Going to college is absolutely required if you want to work in some industries, yet it often does not pay to attend certain colleges. According to PayScale data, the return on investment for many of these is negative based on the tuition charge, even 20 years after entering the workforce. Check out which colleges are simply not worth it!
The Truth About College Costs: These 30 Schools Are Not Worth The Debt
Columbia International University – Columbia, South Carolina
You may believe Columbia International University is located in New York, however it is actually Columbia University. While the $133,000 tuition for a four-year degree is far cheaper than that of the other Columbia, you are not likely to earn nearly as much after graduating from the Ivy League school. PayScale, located in Columbia, South Carolina, has a return on investment of -$115,700. It’s a small, multi-denominational Christian college with only 620 students.
Columbia International University – Columbia, South Carolina
Mississippi Valley State University – Itta Bena, Mississippi
Mississippi Valley State University is well-known for its nationally acclaimed football team and marching band. Jerry Rice, one of the greatest NFL wide receivers of all time, attended this institution. That being said, not everyone can perform what Jerry Rice can, which is why he is paid so well. He received a million-dollar return on investment over a 20-year period, but students should not expect the same. The 20-year return on a four-year degree costing $75,700 is -$174,800.
Mississippi Valley State University – Itta Bena, Mississippi
Wilson College – Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Wilson College is a 300-acre campus near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. For almost 144 years, it was a women’s liberal arts institution, the first in the United States, founded by a woman, Sarah Wilson, through an endowment. They have accepted guys since 2013, but why would anyone want to study there when the 20-year average return on investment is -$86,700? This institution charges $156,000 for a four-year education, but just 39% of students graduate in that time.
Wilson College – Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
St. Andrews University – Laurinburg, North Carolina
For four years, St. Andrews University costs $167,000 USD. That’s a lot of money, but the student-to-faculty ratio is 12 to one. Laurinburg, North Carolina, is a charming town that appears to be ideal for higher education. Regardless, don’t expect to walk out of this school earning millions of dollars. The return on investment after 20 years is -$98,800. On the good side, they’ve been offering Master’s degrees in business administration since 2013, so perhaps some of these grads will partially redeem the school.
St. Andrews University – Laurinburg, North Carolina
Stillman College – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Stillman College, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is a small school with just 615 students who seek an intimate atmosphere in a community dominated by the University of Alabama. Students can enjoy the best of both worlds by attending UA parties for a big-school experience. With a four-year tuition of $98,700 and a graduation rate of only 23%, you’re likely to pay well over six figures, but the 20-year return on investment is -$80,400.
Stillman College – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Unity College – Unity, Maine
Many people desire to spend their college years having a positive effect on the world, and Unity College in Unity, Maine, provides that opportunity to many students. When students pursue environmental studies, they receive an education that emphasizes sustainability. What the school does not provide is an education that leads to high-paying positions in the workforce. According to PayScale, a 20-year return on investment is $-82,100. Although the graduation rate is more than half, a four-year degree costs $151,000.
Unity College – Unity, Maine
Rust College – Holly Springs, Mississippi
Rust College only accepts 43% of applications since there are far more applicants than seats available at the 800-student school. It is the state’s second-oldest private institution and the only historically black college in Holly Springs, Mississippi. It’s also relatively affordable, with tuition and fees totaling less than $10,000 per year (a steal in the United States). With a four-year degree costing $63,400 (including room and board) after 20 years, the return on investment is -$97,100. That’s awful.
Rust College – Holly Springs, Mississippi
Shaw University – Raleigh, North Carolina
Shaw University, which was founded in 1865, has been dubbed the “mother of African-American colleges.” It began by training freedmen and evolved into the private arts university we know today. That’s a really great name, but it doesn’t make up for the dreadful -$93,600 20-year return on investment. For a college that costs $118,000 for a four-year degree, Raleigh’s beauty does nothing to explain the poor return on investment.
Shaw University – Raleigh, North Carolina
Emory & Henry College – Emory, Virginia
Although its graduates include a number of successful people, Emory & Henry College should not be confused with Emory University in Georgia. Most people do not make a living after graduating from Emory & Henry. Emory & Henry alumni pay $179,000 for a four-year degree and have a 54% graduation rate, which compares poorly to Emory’s 91%. After 20 years, the latter institution has a $452,000 return on investment, while Emory & Henry in Emory, Virginia, has a dismal -$91,300 return.
Emory & Henry College – Emory, Virginia
Saint Augustine’s University – Raleigh, North Carolina
The motto of Saint Augustine is “the truth will set you free.” However, the truth about this Raleigh university is that only 24% of students complete their studies in four years. Given that a four-year degree costs $129,000 and that most people do not finish in four years, the -$77,700 return on investment does not appear reasonable. That is sufficient to purchase a home in many areas. There are less than a thousand students there, and we hope they got something out of it that made it worthwhile.
