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Best Value Colleges For Sports

Whether you have dreams of working your way onto the team -- a la Notre Dame's Rudy -- or just plan to root, root, root for the home team -- ASU's Curtain of Distraction, anyone? -- some students seek out sports colleges because they love attending games and tailgating with friends, while others want to participate in sports themselves. Read More

Find Out Exactly What You
Should Be Paid

On Campus

On Off

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Without With

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

163 (tie)

University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus(In-State)

$358,000

$128,000

82%

4 Years

$37,600

163 (tie)	University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus(In-State)
	Annual ROI	6.9%
	Annual ROI	6.9%
	Annual ROI	9.4%
	Annual ROI	9.4%
	20 Year Net ROI	$358,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$358,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$405,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$405,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$128,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$128,000
	Grad Rate	82%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$37,600
	Grant Money Received	52%

167 (tie)

Iona College(Private)

$357,000

$201,000

58%

4 Years

$33,600

167 (tie)	Iona College(Private)
	Annual ROI	5.2%
	Annual ROI	5.8%
	Annual ROI	7.9%
	Annual ROI	8.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	$357,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$377,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$435,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$455,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$201,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$181,000
	Grad Rate	58%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$33,600
	Grant Money Received	98%

167 (tie)

North Dakota State University (NDSU)(Out-of-State)

$357,000

$122,000

56%

5 Years

$34,400

167 (tie)	North Dakota State University (NDSU)(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	7.1%
	Annual ROI	7.1%
	Annual ROI	8.0%
	Annual ROI	8.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	$357,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$357,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$375,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$375,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$122,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$122,000
	Grad Rate	56%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$34,400
	Grant Money Received	59%

167 (tie)

Ohio State University (OSU) - Main Campus(In-State)

$357,000

$102,000

83%

4 Years

$28,700

167 (tie)	Ohio State University (OSU) - Main Campus(In-State)
	Annual ROI	7.8%
	Annual ROI	7.8%
	Annual ROI	10.3%
	Annual ROI	10.3%
	20 Year Net ROI	$357,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$357,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$394,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$394,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$102,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$102,000
	Grad Rate	83%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$28,700
	Grant Money Received	79%

167 (tie)

University of Oklahoma(Out-of-State)

$357,000

$146,000

67%

5 Years

$30,200

167 (tie)	University of Oklahoma(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	6.4%
	Annual ROI	6.4%
	Annual ROI	7.7%
	Annual ROI	7.7%
	20 Year Net ROI	$357,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$357,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$388,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$388,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$146,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$146,000
	Grad Rate	67%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$30,200
	Grant Money Received	68%

171 (tie)

University of California - Riverside (UCR)(In-State)

$355,000

$130,000

69%

5 Years

$22,900

171 (tie)	University of California - Riverside (UCR)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	6.8%
	Annual ROI	7.5%
	Annual ROI	11.1%
	Annual ROI	12.9%
	20 Year Net ROI	$355,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$370,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$426,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$441,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$130,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$114,000
	Grad Rate	69%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$22,900
	Grant Money Received	80%

171 (tie)

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

$355,000

$167,000

75%

4 Years

$29,200

171 (tie)	University of Massachusetts (UMass) - Amherst Campus(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	5.9%
	Annual ROI	5.9%
	Annual ROI	7.0%
	Annual ROI	7.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	$355,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$355,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$388,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$388,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$167,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$167,000
	Grad Rate	75%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$29,200
	Grant Money Received	78%

173

University of Utah(Out-of-State)

$354,000

$156,000

62%

5 Years

$32,900

173	University of Utah(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	6.1%
	Annual ROI	5.9%
	Annual ROI	7.3%
	Annual ROI	7.0%
	20 Year Net ROI	$354,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$348,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$386,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$379,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$156,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$162,000
	Grad Rate	62%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$32,900
	Grant Money Received	54%

174

California State University - Sacramento (CSUS)(Out-of-State)

$353,000

$140,000

44%

5 Years

$21,200

174	California State University - Sacramento (CSUS)(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	6.5%
	Annual ROI	6.5%
	Annual ROI	8.5%
	Annual ROI	8.5%
	20 Year Net ROI	$353,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$354,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$395,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$397,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$140,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$139,000
	Grad Rate	44%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$21,200
	Grant Money Received	67%

175

University of Georgia (UGA)(In-State)

