The best and worst states for ROI from college degrees

A think tank that ranked the nation’s state public universities based on return on investment found that the best states include South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas and Pennsylvania.

Some of the worst states, according to the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, are Hawaii, Montana, Louisiana, Connecticut and New Mexico.

The foundation determined the return on investment, or ROI, based on “the amount a student can expect to gain financially from each individual degree.”

“ROI compares the main financial benefit of college — the increase in lifetime income attributable to the degree — to the costs, including tuition and foregone earnings.”