Higher Education Transparency Database

Select your state below to learn more about the BEST and WORST college programs in each state. Return on Investment data is not a guarantee of post-graduation outcomes, but represents an average of past performance. This tool is designed to help students make better decisions about what college or university to attend or what major to select. It can also help state policymakers and higher education leaders make better funding decisions.

Improving Higher Education Outcomes

The Cicero Institute supports policies that promote meaningful transparency and accountability in higher education. We believe that students deserve transparent information before making critical higher education enrollment decisions and that institutions should be funded based upon their demonstrated success serving students.

Higher Education Transparency Act

  • Requires a state’s colleges and universities to post outcomes data like what you see above so that prospective students see it when they apply to a college or university.
  • Earnings data can help students choose a major at a certain school or determine which school has a better version of that particular major.
  • Helping students make informed choices can result in less borrowing, smarter enrollment decisions, and better outcomes after graduation.

Rewarding Workforce Readiness Act

  • Funds a state’s two-year community and technical colleges based on how well they prepare students for the workforce using data similar to what you see above.
  • Based on the successful model employed in Texas, which has led to dramatically higher alumni wages, this policy rewards schools when low-income students see increased wages after graduation.
  • When alumni success matters to community and technical college administrators, they focus more on retention, graduation, workforce relevance, and job placements.

About the data on this site

The data on this site is based on the work of Preston Cooper and his return on investment (ROI) work for FREOPP.
To learn more and read the full methodology behind the data, click here.