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Best Value Research Colleges

If you're passionate about studying the latest data, if you want to be involved in cutting-edge studies held in state-of-the-art facilities, and if your goal is to learn from world-famous professors doing ground-breaking research, attending a school recognized for its research efforts could be your best bet.

The College ROI Report for research colleges -- defined as those that engage in significant levels of research and award PhDs -- shows research schools are great for students who want to move into careers in academia or work as researchers, or students just want the chance to work with professors who are doing leading research. 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

106

Iowa State University(In-State)

$418,000

$76,100

69%

5 Years

$27,500

106	Iowa State University(In-State)
	Annual ROI	9.8%
	Annual ROI	9.8%
	Annual ROI	12.4%
	Annual ROI	12.4%
	20 Year Net ROI	$418,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$418,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$447,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$447,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$76,100
	Total 4 Year Cost	$76,100
	Grad Rate	69%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$27,500
	Grant Money Received	76%

107 (tie)

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College(In-State)

$417,000

$94,800

67%

5 Years

$26,000

107 (tie)	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.8%
	Annual ROI	7.7%
	Annual ROI	11.4%
	Annual ROI	9.7%
	20 Year Net ROI	$417,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$396,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$453,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$432,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$94,800
	Total 4 Year Cost	$116,000
	Grad Rate	67%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$26,000
	Grant Money Received	89%

107 (tie)

University of Arizona(In-State)

$417,000

$101,000

60%

4 Years

$25,100

107 (tie)	University of Arizona(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.5%
	Annual ROI	7.8%
	Annual ROI	11.1%
	Annual ROI	9.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	$417,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$402,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$454,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$439,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$101,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$116,000
	Grad Rate	60%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$25,100
	Grant Money Received	79%

109 (tie)

Pace University - New York, NY(Private)

$416,000

$232,000

55%

4 Years

$36,500

109 (tie)	Pace University - New York, NY(Private)
	Annual ROI	5.3%
	Annual ROI	5.0%
	Annual ROI	8.1%
	Annual ROI	7.7%
	20 Year Net ROI	$416,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$405,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$511,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$500,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$232,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$243,000
	Grad Rate	55%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$36,500
	Grant Money Received	97%

109 (tie)

University of Texas (UT) - Austin(Out-of-State)

$416,000

$201,000

81%

5 Years

$22,600

109 (tie)	University of Texas (UT) - Austin(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	5.8%
	Annual ROI	5.8%
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$416,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$416,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$452,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$452,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$201,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$201,000
	Grad Rate	81%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$22,600
	Grant Money Received	53%

111

University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Amherst Campus(In-State)

$415,000

$107,000

75%

4 Years

$29,200

111	University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Amherst Campus(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.3%
	Annual ROI	8.3%
	Annual ROI	10.2%
	Annual ROI	10.2%
	20 Year Net ROI	$415,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$415,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$448,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$448,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$107,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$107,000
	Grad Rate	75%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$29,200
	Grant Money Received	78%

112

University of Florida (UF)(In-State)

$410,000

$80,300

88%

4 Years

$23,400

112	University of Florida (UF)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	9.5%
	Annual ROI	9.5%
	Annual ROI	11.3%
	Annual ROI	11.3%
	20 Year Net ROI	$410,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$410,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$432,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$432,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$80,300
	Total 4 Year Cost	$80,300
	Grad Rate	88%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$23,400
	Grant Money Received	95%

113 (tie)

University of Cincinnati (UC)(In-State)

$407,000

$110,000

60%

5 Years

$27,200

113 (tie)	University of Cincinnati (UC)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.0%
	Annual ROI	7.7%
	Annual ROI	9.6%
	Annual ROI	9.1%
	20 Year Net ROI	$407,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$399,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$435,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$427,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$110,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$118,000
	Grad Rate	60%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$27,200
	Grant Money Received	59%

113 (tie)

University of Oklahoma(In-State)

$407,000

$95,800

67%

5 Years

$30,200

113 (tie)	University of Oklahoma(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.6%
	Annual ROI	8.6%
	Annual ROI	10.8%
	Annual ROI	10.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$407,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$407,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$438,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$438,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$95,800
	Total 4 Year Cost	$95,800
	Grad Rate	67%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$30,200
	Grant Money Received	68%

