SynopsisPrinceton has topped Forbes’ 2027 ranking of US colleges offering the best return on investment, but lower-cost public colleges are the surprise winners. Seven CUNY institutions made the top 10, showing that strong graduate earnings combined with low tuition can rival elite universities on financial payoff.iStockPrinceton University has topped Forbes’ 2027 list of 25 US colleges offering the strongest return on investment, based on graduate earnings, education costs, student debt and financial aid. Seven colleges from the City University of New York (CUNY) system also feature among the top 10.The ranking assesses how quickly students can recover the net cost of their degree through post-graduation earnings. Forbes used the price-to-earnings premium developed by think tank Third Way, which accounts for the cost of a degree after grants and scholarships.It also considered each college’s debt-to-percent-borrowed index. This combines the median federal loan debt per borrower with the share of students who took federal loans. The data covers the 2024-25 academic year, the latest available.The list comes as the unemployment rate for recent US graduates aged 22 to 27 reached 5.7% in June, up from 4.9% a year earlier. The rising cost of higher education has also increased concerns over student debt. At some private colleges, the total annual cost, including tuition, housing, food, books and other expenses, is now close to or above $100,000.Princeton tops the rankingPrinceton moved up from third place in the previous list to take the top position. Its graduates earn a median salary of $121,773 10 years after completing their studies.The university’s financial aid programme also improves its return on investment. Princeton covers tuition, food and housing for most families earning less than $150,000 a year. Families earning up to $250,000 generally receive enough aid to cover tuition.CUNY colleges dominate the top 10CUNY colleges occupy seven of the top 10 positions. Their strong performance is linked to low tuition fees, the ability of many students to live at home and access to jobs across New York City.For New York residents, tuition and fees at most CUNY colleges are below $10,000 a year. Median salaries 10 years after graduation are close to or above $100,000 at several institutions.Top 25 US colleges for return on investmentRankCollegeTuition and feesMedian salary after 10 years1Princeton University$62,688$121,7732CUNY Hunter College$7,382 in-state; $15,332 out-of-state$99,5173CUNY Brooklyn College$7,452 in-state; $15,402 out-of-state$103,3704CUNY Queens College$7,358 in-state; $15,488 out-of-state$104,8015CUNY Lehman College$7,410 in-state; $15,360 out-of-state$96,1306CUNY Bernard M Baruch College$7,464 in-state; $15,414 out-of-state$113,8357Stanford University$65,910$126,9168CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice$7,470 in-state; $15,420 out-of-state$96,7019CUNY City College$7,340 in-state; $15,290 out-of-state$105,79610California Institute of Technology$65,898$117,27811Rice University$64,144$109,72112Massachusetts Institute of Technology$62,396$131,18213Harvard University$61,676$119,70814University of Florida$6,381 in-state; $28,659 out-of-state$106,40215California State University-Dominguez Hills$7,449 in-state; $20,049 out-of-state$94,31716University of Chicago$70,662$107,81217Williams College$68,560$111,60018Columbia University$71,845$117,01019California State University-Stanislaus$8,246 in-state; $20,846 out-of-state$101,54820California State University-Los Angeles$7,160 in-state; $17,760 out-of-state$93,97321Vanderbilt University$67,498$115,46722CUNY College of Staten Island$7,490 in-state; $15,440 out-of-state$98,62423Brigham Young University$6,688$114,49324California State University-Bakersfield$8,090 in-state; $20,690 out-of-state$101,61125Johns Hopkins University$65,230$111,678Tuition and fee figures, along with earnings data, come from the US government’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and cover the 2024-25 academic year.The list includes highly selective private universities, large public institutions and lower-cost colleges. Forbes said these institutions show that a strong financial return is possible through either high graduate earnings, lower education costs or substantial financial aid. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)...moreElevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea.Subscribe Now