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CollegeROI

Public Universities — ROI Rankings (2026)

749 public schools with 11,466 school-major combinations analyzed. In-state tuition advantages typically boost ROI.

749
Schools
62/100
Avg ROI Score
$25K
Avg Median Debt
100%
Avg Graduation Rate

Top 50 Public Universities Programs by ROI

#SchoolMajorROI Score
1University of Hawaii at ManoaComputer Science98/100
2Central State UniversityComputer Science97/100
3Eastern Washington UniversityComputer and Information Sciences97/100
4Eastern Washington UniversityComputer Software and Media Applications97/100
5Santa Fe CollegeComputer and Information Sciences97/100
6University of Hawaii at HiloComputer Science97/100
7University of Hawaii at HiloMathematics97/100
8University of New Mexico-Main CampusComputer and Information Sciences97/100
9Collin County Community College DistrictComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management96/100
10Daytona State CollegeComputer and Information Sciences96/100
11Red Rocks Community CollegeComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management96/100
12East Central UniversityComputer and Information Sciences95/100
13Pueblo Community CollegeComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management95/100
14University of Puerto Rico at PonceComputer and Information Sciences95/100
15East Central UniversityMathematics94/100
16University of Arkansas GranthamComputer Science94/100
17University of Arkansas GranthamComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management94/100
18University of Maine at Presque IsleComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management94/100
19University of Puerto Rico-BayamonComputer and Information Sciences94/100
20California State University-Monterey BayComputer Science93/100
21Indian River State CollegeComputer and Information Sciences93/100
22Southern Arkansas University Main CampusComputer and Information Sciences93/100
23The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyComputer Science93/100
24Troy UniversityComputer and Information Sciences93/100
25University of Arkansas GranthamInformation Science/Studies93/100
26University of California-San DiegoComputer Science93/100
27University of California-San DiegoComputer and Information Sciences93/100
28University of GuamComputer Science93/100
29University of Maine at Presque IsleComputer Science93/100
30University of Puerto Rico-MayaguezComputer Systems Analysis93/100
31University of Puerto Rico-Rio PiedrasComputer Science93/100
32Cascadia CollegeComputer Programming92/100
33CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeComputer Science92/100
34CUNY New York City College of TechnologyComputer Software and Media Applications92/100
35Dalton State CollegeComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management92/100
36East Tennessee State UniversityComputer and Information Sciences92/100
37Gulf Coast State CollegeComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management92/100
38New Mexico Highlands UniversityComputer and Information Sciences92/100
39North Seattle CollegeComputer Programming92/100
40Palm Beach State CollegeComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management92/100
41University of California-DavisComputer Science92/100
42University of California-San DiegoMathematics92/100
43University of California-Santa BarbaraComputer Science92/100
44University of Maine at Presque IsleMathematics92/100
45University of New Hampshire College of Professional Studies OnlineComputer and Information Sciences92/100
46University of North GeorgiaComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management92/100
47University of Puerto Rico-AreciboComputer Science92/100
48Bismarck State CollegeComputer/Information Technology Administration and Management91/100
49Bridgewater State UniversityComputer Science91/100
50California State University-ChicoComputer and Information Sciences91/100

Compare School Types

See how public schools stack up against private institutions.

View Private UniversitiesFull Public vs Private Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

CollegeROI tracks 749 public universities with 11,466 school-major combinations analyzed for debt and earnings data.

The average ROI Score for public university programs is 62/100. Average median debt is $25K with average first-year earnings of $59K.

Public universities typically have lower tuition for in-state students, which reduces debt and improves ROI. However, some private universities offer generous financial aid that can match or beat public school costs.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics
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