Suburban Colleges: Costs & Outcomes (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Suburban: median public in-state tuition $13,135 (+138.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $55,043 (+1.2% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 88.1% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $13,938 (+5.0% vs U.S.) 2,375,539 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 684 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 2,375,539 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $13,135 (+138.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,043 (+1.2% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 88.1% (+0.1 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $18,048 (+81.0% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $13,938 (+5.0% vs U.S. $13,271). Debt rank: #1 nationally of 50 (lower debt = better rank)
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 51.7%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 76.7%
- Student debt rank: #1 nationally of 50 (lower debt = better rank)
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
Colleges classified as Suburban sit in NCES Suburb — outside principal city but inside urbanized area. 684 reporting campuses in this profile, with about 2,375,539 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $13,135. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and top suburban campuses against U.S. medians and other campus settings from the College Scorecard.
Suburban vs national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban | $13,135 | $18,048 | $13,938 | 51.7% | 2,375,539 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Suburban vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban | $55,043 | 88.1% | 76.7% | 5.3% | — | 71.7% | 0.41 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Campus settings compared
Other NCES campus-setting groups (urban, suburban, town, rural).
| Setting | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban | $13,135 | $18,048 | $13,938 | 51.7% | 2,375,539 | $55,043 | 88.1% |
| Urban | $15,200 | $20,053 | $14,000 | 54.7% | 4,168,431 | $57,648 | 86.6% |
| Town | $9,600 | $14,971 | $15,000 | 52.2% | 3,644,971 | $52,248 | 89.6% |
| Rural | $14,160 | $18,700 | $12,000 | 54.0% | 3,610,516 | $58,295 | 86.4% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Outcomes by sector in Suburban
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private for-profit | 24 | $36,144 | 79.2% | 63.7% | 11.5% | — | 45.3% |
| Private nonprofit | 116 | $54,794 | 86.5% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 74.1% |
| Public | 89 | $57,053 | 89.5% | 78.1% | 5.7% | — | 71.2% |
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 97.6%, Harvard University
Harvard University
-
Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 96.4%, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 95.7%, Yale University
Yale University
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 95.7%, Brown University
Brown University
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Rank 5, Graduation Rate, 94.4%, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
-
Rank 6, Graduation Rate, 93.2%, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
-
Rank 7, Graduation Rate, 92.8%, University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Berkeley
-
Rank 8, Graduation Rate, 91.1%, University of Florida
University of Florida
-
Rank 9, Graduation Rate, 89.7%, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Rank 10, Graduation Rate, 89.7%, University of Georgia
University of Georgia
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 95.7%, North Dakota State University-Main Campus
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 95.4%, University of Sioux Falls
University of Sioux Falls
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 95.3%, Bradley University
Bradley University
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 95.2%, Drake University
Drake University
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 95.0%, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 95.0%, Coe College
Coe College
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 94.8%, Cal Poly Maritime Academy
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 94.8%, Mount Mercy University
Mount Mercy University
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 94.7%, Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 94.5%, Augustana University
Augustana University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Suburban (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 2.6%, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 3.6%, Harvard University
Harvard University
-
Rank 3, Admission Rate, 3.9%, Yale University
Yale University
-
Rank 4, Admission Rate, 4.5%, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Rank 5, Admission Rate, 5.4%, Brown University
Brown University
-
Rank 6, Admission Rate, 11.0%, University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Berkeley
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Rank 7, Admission Rate, 15.6%, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rank 8, Admission Rate, 17.6%, College of the Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
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Rank 9, Admission Rate, 18.7%, Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
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Rank 10, Admission Rate, 20.6%, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $173,344, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
-
Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $154,492, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $152,251, Harvard University
Harvard University
-
Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $151,065, Brown University
Brown University
-
Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $149,866, University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Berkeley
-
Rank 6, Entry-Level Earnings, $141,588, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
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Rank 7, Entry-Level Earnings, $133,293, Yale University
Yale University
-
Rank 8, Entry-Level Earnings, $115,589, Cal Poly Maritime Academy
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
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Rank 9, Entry-Level Earnings, $113,634, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rank 10, Entry-Level Earnings, $113,181, California State University-Chico
California State University-Chico
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $230,876, Harvard University
Harvard University
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $225,141, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
-
Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $214,479, Brown University
Brown University
-
Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $204,379, University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Berkeley
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $200,511, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
-
Rank 6, Early-Career Earnings, $188,157, Yale University
Yale University
-
Rank 7, Early-Career Earnings, $172,904, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rank 8, Early-Career Earnings, $169,570, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
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Rank 9, Early-Career Earnings, $163,765, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
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Rank 10, Early-Career Earnings, $155,464, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $132,140, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $131,633, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $99,572, Harvard University
Harvard University
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $96,114, West Coast University-Ontario
West Coast University-Ontario
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $91,198, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $85,038, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $84,676, Cal Poly Maritime Academy
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $84,533, Chamberlain University-Georgia
Chamberlain University-Georgia
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $81,765, Yale University
Yale University
-
Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $79,131, Brown University
Brown University
