Best College ROI in Vt 2026
10 colleges in Vt analyzed for return on investment. Landmark College leads with a ROI Score of 96/100 (STRONG BUY).
Vt has 10 colleges tracked in the Department of Education's College Scorecard, split between 2 public institutions and 8 private ones. Across the 10 schools with enough data to score, graduates of the top-paying major at each school carry a median federal debt of $25K and earn $85K in their first year out — the gap that determines whether a degree pays back.
90% of Vt colleges earn an A or B on the ROI Score, with the rest landing at C or below. First-year earnings top out at Landmark College (median $95K on Computer Science). The lowest median debt comes from Middlebury College at $20K.
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 Vt
Landmark College
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Tops Vt's ROI rankings on its Computer Science program. Graduates earn a median $95K in their first year against $20K in median debt.
Middlebury College
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Second-best ROI in the state, driven by Computer Science. Five-year median earnings: $147K.
Norwich University
Private · Verdict: STRONG BUY
Third on the ROI Score with Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. Graduation rate 10000%, debt $22K.
Top 10 Colleges by ROI in Vt
| # | School | Best Major | Median Debt | 1yr Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Landmark College(private) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 2 | Middlebury College(private) | Computer Science | $20K | $95K | A (96) |
| 3 | Norwich University(private) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $22K | $95K | A (96) |
| 4 | University of Vermont(public) | Computer Science | $21K | $95K | A (96) |
| 5 | Bennington College(private) | Computer Science | $21K | $95K | A (95) |
| 6 | Champlain College(private) | Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $24K | $95K | A (95) |
| 7 | Vermont State University(public) | Mathematics | $22K | $78K | A (95) |
| 8 | Saint Michael's College(private) | Computer Science | $33K | $95K | A (90) |
| 9 | Sterling College(private) | Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $30K | $55K | B (68) |
| 10 | Goddard College(private) | Psychology | $41K | $48K | C (57) |
College debt and earnings data for Vt is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which tracks outcomes for federal financial aid recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Landmark College has the best ROI in Vt with a score of 96/100 (STRONG BUY). The top major is Computer Science, with $95K in first-year median earnings against $20K in median debt.
Across 10 Vt colleges with ROI data, graduates carry a median debt of about $25K on the best-paying major at each school. First-year median earnings on those same programs average $85K.
Landmark College graduates earn the most one year out, with median first-year pay of $95K on its top major (Computer Science). After five years, those graduates earn a median of $147K.
Vt has 10 colleges in our database (2 public, 8 private). Of the 10 with reportable ROI, 90% 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%).