Best colleges in Indiana, ranked by ROI

Name: Indiana colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 56 Indiana institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $19,698/yr (above the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $49,408 ten years out (above the $43,549 national median). University of Notre Dame leads, clearing its cost in 2.1 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$19,698

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$49,408

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

10.2 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

Indiana colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	University of Notre Dame	$26,780	$99,980	2.1 yrs
2	Purdue University-Main Campus	$14,600	$72,424	2.4 yrs
3	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology	$42,513	$101,253	3.2 yrs
4	Marian University-Ancilla	$19,463	$58,759	3.7 yrs
5	DePauw University	$22,264	$70,527	4 yrs
6	Indiana University-Bloomington	$16,264	$63,742	4.2 yrs
7	Wabash College	$24,336	$69,952	4.5 yrs
8	Butler University	$36,041	$77,235	5 yrs
9	Valparaiso University	$18,578	$63,191	5 yrs
10	Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global	$16,898	$59,986	5.8 yrs
11	Indiana University-Indianapolis	$11,668	$55,198	6.8 yrs
12	Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses	$15,788	$57,165	7.2 yrs
13	Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion	$22,866	$59,986	7.9 yrs
14	Marian University	$24,018	$58,759	9.2 yrs
15	Saint Mary's College	$25,292	$59,354	9.2 yrs
16	Indiana University-Kokomo	$3,968	$49,917	10.2 yrs
17	University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne	$18,196	$55,362	10.4 yrs
18	Trine University	$25,355	$57,165	11.5 yrs
19	Franklin College	$22,855	$55,376	13 yrs
20	University of Evansville	$18,499	$53,770	13.7 yrs
21	Hanover College	$21,829	$53,957	15.6 yrs
22	Goshen College	$14,493	$51,943	16.2 yrs
23	University of Indianapolis	$21,602	$53,610	16.5 yrs
24	Ball State University	$14,940	$51,833	17.2 yrs
25	Manchester University	$18,805	$51,504	23.9 yrs
26	Taylor University	$24,865	$52,198	25.9 yrs
27	Earlham College	$24,714	$50,797	40.6 yrs
28	Holy Cross College	$26,728	$50,416	52 yrs
29	Bethel University	$18,610	$48,860	148.9 yrs
30	Anderson University	$25,021	$48,899	185.7 yrs
31	Indiana State University	$10,873	$48,387	1610.8 yrs
32	Purdue University Northwest	$6,079	$48,318	no payback
33	Indiana University-Southeast	$7,888	$47,596	no payback
34	Indiana University-East	$8,134	$47,156	no payback
35	University of Southern Indiana	$12,923	$47,605	no payback
36	Purdue University Fort Wayne	$13,171	$45,872	no payback
37	Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professional Studies	$20,473	$47,327	no payback
38	Indiana University-South Bend	$8,653	$44,947	no payback
39	Huntington University	$19,310	$46,672	no payback
40	Indiana Institute of Technology	$23,206	$47,327	no payback
41	Calumet College of Saint Joseph	$22,451	$46,945	no payback
42	Indiana University-Northwest	$5,130	$43,361	no payback
43	Mid-America College of Funeral Service	$30,606	$44,505	no payback
44	Grace College and Theological Seminary	$19,932	$45,411	no payback
45	Lincoln College of Technology-Indianapolis	$28,371	$46,396	no payback
46	Oakland City University	$15,210	$43,283	no payback
47	Vincennes University	$11,225	$41,110	no payback
48	Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College	$31,872	$43,845	no payback
49	MyComputerCareer at Indianapolis	$26,182	$41,976	no payback
50	Ivy Tech Community College	$7,258	$37,186	no payback
51	Purdue University Global	$7,770	$36,596	no payback
52	Fortis College-Indianapolis	$27,706	$34,726	no payback
53	Aveda Fredric's Institute-Indianapolis	$24,096	$31,963	no payback
54	Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Indianapolis	$23,951	$26,446	no payback
55	Empire Beauty School-Indianapolis	$17,213	$24,397	no payback
56	Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Highland	$20,909	$22,374	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Indiana: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Indiana?

University of Notre Dame. It charges $26,780/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $99,980 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 2.1 years — the fastest payback of the 56 Indiana colleges we track.

How much does college cost in Indiana?

The median net price across Indiana colleges is $19,698/yr after grants and scholarships — above the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do Indiana college graduates earn?

A median $49,408 ten years after entry (Scorecard), above the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many Indiana colleges pay for themselves?

31 of the 56 Indiana colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.