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $142,597, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $135,278, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $101,095, Harvard University
Harvard University
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $100,553, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $100,202, Cal Poly Maritime Academy
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $99,543, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $98,146, West Coast University-Ontario
West Coast University-Ontario
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $94,821, Yale University
Yale University
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $88,361, Chamberlain University-Georgia
Chamberlain University-Georgia
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $85,907, Trinity College
Trinity College
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $143,372, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $128,566, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $109,183, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $103,470, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $102,672, West Coast University-Ontario
West Coast University-Ontario
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $101,817, Harvard University
Harvard University
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $100,533, Yale University
Yale University
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $94,784, Cal Poly Maritime Academy
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $93,487, Brown University
Brown University
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $92,446, University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Berkeley
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $595,878, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $582,508, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $467,200, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $408,944, Harvard University
Harvard University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $366,819, Cal Poly Maritime Academy
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $353,372, University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Berkeley
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $344,204, Yale University
Yale University
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $326,971, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $303,288, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $301,423, Brown University
Brown University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Suburban (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $4,564, California State University-San Bernardino
California State University-San Bernardino
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Rank 2, Net Price, $4,827, Universidad Central de Bayamon
Universidad Central de Bayamon
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Rank 3, Net Price, $13,138, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rank 4, Net Price, $4,964, Caribbean University-Ponce
Caribbean University-Ponce
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Rank 5, Net Price, $9,992, University of New Hampshire at Manchester
University of New Hampshire at Manchester
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Rank 6, Net Price, $4,815, University of Florida-Online
University of Florida-Online
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Rank 7, Net Price, $4,831, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
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Rank 8, Net Price, $7,022, Louisiana State University-Shreveport
Louisiana State University-Shreveport
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Rank 9, Net Price, $13,744, University of Minnesota-Rochester
University of Minnesota-Rochester
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Rank 10, Net Price, $10,163, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Top 10 colleges in Suburban by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 100.0%, Arizona State University Digital Immersion
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 99.1%, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 98.8%, Brown University
Brown University
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 98.8%, Yale University
Yale University
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Rank 5, First-Year Retention, 98.3%, Harvard University
Harvard University
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Rank 6, First-Year Retention, 97.7%, University of Florida
University of Florida
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Rank 7, First-Year Retention, 97.5%, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
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Rank 8, First-Year Retention, 97.4%, California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
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Rank 9, First-Year Retention, 96.8%, University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Berkeley
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Rank 10, First-Year Retention, 96.0%, Florida State University
Florida State University
In-state tuition: Suburban vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Suburban median in-state tuition is $13,135, +138.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Suburban vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Suburban is $13,938 (+5.0% vs U.S. median $13,271). Rank: #1 nationally of 50 (lower debt = better rank).
Median earnings (10 years out): Suburban vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Suburban center around $55,043 (+1.2% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Suburban vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 88.1% at the median Suburban campus (+0.1 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Suburban median public in-state tuition is $13,135, about +138.3% vs the national median.
Median graduate debt is $13,938 (+5.0% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #1 nationally of 50 (lower debt = better rank) (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Suburban are $55,043, about +1.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 88.1% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+0.1 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 76.7% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 71.7% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include North Dakota State University-Main Campus (95.7%), University of Sioux Falls (95.4%), Bradley University (95.3%), Drake University (95.2%), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (95.0%), Coe College (95.0%), Cal Poly Maritime Academy (94.8%), Mount Mercy University (94.8%), Gonzaga University (94.7%), Augustana University (94.5%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Suburban, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $36,144 (24 campuses); Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $54,794 (116 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $57,053 (89 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Suburban is 51.7% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many suburban campuses are in the U.S.?
This profile covers 684 campuses classified as Suburban in the College Scorecard extract, with about 2,375,539 total reported enrollment.
How much does college cost at suburban campuses?
Median in-state tuition among suburban campuses is $13,135 and median net price is $18,048. U.S. medians are $5,512 (tuition) and $9,969 (net price). Suburban tuition is +138.3% vs the national median.
What do graduates earn from suburban campuses?
Median 10-year earnings for suburban campuses is $55,043 vs $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like at suburban campuses?
Median completer debt at suburban campuses is $13,938 vs $13,271 nationally (+5.0% vs U.S.).
What NCES locale codes are included in Suburban?
NCES Suburb — outside principal city but inside urbanized area. College Scorecard locale codes in this bucket: 12.
What are the top colleges at suburban campuses?
Top campuses on this page include Harvard University (graduation) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
How do suburban campuses compare to other campus settings?
Peer setting profiles include Urban, Town, Rural. See the campus-settings comparison table for tuition, debt, and earnings medians.
Sources & related
- All college profiles
- All campus-setting profiles
- Average cost by campus setting
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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