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Highest ROI College Degrees in 2026

100 programs ranked · Updated 2026

Degrees that pay back the most relative to what you spend on tuition.

Programs Ranked

100

Avg Earnings

$62,454/yr

Avg DW Score

80/100

#1 Program

Marine Transportation

United States Merchant Marine Academy

Highest ROI College Degrees

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

#	Program	DW Score	Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
1	Marine Transportation United States Merchant Marine Academy · Kings Point, NY	72 70–72	$69,847/yr	Low	266.2x
2	Business Administration Haskell Indian Nations University · Lawrence, KS	74 68–76	$25,941/yr	High	180.7x
3	Dental Hygiene Foothill College · Los Altos Hills, CA	82 78–82	$81,255/yr	Moderate	128.8x
4	Nursing (RN/BSN) College of Central Florida · Ocala, FL	90 84–91	$78,006/yr	High	102.5x
5	Ethnic & Cultural Minority Haskell Indian Nations University · Lawrence, KS	47 40–51	$23,887/yr	Very High	98.5x
6	Nursing (RN/BSN) Broward College · Fort Lauderdale, FL	90 84–91	$79,135/yr	High	95.3x
7	Nursing (RN/BSN) Valencia College · Orlando, FL	91 85–92	$93,751/yr	High	93.7x
8	Nursing (RN/BSN) Austin Community College District · Austin, TX	91 85–92	$88,105/yr	High	85.4x
9	Electrical Engineering Technologies Valencia College · Orlando, FL	70 66–72	$64,538/yr	High	85.2x
10	Nursing (RN/BSN) Florida State College at Jacksonville · Jacksonville, FL	90 84–91	$77,442/yr	High	83.3x
11	Computer & Information Science University of Florida-Online · Gainesville, FL	91 82–93	$90,651/yr	Very High	81.6x
12	Allied Health & Diagnostic Professions Valencia College · Orlando, FL	83 79–84	$68,564/yr	Moderate	81.3x
13	Computer & Information Science Daytona State College · Daytona Beach, FL	82 72–84	$45,498/yr	Very High	69.3x
14	Computer Science Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	89 79–91	$77,316/yr	Very High	65.4x
15	Computer Science University of North Carolina at Pembroke · Pembroke, NC	76 66–79	$38,417/yr	Very High	63.1x
16	Computer & Information Science Broward College · Fort Lauderdale, FL	85 75–87	$52,497/yr	Very High	62.3x
17	IT Management Palm Beach State College · Lake Worth, FL	84 75–87	$51,368/yr	Very High	61.9x
18	Business Administration Bismarck State College · Bismarck, ND	96 90–98	$100,668/yr	High	61.8x
19	Marine Transportation Northwestern Michigan College · Traverse City, MI	74 73–75	$87,281/yr	Low	61.2x
20	IT Management Florida State College at Jacksonville · Jacksonville, FL	86 77–89	$59,503/yr	Very High	61.0x
21	IT Management St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	85 76–88	$54,560/yr	Very High	60.4x
22	Computer Networking Florida State College at Jacksonville · Jacksonville, FL	83 73–85	$53,888/yr	Very High	60.3x
23	Mechanical Engineering University of Florida-Online · Gainesville, FL	75 69–77	$76,228/yr	Very High	59.8x
24	Computer & Information Science Seminole State College of Florida · Sanford, FL	84 75–86	$51,316/yr	Very High	59.4x
25	Finance Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	87 81–90	$56,043/yr	Very High	56.5x
26	Information Science Eastern Florida State College · Melbourne, FL	84 74–86	$57,313/yr	Very High	56.4x
27	Public Health St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	81 74–83	$51,565/yr	High	55.6x
28	Computer Engineering Brigham Young University · Provo, UT	86 76–89	$88,785/yr	Very High	55.5x
29	IT Management Pensacola State College · Pensacola, FL	84 76–87	$52,764/yr	Very High	55.2x
30	Fire Protection & Safety University of Florida-Online · Gainesville, FL	87 83–88	$86,740/yr	Moderate	54.9x
31	Medical Laboratory Science Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science · Rochester, MN	79 75–79	$70,333/yr	Moderate	54.6x