$352,000

$91,100

85%

4 Years

$24,700

175	University of Georgia (UGA)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.2%
	Annual ROI	8.4%
	Annual ROI	11.1%
	Annual ROI	11.4%
	20 Year Net ROI	$352,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$355,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$389,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$392,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$91,100
	Total 4 Year Cost	$87,900
	Grad Rate	85%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$24,700
	Grant Money Received	94%

176

Utah State University - Regional Campuses and Distance Education(Out-of-State)

$350,000

$119,000

50%

5 Years

$22,900

176	Utah State University - Regional Campuses and Distance Education(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	7.1%
	Annual ROI	7.1%
	Annual ROI	8.5%
	Annual ROI	8.5%
	20 Year Net ROI	$350,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$350,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$378,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$378,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$119,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$119,000
	Grad Rate	50%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$22,900
	Grant Money Received	70%

177 (tie)

Colorado State University (CSU)(In-State)

$349,000

$92,900

65%

5 Years

$26,500

177 (tie)	Colorado State University (CSU)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	8.1%
	Annual ROI	8.5%
	Annual ROI	10.2%
	Annual ROI	10.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$349,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$355,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$379,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$385,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$92,900
	Total 4 Year Cost	$87,100
	Grad Rate	65%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$26,500
	Grant Money Received	54%

177 (tie)

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College(Out-of-State)

$349,000

$163,000

67%

5 Years

$26,000

177 (tie)	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	5.9%
	Annual ROI	5.3%
	Annual ROI	7.2%
	Annual ROI	6.4%
	20 Year Net ROI	$349,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$328,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$385,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$364,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$163,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$184,000
	Grad Rate	67%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$26,000
	Grant Money Received	89%

177 (tie)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)(In-State)

$349,000

$97,100

90%

4 Years

$26,600

177 (tie)	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)(In-State)
	Annual ROI	7.9%
	Annual ROI	7.9%
	Annual ROI	13.5%
	Annual ROI	13.5%
	20 Year Net ROI	$349,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$349,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$410,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$410,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$97,100
	Total 4 Year Cost	$97,100
	Grad Rate	90%
	Time to Graduate	4 Years
	Loan Amt	$26,600
	Grant Money Received	46%

180 (tie)

University of Illinois at Chicago(Out-of-State)

$348,000

$167,000

60%

5 Years

$25,900

180 (tie)	University of Illinois at Chicago(Out-of-State)
	Annual ROI	5.8%
	Annual ROI	5.8%
	Annual ROI	7.9%
	Annual ROI	7.8%
	20 Year Net ROI	$348,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$347,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$401,000
	20 Year Net ROI	$401,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$167,000
	Total 4 Year Cost	$167,000
	Grad Rate	60%
	Time to Graduate	5 Years
	Loan Amt	$25,900
	Grant Money Received	67%

See Full List

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

And though they may be more well know more their athletic achievements than their academics, many sports schools offer prospective students the promise of reaching a bowl game season after season and an excellent education.

With a stellar academic reputation and 36 varsity sports teams, Stanford University is easily among the best values college for athletes and sports fans alike. Located in Stanford, California, which is near Palo Alto in Silicon Valley, Stanford first opened its doors in 1891 and has been producing some of the most prominent names in business, sports and other areas ever since. Stanford has won 105 NCAA championships through the years, the second most in the country. The Stanford Cardinals have a well-known rivalry with UC Berkeley that culminates in the annual "Big Game" football match, and athletes from the school have won medals at every Olympics since 1912.

The Georgia Institute of Technology -- aka "Georgia Tech" -- Yellow Jackets have produced their fair share of star athletes: The NFL's Calvin "Megatron" Johnson and Demaryius Thomas; NBA Champion Chris Bosh, and NBA stars Stephon Marbury and Mark Price; and MLB's beloved Nomar Garciaparra. With its location in the heart of downtown Atlanta, Tech is a fun and exciting place to attend school, and students come out in force to show support for their teams. The public university is located on a 400-acre campus and boasts a student population of around 23,100 students.

In addition to being a highly esteemed Ivy League school, Princeton University enjoys an exceptional reputation in athletics. Indeed, the Princeton Tigers football team has won 26 national championships, which is more than any other school. Founded in 1746 and located in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton was one of the nine original Colonial Colleges and boasts one of the most beautiful college campuses in the world. The approximately 8,000 students who attend the prestigious Ivy League school proudly wear orange-and-black regalia in support of the Tigers, and games tend to be very well-attended.