Education Atlas

The Atlas Commons · College Scorecard

Is your college worth the debt?

One question decides a $100,000 choice: will the degree earn back what it costs to borrow for? Education Atlas reports, for 5,694 U.S. college, what graduates typically earn ten years out, what they owe, whether most students finish, and whether the earnings are likely to justify the debt — straight from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, with each number labeled by how much it can bear.

Earnings vs. debt

The one ratio families are taught: keep debt at or below a year's earnings. We compute it for every school.

Completion matters

The debt is owed whether or not you finish. We show the completion rate and the debt of those who withdraw.

Honest about limits

Institution medians, not a prediction of your outcome; earnings vary enormously by field of study.

A source-backed surface in the Atlas Commons. Read the methodology.