Best College ROI Bargain: California Polytechnic State University

San Luis Obispo, Calif.

The Stats:
National ROI Rank: 64
30-Year Net Return on Investment: $844,000
30-Year Net Return for Graduates: $1,223,000
Annualized Net ROI: 12.9 percent

The Basics:
School Type: Public
Applicants Admitted: 37 percent
Most Popular Majors: Engineering (22 percent), Business/Marketing (18 percent), Agriculture (13 percent)
Total Cost: $86,440 in-state, $137,300 out-of-state
Annual Tuition and Fees: $6,498 in-state, $17,658 out-of-state
Average Financial Aid Package: $8,544
Graduation Rate: 69 percent

The Benchmarks:
Total Cost (all schools): $124,328
30-Year Net Return on Investment (all schools): $393,574
Annualized ROI (all schools): 9.0 percent