Saint Augustine’s University – Raleigh, North Carolina
Cazenovia College – Cazenovia, New York
Cazenovia College is located near Syracuse, New York, in the town of Cazenovia. There are 154 academic staff members, which is a large number as compared to the 915 undergraduates. That may be why people pay $184,000 for a four-year degree. It’s a liberal arts college with a superb teacher-to-student ratio, but the ROI is -$98,600. Leland Stanford, one of its most renowned alumni, may have started Stanford University because he believed he could provide students with a higher return on investment than his alma mater.
Cazenovia College – Cazenovia, New York
Voorhees College – Denmark, South Carolina
Voorhees College is located in Denmark, South Carolina, in the state’s central region. The town has a population of slightly more than 3,000 people, 600 of whom are students. It’s another historically black school whose education is well regarded, but good feelings don’t necessarily convert into big bucks. Only 26% of students complete their four-year degrees in four years, and a four-year degree costs $97,000. The average return on investment after 20 years is -$153,400, which makes you question what they have going on there that people adore.
Voorhees College – Denmark, South Carolina
Paine College – Augusta, Georgia
Although it has the distinction of training the first African-American archaeologist, John Wesley Gilbert, in 1886. Paine College was de-accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2016, and even if they were able to find another accreditor, their graduation rate might be as low as 20%. Students must pay a hefty $97,500 for four years of study, living up to the moniker. They have a -$94,700 return on investment after 20 years.
Paine College – Augusta, Georgia
Wheelock College – Boston, Massachusetts
Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the many universities that contribute to the city’s allure. It was formerly known as Miss Wheelock’s Kindergarten Training School since it was created by Lucy Wheelock, a descendant of John Adams who went on to become a well-known educator. It was renamed Wheelock College after combining with Boston University’s School of Education. Teachers, on the other hand, do not make enough money, and a four-year degree from Wheelock costs $201,000. After 20 years, the return on investment is -$140,700.
Wheelock College – Boston, Massachusetts
Lindsey Wilson College – Columbia, Kentucky
Lindsey Wilson College is another school that just does not provide a good return on investment. At the very least, the school has a lot of serious athletics going on, and numerous alumni are professional athletes. Their soccer team is a prominent force in the NAIA, the sports league for smaller colleges. A four-year degree costs $152,000, and only 34% of students are able to afford it. After spending so much money on school, the return on investment is -$160,800, which is really disheartening.
Lindsey Wilson College – Columbia, Kentucky
Martin Luther College – New Ulm, Minnesota
Martin Luther College in Minnesota is home to one of the most unusually busy campuses in the United States. A third of the under 900 students participate in varsity sports, while the other two-thirds participate in intramural sports. That has a lot to do with how pleased the students appear all the time. Students, no matter how fit they are in school, appear to be unprepared for life outside of school. Tuition costs $93,300 for four years, yet the average return on investment after 20 years is -$123,200.
Martin Luther College – New Ulm, Minnesota
Johnson University – Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee
Johnson University in Tennessee is a Christian university located 12 miles from Knoxville in the hamlet of Kimberlin Heights. It’s a wonderful location for a private school, and the entire town appears to be overflowing with team spirit for the Johnson University Royals. You’re only marginally more likely to graduate on time, but according to PayScale, the return on investment for the $89,800 it costs to study there for four years doesn’t add up. The return on investment after 20 years is -$97,900.
Johnson University – Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee
Claflin University – Orangeburg, South Carolina
Claflin University has less than 2,000 undergraduate students, making it a tiny educational institution. It’s a historically black college that earned the first degrees in the United States to two black women when Alice Moorer and Annie Thortne graduated in 1884. Despite the fact that more than half of students graduate after four years, the college’s contributions to humanity have recently been significantly less impressive. Tuition is $128,000, but you may expect a return on investment of -$133,900 20 years after you graduate.
Claflin University – Orangeburg, South Carolina
Benedict College – Columbia, South Carolina
Benedict College is a liberal arts college in Columbia, South Carolina that was founded in 1870 as a teacher’s school. Over 2,000 undergraduate students attend, with a four-year degree costing $124,000. However, only 22% of students may expect to graduate in that length of time. Given their extensive history in education, you’d think they’d be able to teach their kids useful skills for the outside world. Regrettably, the 20-year return on investment is -$76,800.