32	Computer & Information Science Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	87 77–89	$63,444/yr	Very High	54.3x
33	Dental Hygiene St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	77 73–78	$59,295/yr	Moderate	54.3x
34	Business Administration Florida State College at Jacksonville · Jacksonville, FL	88 82–90	$47,898/yr	High	53.2x
35	Business Administration St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	88 81–89	$46,632/yr	High	52.9x
36	Business Administration Santa Fe College · Gainesville, FL	87 81–89	$45,590/yr	High	52.3x
37	Business Economics Brigham Young University · Provo, UT	79 72–81	$75,227/yr	Very High	51.1x
38	Computer Science Western Carolina University · Cullowhee, NC	69 55–72	$28,892/yr	Very High	50.7x
39	Electrical Engineering Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	73 66–76	$70,563/yr	Very High	50.5x
40	Fire Protection & Safety Fayetteville State University · Fayetteville, NC	84 80–85	$67,586/yr	Moderate	50.4x
41	Construction Engineering Technologies Seminole State College of Florida · Sanford, FL	73 67–76	$65,994/yr	Very High	50.1x
42	Management Information Systems (MIS) Seminole State College of Florida · Sanford, FL	68 59–71	$48,895/yr	Very High	49.6x
43	Computer Engineering Florida Atlantic University · Boca Raton, FL	84 74–87	$72,029/yr	Very High	48.2x
44	Construction Management Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	85 78–87	$75,779/yr	High	48.0x
45	Accounting Indian River State College · Fort Pierce, FL	80 73–83	$43,624/yr	Very High	47.9x
46	Natural Resources Management and Policy St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	78 73–80	$38,766/yr	High	47.7x
47	Paralegal Studies St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	66 60–69	$43,499/yr	Very High	47.6x
48	General Sales Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA	92 87–94	$72,092/yr	High	47.2x
49	Computer Science Brigham Young University · Provo, UT	90 80–92	$90,625/yr	Very High	47.1x
50	Data Processing Bellevue College · Bellevue, WA	75 67–77	$81,892/yr	High	46.6x
51	Special Education Miami Dade College · Miami, FL	68 63–70	$53,935/yr	High	46.5x
52	Electrical Engineering Florida Atlantic University · Boca Raton, FL	75 68–77	$76,520/yr	Very High	46.4x
53	Teacher Education (General) St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	85 81–86	$49,672/yr	High	46.2x
54	Construction Engineering Technologies Western Carolina University · Cullowhee, NC	73 67–75	$63,401/yr	Very High	46.0x
55	Computer Engineering California State University-Fresno · Fresno, CA	84 74–87	$75,101/yr	Very High	46.0x
56	Special Education Broward College · Fort Lauderdale, FL	67 62–69	$49,262/yr	High	45.9x
57	Public Relations & Advertising University of Florida-Online · Gainesville, FL	74 68–77	$42,099/yr	High	45.7x
58	Accounting Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	85 78–88	$56,800/yr	Very High	45.5x
59	Computer Science Utah Valley University · Orem, UT	89 79–91	$77,946/yr	Very High	45.4x
60	Mechanical Engineering Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	74 67–76	$68,943/yr	Very High	45.3x
61	Teacher Education (Subject-Specific) St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	85 80–87	$49,435/yr	High	45.1x
62	Computer Engineering Florida Gulf Coast University · Fort Myers, FL	81 71–84	$60,746/yr	Very High	45.0x
63	Software Development Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	80 71–83	$49,581/yr	Very High	45.0x
64	IT Management Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA	86 77–89	$60,691/yr	Very High	44.9x
65	Industrial Production Technologies Brigham Young University-Idaho · Rexburg, ID	79 75–80	$85,411/yr	Moderate	44.9x
66	Dental Hygiene College of Southern Nevada · Las Vegas, NV	81 77–81	$75,252/yr	Moderate	44.8x
67	Finance Brigham Young University · Provo, UT	92 86–95	$83,876/yr	Very High	44.7x
68	Mechanical Engineering Florida Atlantic University · Boca Raton, FL	73 67–76	$68,451/yr	Very High	44.6x
69	Ocean Engineering Florida Atlantic University · Boca Raton, FL	72 66–74	$67,941/yr	High	44.6x
70	Teacher Education (General) Miami Dade College · Miami, FL	85 82–86	$51,545/yr	High	44.4x
71	Applied Horticulture Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College · Tifton, GA	82 79–84	$44,751/yr	Moderate	44.3x
72	Computer Engineering Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL	85 76–88	$78,941/yr	Very High	44.3x
73	Pharmacy University of Hawaii at Hilo · Hilo, HI	88 81–90	$63,776/yr	High	44.1x
74	Teacher Education (General) College of Central Florida · Ocala, FL	84 81–85	$48,537/yr	High	44.0x
75	Veterinary Technology St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	72 67–72	$48,287/yr	Moderate	43.9x
76	Accounting Dalton State College · Dalton, GA	84 77–87	$51,841/yr	Very High	43.7x
77	Medical Laboratory Science California State University-Dominguez Hills · Carson, CA	71 66–72	$44,374/yr	Moderate	43.7x
78	Dental Hygiene Clark College · Vancouver, WA	78 74–78	$64,500/yr	Moderate	43.3x
79	Construction Engineering Technologies University of Florida · Gainesville, FL	76 70–78	$79,410/yr	Very High	43.2x
80	Teacher Education (General) Indian River State College · Fort Pierce, FL	84 81–85	$48,612/yr	High	43.0x
81	Criminal Justice Indian River State College · Fort Pierce, FL	84 80–85	$43,351/yr	Moderate	42.9x
82	Management Science & Analytics Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL	90 83–92	$62,578/yr	Very High	42.9x
83	Chemical Engineering Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL	72 66–75	$70,797/yr	High	42.4x
84	Construction Management Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA	84 77–86	$71,422/yr	High	42.4x
85	Electrical Engineering Brigham Young University · Provo, UT	75 67–77	$77,060/yr	Very High	42.3x
86	Electrical Engineering University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez · Mayaguez, PR	75 68–77	$77,221/yr	Very High	42.0x
87	Construction Engineering Technologies Georgia Southern University · Statesboro, GA	73 67–76	$67,235/yr	Very High	42.0x
88	Public Health University of Florida-Online · Gainesville, FL	67 60–69	$30,056/yr	High	41.7x
89	Biology University of Florida-Online · Gainesville, FL	59 52–61	$24,713/yr	High	41.7x
90	Electrical Engineering Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL	74 67–76	$72,425/yr	Very High	41.6x
91	Teacher Education (General) Saint Johns River State College · Palatka, FL	83 80–84	$46,448/yr	High	41.5x
92	Management Information Systems (MIS) Western Carolina University · Cullowhee, NC	67 57–71	$47,867/yr	Very High	41.5x
93	Insurance Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL	74 68–76	$61,071/yr	Very High	41.4x
94	Systems Engineering University of Florida · Gainesville, FL	77 69–79	$85,698/yr	Very High	41.3x
95	Chemical Engineering Brigham Young University · Provo, UT	73 67–76	$77,565/yr	High	41.2x
96	Management Information Systems (MIS) Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL	72 62–75	$66,252/yr	Very High	41.1x
97	Construction Engineering California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA	77 71–79	$90,836/yr	High	41.0x
98	Civil Engineering Florida Atlantic University · Boca Raton, FL	73 67–75	$64,671/yr	High	40.9x
99	Education, Other St Petersburg College · St. Petersburg, FL	59 57–61	$35,491/yr	High	40.7x
100	Health Administration Indian River State College · Fort Pierce, FL	83 76–85	$41,430/yr	High	40.6x

Methodology

Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score (0–100), combining graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI. Earnings data is from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.