115

University of Wisconsin (UW) - Madison(In-State)

$406,000

$96,800

84%

4 Years

$29,600

115	University of Wisconsin (UW) - Madison(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.6%
	Annual ROI	8.6%
	Annual ROI	10.2%
	Annual ROI	10.2%
	20 Year Net ROI	$406,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$406,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$431,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$431,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$96,800
	Total 4 Year Cost	$96,900
	Grad Rate	84%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$29,600
	Grant Money Received	52%

116 (tie)

University of California - Irvine (UCI)(Out-of-State)

$405,000

$218,000

86%

4 Years

$21,300

116 (tie)	University of California - Irvine (UCI)(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	5.4%
	Annual ROI	5.6%
	Annual ROI	7.6%
	Annual ROI	7.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	$405,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$412,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$479,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$486,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$218,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$211,000
	Grad Rate	86%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$21,300
	Grant Money Received	66%

116 (tie)

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities(Out-of-State)

$405,000

$129,000

78%

4 Years

$28,300

116 (tie)	University of Minnesota - Twin Cities(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	7.3%
	Annual ROI	7.3%
	Annual ROI	8.9%
	Annual ROI	8.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	$405,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$405,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$438,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$438,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$129,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$129,000
	Grad Rate	78%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$28,300
	Grant Money Received	57%

118

University of Delaware(Out-of-State)

$404,000

$175,000

79%

4 Years

$34,400

118	University of Delaware(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	6.2%
	Annual ROI	6.2%
	Annual ROI	7.3%
	Annual ROI	7.3%
	20 Year Net ROI	$404,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$404,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$438,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$438,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$175,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$175,000
	Grad Rate	79%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$34,400
	Grant Money Received	73%

119 (tie)

Michigan State University (MSU)(In-State)

$403,000

$100,000

79%

4 Years

$28,200

119 (tie)	Michigan State University (MSU)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.4%
	Annual ROI	8.4%
	Annual ROI	11.2%
	Annual ROI	11.2%
	20 Year Net ROI	$403,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$403,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$443,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$443,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$100,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$100,000
	Grad Rate	79%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$28,200
	Grant Money Received	49%

119 (tie)

Texas Tech University(Out-of-State)

$403,000

$123,000

59%

5 Years

$30,000

119 (tie)	Texas Tech University(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	7.5%
	Annual ROI	8.1%
	Annual ROI	9.0%
	Annual ROI	9.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$403,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$416,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$432,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$445,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$123,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$110,000
	Grad Rate	59%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$30,000
	Grant Money Received	54%

See Full List

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

(It's important to note though that salary data for the College ROI Report does not include alumni who go on to earn graduate degrees, since we cannot include the cost of graduate school in our calculations.)

The California Institute of Technology -- or Caltech, as it's more typically called -- is renowned for its high research activity, especially in STEM fields. Located in Pasadena, California, the school boasts annual research expenditures of more than $270 million. The private university partners with numerous federal agencies with its research, including the Department of Defense, NASA and the Department of Energy. With 24 majors, or "options," and six minors in fields ranging from chemical engineering to computer science, Caltech is a great choice for students who'd like to attend a prestigious research university.

Classified as having a "very high level of research activity" by Carnegie, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or MIT, also often ranks highly in terms of 20 Year Net ROI. The school's research expenditures exceeded $718.2 million in 2009, and more than 1,300 researchers are employed by MIT in addition to other faculty. The school's best-known alumni include Buzz Aldrin, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Stanford University is often among the best value research schools students can consider. Located in Silicon Valley near Palo Alto, Stanford is home to more than 18 research centers, labs and institutes, many of which are located in Stanford Research Park. This prestigious university is made up of seven schools, and its 8,180-acre campus is one of the largest in the United States. Stanford students can take their pick from more than 650 clubs and organizations. Those who graduate will join the ranks of illustrious alumni including the founders of HP, Yahoo!, Google and Nike. 30 living billionaires are associated with Stanford, and 17 astronauts earned their degrees from the school as well.