Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Schools are assigned a value from 1-100, where 100 is best for students from households earning up to $30,000. This value is multiplied by the percentage of the school’s student body that received a Pell Grant, to calculate the economic mobility score. A higher score is better. Read the full explanation
The percentage of a school’s student body that has received a Pell Grant.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
The West is known for excellence in higher education: its public universities are among the most prestigious in the country, and some of its private colleges rival the Ivy Leagues. The region’s proximity to major employers – notably in Silicon Valley, means it is teaming with opportunity.
Some parts of the West – like California – have many large urban centers, while other areas are more sparsely populated. To help give students from smaller states more equitable educational opportunities, the Western Undergraduate Exchange has set up tuition reciprocity agreements, which reduce tuition fees for students in the region who want to study out of state.
Don’t overpay for college: your educational investment should pay off down the road. To help you make smarter decisions about where to go to college, we have ranked the best universities in the west by economic value. Find out more about how we did this on our methodology page.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$10,851
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$124,080
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate97%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$16,550
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$128,566
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate92%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$5,441
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$76,489
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate56%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$19,489
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$104,736
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate92%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$17,371
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$92,446
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate94%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$4,058
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$57,162
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$39,671
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$138,687
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate93%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$5,752
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$63,188
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate71%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$12,426
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$80,735
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate86%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$15,637
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$82,511
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate93%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$15,069
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$84,943
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate89%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$11,159
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$71,401
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$5,385
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$59,211
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate71%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$13,404
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$78,466
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate83%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$18,084
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$77,779
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate94%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$19,615
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$94,784
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate67%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$7,485
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$62,951
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate80%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$18,766
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$90,768
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate85%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$14,370
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$78,988
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate76%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$15,674
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$80,838
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate88%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
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