College Index · Class of 2026
High-ROI Safeties
Schools with higher admission rates that still deliver top-tier earnings and value
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Boston, MA · Private Nonprofit
Index
100.0
Chamberlain University-New Jersey
North Brunswick, NJ · Private For-Profit
Index
94.9
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, MA · Public
Index
91.4
How this ranking is calculated
Identifies "safety schools" — institutions with an admission rate of 25 % or higher — that still deliver strong financial outcomes. A composite score blends six factors so the ranking rewards schools that are accessible AND worth the investment.
What drives the score
- 25 % — Admission rate (higher is better — more accessible)
- 30 % — 10-year median earnings after enrollment
- 10 % — 6-year median earnings after enrollment
- 15 % — College Index value score (earnings-to-cost ratio)
- 10 % — Median student debt (inverted — lower is better)
- 10 % — Six-year graduation / completion rate
Data sources
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — admission rates, earnings, debt, and completion data
- College Index value score (derived from Scorecard earnings and cost data)
Only schools with an overall admission rate of 25 % or higher are included. Highly selective institutions (< 25 % admit rate) are excluded by design — the goal is to surface schools most students can realistically get into that still pay off.
Sorted by College Index's composite roi safeties score, normalized 0–100 across all ranked schools.
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Boston, MA
Chamberlain University-New Jersey
North Brunswick, NJ
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, MA
Chamberlain University-Georgia
Sandy Springs, GA
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Bothell, WA
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Terre Haute, IN
California State University-Stanislaus
Turlock, CA
University of Portland
Portland, OR
Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
California State University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Tacoma, WA
Chamberlain University-Texas
Houston, TX
California State University-San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, CA
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Boston, MA
Colorado State University Global
Denver, CO
SUNY Maritime College
Throggs Neck, NY
Chamberlain University-Illinois
Addison, IL
Kettering University
Flint, MI
Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR
California State University-Fresno
Fresno, CA
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY
Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA
Clarkson University
Potsdam, NY
Bentley University
Waltham, MA
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus
Hartford, CT
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA
Saint Johns University
Collegeville, MN
California State University-Monterey Bay
Seaside, CA
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA
California State University-Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, MA
University of Florida-Online
Gainesville, FL
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA
University of California-Merced
Merced, CA
California State University-Channel Islands
Camarillo, CA
Linfield University
McMinnville, OR
California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA
Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, CA
Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
California State University-Chico
Chico, CA
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, CO
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI
The College of Saint Scholastica
Duluth, MN
Ursinus College
Collegeville, PA
Butler University
Indianapolis, IN
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, MN
University of St Thomas
Saint Paul, MN
Molloy University
Rockville Centre, NY
Wagner College
Staten Island, NY
Manhattan University
Riverdale, NY
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN
CUNY Graduate School and University Center
New York, NY
La Salle University
Philadelphia, PA
Maryville University of Saint Louis
Saint Louis, MO
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Fargo, ND
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Tempe, AZ
Washington State University
Pullman, WA
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY
Regis University
Denver, CO
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Winona, MN
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO
Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ
University of Connecticut-Stamford
Stamford, CT
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA
The Catholic University of America
Washington, DC
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
Prescott, AZ
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA
Loyola University Maryland
Baltimore, MD
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown
Johnstown, PA
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, PA
Immaculata University
Immaculata, PA
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
Creighton University
Omaha, NE
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ
CUNY City College
New York, NY
Seattle University
Seattle, WA
Loras College
Dubuque, IA
University of Scranton
Scranton, PA
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL
College of Saint Benedict
Saint Joseph, MN
CUNY Queens College
Queens, NY
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, VA
CUNY Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY