%

4 Years

$35,800

864	Montserrat College of Art(Private)
	Annual ROI	-11.7%
	Annual ROI	-11.9%
	Annual ROI	-9.7%
	Annual ROI	-10.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	($147,800)
	20 Year Net ROI	($153,800)
	20 Year Net ROI	($90,300)
	20 Year Net ROI	($96,300)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$161,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$167,000
	Grad Rate	53%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$35,800
	Grant Money Received	100%

865

Livingstone College(Private)

($148,600)

$105,000

24%

5 Years

$32,200

865	Livingstone College(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($148,600)
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($108,200)
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$105,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Grad Rate	24%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$32,200
	Grant Money Received	98%

866

Talladega College(Private)

($174,300)

$85,500

44%

4 Years

$27,000

866	Talladega College(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	($174,300)
	20 Year Net ROI	($160,400)
	20 Year Net ROI	($127,300)
	20 Year Net ROI	($113,400)
	Total 4 Year Cost	$85,500
	Total 4 Year Cost	$71,600
	Grad Rate	44%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$27,000
	Grant Money Received	80%

Southern California Institute of Architecture(Private)

N/A

72%

6 Years

$21,200

-	Southern California Institute of Architecture(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	2.6%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	3.6%
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$186,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$233,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$274,000
	Grad Rate	72%
	Time to Graduate	6 Years
	Loan Amt	$21,200
	Grant Money Received	23%

Cambridge College(Private)

N/A

4 Years

$21,200

-	Cambridge College(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	7.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$298,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$319,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$110,000
	Grad Rate	3%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$21,200
	Grant Money Received	14%

Northwood University - Cedar Hill, TX(Private)

N/A

39%

4 Years

$26,800

-	Northwood University - Cedar Hill, TX(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	5.3%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	8.3%
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$234,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$291,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$131,000
	Grad Rate	39%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$26,800
	Grant Money Received	98%

Our Lady of Holy Cross College (OLHCC)(Private)

N/A

29%

6 Years

$20,500

-	Our Lady of Holy Cross College (OLHCC)(Private)
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	Annual ROI	N/A
	Annual ROI	8.6%
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$262,000
	20 Year Net ROI	N/A
	20 Year Net ROI	$289,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	N/A
	Total 4 Year Cost	$96,500
	Grad Rate	29%
	Time to Graduate	6 Years
	Loan Amt	$20,500
	Grant Money Received	73%

See Full List

*NOTE: Unranked schools on this list don’t have on-campus living options, so on-campus costs are not available.

That said, for certain students, the right private school can represent the best value in terms of college return on investment.

Students seek out private universities and colleges for a number of reasons. Such schools tend to have very close-knit communities, and class sizes tend to be far smaller than those at public institutes of higher learning. If you're considering enrolling at a privately funded university, consider using PayScale's data to identify which school will give you the best return on your investment.

The California Institute of Technology -- or "Caltech," as it's more commonly known -- is a privately funded university that was founded in 1891. Located in Pasadena, California, Caltech consists of six academic divisions and offers 24 majors, or "options," and six minors. Caltech has produced many accomplished alumni through the years, but Linus Pauling -- recipient of two Nobel Prize awards -- is probably the most notable. Furthermore, six alumni have received the Turing Award, which is considered the Nobel Prize of computer science.

One-third of all manned space flights have included graduates of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, so it's easy to see why it's among the best schools a person can select. Located in Cambridge, the private university almost always provides one of the best private school returns on investment you can find. Programs offered by its five schools and colleges span many fields, but the physical sciences and engineering are undoubtedly among the most popular. Since its founding in 1861, MIT has produced or been associated with more than 80 Nobel Laureates, 45 Rhodes Scholars, 52 National Medal of Science recipients and two Fields Medalists, so you would be hard-pressed to find a more prestigious engineering school offering this kind of value.

From its 38-acre campus in Claremont, California, Harvey Mudd College is another perennial high-ranker on our list. Founded in 1955, the highly regarded college hosts just 800 students per year. However, those who graduate go on to enjoy great earning potential. The school is a standout in many ways, but the fact that significant numbers of graduates go on to earn their PhDs is particularly noteworthy. Located about 35 miles east of Los Angeles, Harvey Mudd College offers four-year degrees in engineering, computer science, chemistry, mathematics and physics and counts many astronauts among its alumni.