Benedict College – Columbia, South Carolina
Campbellsville University – Campbellsville, Kentucky
Green Lake, a man-made reservoir in Kentucky, lies adjacent to Campbellsville University, allowing students to study in the midst of nature. It has a satellite campus in Hodgenville, a town in the same state that is famous for hosting Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace. The institution contains music, education, and art colleges, but unfortunately, none of these professions pay well. Tuition is $143,000 for four years, with a -$76,800 return on investment after 20 years.
Campbellsville University – Campbellsville, Kentucky
Talladega College – Talladega, Alabama
Talladega College charges $88,200 for a four-year degree, with 43% graduating in that time. It’s a historically black college built on the site of a Baptist academy. The governor purchased and chartered it after the Civil War. The Talladega College Tornado Marching Band, which competes nationally, is well-known. Despite this distinction, the return on investment is -$156,900 20 years after graduation.
Talladega College – Talladega, Alabama
Miles College – Fairfield, Alabama
Despite Charles Barkley’s $1 million donation to the school in January 2020, the most ever given to the school, the 1,500 pupils studying there should not expect the brightest prospects. According to PayScale, one of the worst returns on investment may be predicted after attending Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama. A four-year degree costs $90,200, but just 17% of students complete it in four years. You might expect a -$164,600 return on investment 20 years after graduation.
Miles College – Fairfield, Alabama
University of Montevallo – Montevallo, Alabama
Montevallo, Alabama, is home to a university that bears the same name as the city. It is a public liberal arts school that is ranked high on the list of public schools in the state by US News & World Report. The campus is stunning, with antebellum architecture. There’s even a yearly Life Raft Debate, in which each professor must justify why their skill set is more valuable than that of their colleagues. The high college tuition of $143,000 after four years does not assist the -$64,100 20-year return on investment.
University Of Montevallo – Montevallo, Alabama
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma – Chickasha, Oklahoma
The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma is a public university in Oklahoma that costs slightly more than $6,000 per year. It’s regarded as one of the greatest in-state deals because the education isn’t poor. Even if it isn’t a tiny sum, it pales in comparison to the astounding $99,700 out-of-state students spend to attend. After 20 years, the return on investment is -$65,500, therefore it may be wise to hunt for good offers on public schools in your own state.
University Of Science And Arts Of Oklahoma – Chickasha, Oklahoma
Morris College – Sumter, South Carolina
Morris College is located in Sumter, South Carolina, which is not to be confused with Fort Sumter, which is also in the same state. It’s yet another historically black college, many of which appear on our list. Many of the 40,000 residents in this community are students. Students from numerous different universities with campuses in Sumter join the 551 students at Morris. College costs $92,200 for four years. Morris’s 20-year return on investment is -$106,800.
Morris College – Sumter, South Carolina
The University of Montana Western – Dillon, Montana
The University of Montana Western, as it is now known, is situated in Dillon, Montana. It was founded to train teachers and was previously known as the Montana State Normal School. Later, it was renamed Western Montana College of the University of Montana, and then again in 2000 when it became part of the Montana University system. There are approximately 1,500 students enrolled here, with 46% graduating in four years after paying $109,000. The 20-year ROI is -$71,400, which does not justify the purchase price.
The University Of Montana Western – Dillon, Montana
Maine College of Art – Portland, Maine
Maine College of Art, generally known as MECA, is a Mecca of art expression and learning for many New England students. However, this comes at a high cost, with a four-year degree costing $184,000. That’s incredible! If you go to school here, don’t expect to make a lot of money with your art degree, since the return on investment is -$163,600. They promise to “educate artists for life,” but that doesn’t appear to include how to integrate into the workforce.
Maine College Of Art – Portland, Maine
Brewton-Parker College – Mount Vernon, Georgia
In the tranquil hamlet of Mount Vernon, Georgia, Brewton-Parker provides students with a small, intimate school environment. There are 1,119 college students among the 2,451 individuals that live in the town. Although many students may be drawn to being so close to the locals, this comes at a significant cost. A four-year college costs $113,000, but just 17% of students complete their studies on time. Overall, the 20-year net return on investment is -$92,200, which is awful.
Brewton Parker College – Mount Vernon, Georgia
University of South Carolina Aiken – Aiken, South Carolina
The University of South Carolina Aiken is a branch of the University of South Carolina system situated in Aiken, South Carolina. It has earned a name for itself as the fastest-growing of these schools, which are by definition less expensive for students studying in-state. However, the four-year tuition for out-of-state students is a stunning $130,000. After 20 years, the return on investment for these students is only -$66,000, which is insufficient to justify attending college far away from your parents.
University Of South Carolina Aiken – Aiken, South Carolina