Best ROI Colleges in District of Columbia
Looking for value in District of Columbia? Start here. We ranked these colleges by ROI - earnings premium (30%), payback period (25%), debt-to-earnings (20%), completion rate (15%), and loan repayment (10%) - all from U.S. Department of Education data, with no prestige guesswork in the mix.
8 schools ranked
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
| # | School | ROI |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgetown University Washington, DC | 93 |
| 2 | George Washington University Washington, DC | 88 |
| 3 | The Catholic University of America Washington, DC | 77 |
| 4 | American University Washington, DC | 74 |
| 5 | Trinity Washington University Washington, DC | 53 |
| 6 | Howard University Washington, DC | 41 |
| 7 | Gallaudet University Washington, DC | 27 |
| 8 | Strayer University-Global Region Washington, DC | 9 |
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How We Rank
Rankings are based on our ROI score (0-100), which weights five quantifiable factors: Earnings Premium (30%), Payback Period (25%), Debt-to-Earnings (20%), Completion Rate (15%), and Loan Repayment (10%). All data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. No subjective criteria are used.
Full methodology →Common Questions
What is the best best-ROI college in District of Columbia?
Georgetown University tops this list at 93/100 on our ROI scale, the highest among the 8 schools ranked here. Rankings weigh net price against median graduate earnings from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data - no prestige guesswork.
Which school on this list has the highest graduate earnings?
Georgetown University reports the highest median earnings here, about $103,494 ten years after enrollment. In our view higher earnings alone don't make the best value, since what you pay matters just as much - which is why the ranking weighs cost too.
What is the most affordable school on this list?
Trinity Washington University carries the lowest net price among the ranked schools, about $9,302 a year after grants and scholarships. Net price is what students actually pay, not the published sticker price.
How are these schools ranked?
We score every school 0 to 100 on five quantifiable factors: earnings premium (30%), payback period (25%), debt-to-earnings (20%), completion rate (15%), and loan repayment (10%). All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, with no subjective reputation scoring. Of the 8 schools here, 4 earn an ROI score of 60 or higher.