College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges in Alaska
The Alaska College ROI Report only has ROI data for a few schools in The Last Frontier, as Alaska is called, but they provide exceptional returns on investment for students. Alaska has been famous for two natural resources — a gold rush in the nineteenth century and their rich oil fields today — but educational opportunities in Alaska may be an overlooked resource. Payscale’s list of best value colleges in Alaska may help bring attention to the quality colleges in our northernmost state.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: University of Alaska Fairbanks (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$658,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$90,200 | Graduation Rate:39% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$22,800 |
| Rank:2 | School Name:University of Alaska Fairbanks (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$601,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$147,000 | Graduation Rate:39% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$22,800 |
| Rank:3 | School Name: University of Alaska Southeast (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$578,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$81,600 | Graduation Rate:25% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$24,000 |
| Rank:4 | School Name: University of Alaska Anchorage (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$534,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$116,000 | Graduation Rate:30% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$24,300 |
| Rank:5 | School Name:University of Alaska Southeast (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$522,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$138,000 | Graduation Rate:25% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$24,000 |
| Rank:6 | School Name:Alaska Pacific University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$474,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$139,000 | Graduation Rate:36% | Typical Years to Graduate:- | Average Loan Amount:$18,400 |
| Rank:7 | School Name:University of Alaska Anchorage (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$467,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$183,000 | Graduation Rate:30% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$24,300 |
Both listed schools in Alaska are public universities. Over 10,000 students attend the University of Alaska at Fairbanks — that is a bigger population than many cities in Alaska. The University of Alaska at Fairbanks isn’t a bad deal for out-of-state students either, even if they have to pay a higher tuition.
The University of Alaska at Anchorage sees lower ROIs than the Fairbanks campus, but the numbers are anything but depressing. With 20,000 students, Anchorage’s campus is twice the size of the Fairbanks one.
Because it is home to only schools that have high ROIs, Alaska tends to have the highest average ROI in the United States.
More rankings for best-value colleges:
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