Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Indiana
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Indiana19 schools
19 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in Indiana.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 2.1 years
- Earnings $99,980 ten years out
- 2
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN · PublicHonor Roll#2 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 2.4 years
- Earnings $72,424 ten years out
- 3
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Terre Haute, IN · Private nonprofitTop 2% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.2 years
- Earnings $101,253 ten years out
- 4
DePauw University
Greencastle, IN · Private nonprofit#4 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 4.0 years
- Earnings $70,527 ten years out
- 5
Indiana University-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN · Public#5 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 4.2 years
- Earnings $63,742 ten years out
- 6
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, IN · Private nonprofit#6 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 4.5 years
- Earnings $69,952 ten years out
- 7Tie
Butler University
Indianapolis, IN · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Pays back in about 5.0 years
- Earnings $77,235 ten years out
- 7Tie
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN · Private nonprofitTop 20% for graduation
- Pays back in about 5.0 years
- Earnings $63,191 ten years out
- 9
Indiana University-Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN · PublicTop 20% for low net price
- Pays back in about 6.8 years
- Earnings $55,198 ten years out
- 10
Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion
Marion, IN · Private nonprofit#16 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 7.9 years
- Earnings $59,986 ten years out
- 11Tie
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN · Private nonprofit#9 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 9.2 years
- Earnings $59,354 ten years out
- 11Tie
Marian University
Indianapolis, IN · Private nonprofitTop 25% for graduation
- Pays back in about 9.2 years
- Earnings $58,759 ten years out
- 13
University of Evansville
Evansville, IN · Private nonprofit#14 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 13.7 years
- Earnings $53,770 ten years out
- 14
Hanover College
Hanover, IN · Private nonprofit#11 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 15.6 years
- Earnings $53,957 ten years out
- 15
Goshen College
Goshen, IN · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- Pays back in about 16.2 years
- Earnings $51,943 ten years out
- 16
Ball State University
Muncie, IN · Public#18 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 17.2 years
- Earnings $51,833 ten years out
- 17
Taylor University
Upland, IN · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- Pays back in about 25.9 years
- Earnings $52,198 ten years out
- 18
Earlham College
Richmond, IN · Private nonprofit#10 in Indiana
- Pays back in about 40.6 years
- Earnings $50,797 ten years out
- 19
Holy Cross College
Notre Dame, IN · Private nonprofitTop 17% for graduation
- Pays back in about 52.0 years
- Earnings $50,416 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Notre Dame | $26,780 | $19,000 | $99,980 | 95% |
| Purdue University | $14,600 | $19,500 | $72,424 | 83% |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | $42,513 | $25,000 | $101,253 | 78% |
| DePauw University | $22,264 | $27,000 | $70,527 | 75% |
| Indiana University-Bloomington | $16,264 | $19,509 | $63,742 | 80% |
| Wabash College | $24,336 | $27,000 | $69,952 | 77% |
| Butler University | $36,041 | $26,000 | $77,235 | 80% |
| Valparaiso University | $18,578 | $26,942 | $63,191 | 70% |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis | $11,668 | $20,000 | $55,198 | 54% |
| Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion | $22,866 | $24,250 | $59,986 | 67% |
| Saint Mary's College | $25,292 | $27,000 | $59,354 | 69% |
| Marian University | $24,018 | $27,000 | $58,759 | 67% |
| University of Evansville | $18,499 | $24,606 | $53,770 | 64% |
| Hanover College | $21,829 | $25,250 | $53,957 | 67% |
| Goshen College | $14,493 | $22,974 | $51,943 | 65% |
| Ball State University | $14,940 | $23,250 | $51,833 | 62% |
| Taylor University | $24,865 | $20,500 | $52,198 | 74% |
| Earlham College | $24,714 | $23,488 | $50,797 | 69% |
| Holy Cross College | $26,728 | $24,000 | $50,416 | 73% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13