College Rankings 2014

25 Colleges with the Worst Return on Investment (Photos)

Graduates from these relatively costly schools might leave with diplomas, but the low-paying jobs they take after graduation won’t help much with those student loans.

The Daily Beast

By Brandy ZadroznyNov 06, 2014

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141107-worst-roi-Point-Loma-Nazarene_qyy86b — #25

Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego, California

6-Year Graduation Rate: 75%

Average Net Price: $27,297

Average Starting Salary: $42,100

Average Mid-Career Salary: $80,500
ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/baylor-university_srwqet — #23

Baylor University

Waco, Texas

6-Year Graduation Rate: 75%

Average Net Price: $28,055

Average Starting Salary: $46,300

Average Mid-Career Salary: $84,000
Robert Rogers / Baylor University

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141030-least-5-puget_fx6fnx — #22

University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

6-Year Graduation Rate: 77%

Average Net Price: $33,439

Average Starting Salary: $45,100

Average Mid-Career Salary: $85,000
Kevin Casey/Getty

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/2013-college-rankings-university-of-denver_f8zucr — #21

University of Denver

Denver, Colorado

6-Year Graduation Rate: 76%

Average Net Price: $32,188

Average Starting Salary: $48,700

Average Mid-Career Salary: $83,000
Wayne Armstrong

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/happiest-colleges---mount-holyoke_cmvwah — #20

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

6-Year Graduation Rate: 81%

Average Net Price: $25,659

Average Starting Salary: $41,300

Average Mid-Career Salary: $70,300
NANCY PALMIERI

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141030-least-15-seattle_rb9ywh — #19

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

6-Year Graduation Rate: 81%

Average Net Price: $22,540

Average Starting Salary: $36,500

Average Mid-Career Salary: $80,500
Mary Knox Merrill/Getty

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141028-worst-roi-schools-7-taylor_cal12h — #18

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana

6-Year Graduation Rate: 77%

Average Net Price: $25,183

Average Starting Salary: $39,800

Average Mid-Career Salary: $77,600
Wikimedia Commons

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141107-worst-roi-augustana_t0d7td — #17

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

6-Year Graduation Rate: 78%

Average Net Price: $23,548

Average Starting Salary: $40,600

Average Mid-Career Salary: $69,900
ZUMA Press, Inc / Alamy

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141127-wheaton_vrnukm — #16

Wheaton College

Norton, Massachusetts

6-Year Graduation Rate: 82%

Average Net Price: $28,015

Average Starting Salary: $37,300

Average Mid-Career Salary: $82,500
via Instagram

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141028-worst-roi-schools-17-luther_aka36u — #15

Luther College

Decorah, Iowa

6-Year Graduation Rate: 77%

Average Net Price: $24,566

Average Starting Salary: $45,700

Average Mid-Career Salary: $63,100
phthalogreen/Wikimedia Commons

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141028-worst-roi-schools-24-beloit_drghhx — #14

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

6-Year Graduation Rate: 78%

Average Net Price: $24,138

Average Starting Salary: $39,200

Average Mid-Career Salary: $74,100
Bob Knopes

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/happiest-colleges---bryn-mawr-college_zxkios — #13

Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

6-Year Graduation Rate: 82%

Average Net Price: $30,940

Average Starting Salary: $44,600

Average Mid-Career Salary: $69,800
AP Photo

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/lewis-clark_otgsci — #12

Lewis & Clark College

Portland, Oregon

6-Year Graduation Rate: 76%

Average Net Price: $26,296

Average Starting Salary: $38,700

Average Mid-Career Salary: $77,000
Steve Hambuchen / Lewis & Clark College

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141028-worst-roi-schools-10-whitworth_ybfoxt — #11

Whitworth University

Spokane, Washington

6-Year Graduation Rate: 76%

Average Net Price: $25,600

Average Starting Salary: $40,800

Average Mid-Career Salary: $74,500
Gregory Olsen/Getty

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141028-worst-roi-schools-13-calvin_z0ix0n — #10

Calvin College

Grand Rapids, Michigan

6-Year Graduation Rate: 77%

Average Net Price: $24,745

Average Starting Salary: $42,700

Average Mid-Career Salary: $74,500
ejd24/Wikimedia Commons

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/2013-college-rankings-elon-university_zhvbfg — #9

Elon University

Elon, North Carolina

6-Year Graduation Rate: 83%

Average Net Price: $29,749

Average Starting Salary: $43,500

Average Mid-Career Salary: $72,100
Sara D. Davis/AP

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141030-worst-roi-schools-ithica_imyscw — #8

Ithaca College

Ithaca, New York

6-Year Graduation Rate: 77%

Average Net Price: $32,429

Average Starting Salary: $44,000

Average Mid-Career Salary: $76,300
arthurohm / Flickr

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/130228-overlooked-colleges-wooster_s7kryl — #7

The College of Wooster

Wooster, Ohio

6-Year Graduation Rate: 76%

Average Net Price: $24,589

Average Starting Salary: $38,800

Average Mid-Career Salary: $70,400
PRNewsFoto/The College of Wooster via AP

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141030-least-15-seattle_xyx154 — #6

Seattle University

Seattle, Washington

6-Year Graduation Rate: 78%

Average Net Price: $31,961

Average Starting Salary: $46,100

Average Mid-Career Salary: $77,900
Mary Knox Merrill/Getty

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/2013-college-rankings-oberlin-college_rsgleb — #5

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio

6-Year Graduation Rate: 85%

Average Net Price: $35,790

Average Starting Salary: $40,200

Average Mid-Career Salary: $92,700
Scott Shaw/The Plain Dealer /Landov

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141028-worst-roi-schools-6-sarah-lawrence_pwh7iv — #4

Sarah Lawrence College

Bronxville, New York

6-Year Graduation Rate: 76%

Average Net Price: $29,666

Average Starting Salary: $39,000

Average Mid-Career Salary: $75,000
Andrew Lichtenstein

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141105-AlleghenyCollege_ngiwgy — #3

Allegheny College

Meadville, Pennsylvania

6-Year Graduation Rate: 78%

Average Net Price: $25,208

Average Starting Salary: $36,200

Average Mid-Career Salary: $73,100
Wikimedia Commons

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/2013-college-rankings-marist-college_nbwwoe — #2

Marist College

Poughkeepsie, New York

6-Year Graduation Rate: 80%

Average Net Price: $33,426

Average Starting Salary: $43,400

Average Mid-Career Salary: $75,100

galleries/2014/11/06/25-colleges-with-the-worst-return-on-investment-photos/141028-worst-roi-schools-3-kalamazoo_ayddhi — #1

Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo, Michigan

6-Year Graduation Rate: 81%

Average Net Price: $26,769

Average Starting Salary: $36,300

Average Mid-Career Salary: $75,000
Getty

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