Best College ROI in De 2026
5 colleges in De analyzed for return on investment. Wilmington University leads with a ROI Score of 98/100 (STRONG BUY).
De has 5 colleges tracked in the Department of Education's College Scorecard, split between 3 public institutions and 2 private ones. Across the 5 schools with enough data to score, graduates of the top-paying major at each school carry a median federal debt of $22K and earn $82K in their first year out — the gap that determines whether a degree pays back.
100% of De colleges earn an A or B on the ROI Score, with the rest landing at C or below. First-year earnings top out at Wilmington University (median $95K on Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management).
All numbers come from the latest College Scorecard release, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients only — graduates who paid cash or used private loans aren't in this dataset, so actual median debt at high-income schools may be lower than shown. The ROI Score weights debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), BLS job outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%).
Top 3 Best ROI Colleges in De
Wilmington University
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Tops De's ROI rankings on its Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management program. Graduates earn a median $95K in their first year against $16K in median debt.
Delaware State University
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Second-best ROI in the state, driven by Computer Science. Five-year median earnings: $147K.
University of Delaware
Public · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Third on the ROI Score with Computer and Information Sciences. Graduation rate 10000%, debt $21K.
Top 5 Colleges by ROI in De
| # | School | Best Major | Median Debt | 1yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilmington University(private) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $16K | $95K | A (98) |
| 2 | Delaware State University(public) | Computer Science | $22K | $95K | A (95) |
| 3 | University of Delaware(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $21K | $95K | A (95) |
| 4 | Goldey-Beacom College(private) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $23K | $65K | B (79) |
| 5 | Delaware Technical Community College-Terry(public) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $26K | $62K | B (78) |
College debt and earnings data for De is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wilmington University has the best ROI in De with a score of 98/100 (STRONG BUY). The top major is Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management, with $95K in first-year median earnings against $16K in median debt.
Across 5 De colleges with ROI data, graduates carry a median debt of about $22K on the best-paying major at each school. First-year median earnings on those same programs average $82K.
Wilmington University graduates earn the most one year out, with median first-year pay of $95K on its top major (Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management). After five years, those graduates earn a median of $147K.
De has 5 colleges in our database (3 public, 2 private). Of the 5 with reportable ROI, 100% earn an A or B grade.
The ROI Score (0-100) weighs debt-to-income ratio (35%), earnings premium over a high school graduate (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), and debt vs. national average (10%). Scores are graded A-F with verdicts from "Strong Buy" to "Avoid." Data comes from the College Scorecard and BLS occupational projections.
ROI Score: debt-to-income (35%), earnings premium (25%), job market outlook (20%), graduation rate (10%), debt vs. national average (10%).