Best College ROI in In 2026
50 colleges in In analyzed for return on investment. Indiana Institute of Technology leads with a ROI Score of 97/100 (STRONG BUY).
In has 50 colleges tracked in the Department of Education's College Scorecard, split between 15 public institutions and 35 private ones. Across the 50 schools with enough data to score, graduates of the top-paying major at each school carry a median federal debt of $23K and earn $84K in their first year out — the gap that determines whether a degree pays back.
94% of In colleges earn an A or B on the ROI Score, with the rest landing at C or below. First-year earnings top out at Indiana Institute of Technology (median $95K on Computer and Information Sciences, Other). The lowest median debt comes from Veritas Baptist College at $11K.
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 In
Indiana Institute of Technology
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Tops In's ROI rankings on its Computer and Information Sciences, Other program. Graduates earn a median $95K in their first year against $23K in median debt.
DePauw University
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Second-best ROI in the state, driven by Computer Science. Five-year median earnings: $147K.
Earlham College
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Third on the ROI Score with Computer Science. Graduation rate 10000%, debt $20K.
Top 20 Colleges by ROI in In
| # | School | Best Major | Median Debt | 1yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana Institute of Technology(private) | Computer and Information Sciences, Other | $23K | $95K | A (97) |
| 2 | DePauw University(private) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 3 | Earlham College(private) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 4 | Indiana University-Bloomington(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 5 | Indiana University-Kokomo(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 6 | Indiana University-Northwest(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 7 | Indiana University-South Bend(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 8 | Indiana University-Southeast(public) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 9 | Purdue University Fort Wayne(public) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 10 | Purdue University Northwest(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 11 | Purdue University-Main Campus(public) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 12 | Taylor University(private) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 13 | Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses(private) | Information Science/Studies | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 14 | University of Notre Dame(private) | Computer and Information Sciences | $19K | $95K | A (96) |
| 15 | University of Southern Indiana(public) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 16 | Anderson University(private) | Computer Science | $23K | $95K | A (95) |
| 17 | Hanover College(private) | Computer Science | $22K | $95K | A (95) |
| 18 | Indiana State University(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $22K | $95K | A (95) |
| 19 | Indiana University-East(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $23K | $95K | A (95) |
| 20 | Indiana University-Indianapolis(public) | Computer and Information Sciences | $21K | $95K | A (95) |
College debt and earnings data for In is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Indiana Institute of Technology has the best ROI in In with a score of 97/100 (STRONG BUY). The top major is Computer and Information Sciences, Other, with $95K in first-year median earnings against $23K in median debt.
Across 50 In colleges with ROI data, graduates carry a median debt of about $23K on the best-paying major at each school. First-year median earnings on those same programs average $84K.
Indiana Institute of Technology graduates earn the most one year out, with median first-year pay of $95K on its top major (Computer and Information Sciences, Other). After five years, those graduates earn a median of $147K.
In has 50 colleges in our database (15 public, 35 private). Of the 50 with reportable ROI, 94% 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%).