Best ROI Colleges in District of Columbia
12 schools ranked by median earnings divided by average net price — the schools where the math actually works. Updated from the latest federal filings.
Includes two-year, technical and community colleges alongside four-year universities — the typeis shown under each name. Schools appear only where the underlying figures exist: a real undergraduate population and a published graduation rate. Satellite campuses that repeat a parent institution's numbers are collapsed into one entry.
| # | School | Earnings ÷ Net Price | Net Price | Grad Rate | Earnings 10yr | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trinity Washington University Washington · private | 5.8× | $9,302 | 42.4% | $53,804 | 99.5% |
| 2 | University of the District of Columbia Washington · public | 4.2× | $10,648 | 30.6% | $44,236 | — |
| 3 | Gallaudet University Washington · private | 2.7× | $15,845 | 57.5% | $43,101 | 58.1% |
| 4 | Georgetown University Washington · private | 2.5× | $40,815 | 94.9% | $103,494 | 12.9% |
| 5 | George Washington University Washington · private | 2.5× | $36,586 | 84.3% | $90,873 | 47.1% |
| 6 | The Catholic University of America Washington · private | 2.5× | $29,561 | 74.8% | $73,250 | 82.8% |
| 7 | Strayer University-Global Region Washington · private | 2.2× | $17,833 | 12.5% | $40,092 | — |
| 8 | Bennett Career Institute Washington · private | 1.9× | $11,824 | 51.0% | $22,568 | — |
| 9 | American University Washington · private | 1.8× | $41,943 | 78.7% | $77,370 | 62.0% |
| 10 | Career Technical Institute Washington · community | 1.4× | $20,985 | 82.5% | $30,227 | — |
| 11 | Howard University Washington · private | 1.2× | $50,539 | 64.3% | $63,066 | 41.3% |
| 12 | The Salon Professional Academy-Washington DC Washington · private | 1.2× | $17,528 | 61.3% | $20,809 | — |
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Data from U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS, College Scorecard, Clery Act). Updated annually. Rankings reflect the data as reported — not editorial opinion.