13 Colleges That Aren't Worth the Money
Is getting a bachelor's degree still worth the cost?
Payscale, a salary data provider, answered this question by comparing the average cost of education to predicted income over 30 years for graduates at 1,060 schools in the United States.
It turns out that most schools are good investments -- though Payscale economist Katie Bardaro warns that students should consider individually whether college is worth it for their intended career.
At around 3 percent of the schools, however, the return on investment over 30 years is negative, due to some combination of high tuition and low graduate pay.
We've highlighted the worst of those schools here:
Gallery:13 Colleges That Aren't Worth The Money
Location: Plymouth Wis.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $132,400
30-year net ROI: -$51,300
Location: Raleigh, N.C.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $110,700
30-year net ROI: -$56,500
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $139,700
30-year net ROI: -$60,400
Location: Raleigh, N.C.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $150,400
30-year net ROI: -$66,200
Location: Joplin, Mo.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $78,530
30-year net ROI: -$76,200
Location: Fayetteville, N.C.
School type: state
Cost (2012): $113,400
30-year net ROI: -$82,600
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $116,000
30-year net ROI: -$89,100
Location: Springfield, Mass.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $174,700
30-year net ROI: -$114,000
Location: Miami Gardens, Fla.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $116,100
30-year net ROI: -$114,000
Location: Presque Isle, Maine
School type: state
Cost (2012): $79,330
30-year net ROI: -$124,000
Location: Fairfield, Ala.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $92,280
30-year net ROI: -$136,000
Location: Phoenixville, Pa.
School type: private
Cost (2012): $114,100
30-year net ROI: -$178,000
Location: Pittsburgh
School type: private
Cost (2012): $155,000
30-year net ROI: -$228,000
