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Worst ROI College Degrees in 2026

100 programs ranked · Updated 2026

Degrees that pay back the least relative to tuition cost. Know before you commit.

Programs Ranked

100

Avg Earnings

$25,515/yr

Avg DW Score

21/100

#1 Program

International Relations

Goucher College

Worst ROI College Degrees

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

#	Program	DW Score	Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
1	International Relations Goucher College · Baltimore, MD	22 23–23	$25,868/yr	High	0.3x
2	Psychology, General Furman University · Greenville, SC	27 26–27	$29,395/yr	High	0.3x
3	Security Science and Technology Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY	37 26–37	$31,750/yr	High	0.3x
4	Anthropology Northwestern University · Evanston, IL	31 25–31	$33,208/yr	High	0.3x
5	Neurobiology and Neurosciences The College of Wooster · Wooster, OH	20 20–20	$29,942/yr	High	0.3x
6	Cognitive Science University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA	29 35–30	$34,295/yr	Moderate	0.3x
7	Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences Columbia University in the City of New York · New York, NY	22 30–23	$34,658/yr	High	0.3x
8	Public Relations & Advertising Tulane University of Louisiana · New Orleans, LA	31 35–31	$32,879/yr	High	0.3x
9	History University of Puget Sound · Tacoma, WA	30 30–31	$29,909/yr	High	0.2x
10	Natural Resources Conservation and Research Lake Forest College · Lake Forest, IL	19 18–19	$26,998/yr	High	0.2x
11	Liberal Arts and Sciences Pace University · New York, NY	15 22–16	$25,595/yr	Low	0.2x
12	Anthropology Wellesley College · Wellesley, MA	30 24–30	$31,973/yr	High	0.2x
13	Ethnic & Cultural Minority St Olaf College · Northfield, MN	17 11–17	$28,288/yr	Very High	0.2x
14	Ecology & Evolution University of Dayton · Dayton, OH	18 19–19	$23,609/yr	High	0.2x
15	Cognitive Science Washington University in St Louis · Saint Louis, MO	26 33–27	$30,996/yr	Moderate	0.2x
16	Communication and Media Studies University of Puget Sound · Tacoma, WA	24 19–24	$29,477/yr	High	0.2x
17	Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Franklin and Marshall College · Lancaster, PA	24 18–25	$33,476/yr	Very High	0.2x
18	International/Global Studies Saint Mary's College · Notre Dame, IN	14 21–15	$25,164/yr	Moderate	0.2x
19	Area Studies University of Puget Sound · Tacoma, WA	17 18–17	$29,232/yr	Very High	0.2x
20	Design and Applied Arts Cleveland Institute of Art · Cleveland, OH	21 27–22	$23,358/yr	High	0.2x
21	Area Studies Washington University in St Louis · Saint Louis, MO	18 19–18	$30,716/yr	Very High	0.2x
22	Psychology, General Reed College · Portland, OR	30 29–30	$32,634/yr	High	0.2x
23	Ethnic & Cultural Minority Dartmouth College · Hanover, NH	21 13–21	$31,967/yr	Very High	0.2x
24	Romance Languages & Literatures Pacific Lutheran University · Tacoma, WA	20 16–20	$24,773/yr	Very High	0.2x
25	Philosophy Columbia University in the City of New York · New York, NY	29 21–30	$52,668/yr	Very High	0.2x
26	Sociology Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · Norton, MA	26 25–27	$29,953/yr	High	0.2x
27	Biology, General Bates College · Lewiston, ME	26 26–27	$30,613/yr	High	0.2x
28	Health and Physical Education/Fitness Saint Peter's University · Jersey City, NJ	23 22–24	$19,735/yr	Moderate	0.2x
29	Neurobiology and Neurosciences Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY	20 21–21	$30,259/yr	High	0.2x
30	East Asian Languages St Olaf College · Northfield, MN	22 16–22	$27,328/yr	Very High	0.2x
31	Natural Resources Conservation and Research Canisius University · Buffalo, NY	16 14–16	$15,681/yr	High	0.2x
32	Sociology Ithaca College · Ithaca, NY	22 21–23	$24,026/yr	High	0.2x
33	Sociology and Anthropology Knox College · Galesburg, IL	23 21–23	$26,350/yr	High	0.2x
34	Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences Skidmore College · Saratoga Springs, NY	22 23–23	$30,632/yr	High	0.2x
35	Cognitive Science Case Western Reserve University · Cleveland, OH	25 32–26	$30,198/yr	Moderate	0.2x
36	History Stetson University · DeLand, FL	27 27–28	$25,696/yr	High	0.2x
37	Film/Video and Photographic Arts Champlain College · Burlington, VT	16 13–16	$21,092/yr	High	0.2x
38	Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Aquinas College · Grand Rapids, MI	15 13–16	$17,827/yr	Very High	0.2x
39	Fine and Studio Arts Dartmouth College · Hanover, NH	28 24–29	$30,246/yr	Moderate	0.2x
40	Dance DeSales University · Center Valley, PA	14 11–15	$20,611/yr	Low	0.2x
41	Sociology Franklin and Marshall College · Lancaster, PA	28 26–28	$31,444/yr	High	0.1x
42	Music Jacksonville University · Jacksonville, FL	21 16–22	$21,219/yr	High	0.1x
43	Fine and Studio Arts School of Visual Arts · New York, NY	17 15–18	$21,344/yr	Moderate	0.1x
44	Film/Video and Photographic Arts Wheaton College (Massachusetts) · Norton, MA	21 15–21	$28,498/yr	High	0.1x
45	English Language and Literature, General Reed College · Portland, OR	11 9–12	$15,790/yr	Very High	0.1x
46	Communication and Media Studies Centenary University · Hackettstown, NJ	18 16–19	$17,274/yr	High	0.1x
47	Philosophy The College of Wooster · Wooster, OH	17 13–17	$27,174/yr	Very High	0.1x
48	Political Science and Government Carleton College · Northfield, MN	30 28–30	$29,858/yr	Very High	0.1x
49	Marketing Saint Peter's University · Jersey City, NJ	25 24–26	$18,709/yr	Very High	0.1x
50	Ethnic & Cultural Minority Loyola Marymount University · Los Angeles, CA	16 11–16	$26,868/yr	Very High	0.1x
51	Natural Resources Conservation and Research Macalester College · Saint Paul, MN	21 19–21	$29,559/yr	High	0.1x
52	Literature The New School · New York, NY	17 13–17	$25,618/yr	Very High	0.1x
53	Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Macalester College · Saint Paul, MN	21 16–21	$29,487/yr	Very High	0.1x
54	Research and Experimental Psychology Union College · Schenectady, NY	30 31–31	$30,061/yr	High	0.1x
55	Chemistry Duke University · Durham, NC	28 32–29	$29,748/yr	High	0.1x
56	Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Brown University · Providence, RI	22 17–22	$30,741/yr	Very High	0.1x
57	Romance Languages & Literatures Ohio Wesleyan University · Delaware, OH	19 15–20	$23,537/yr	Very High	0.1x
58	Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA	14 10–15	$21,473/yr	Moderate	0.1x
59	Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Long Island University · Brookville, NY	18 15–19	$18,671/yr	Moderate	0.1x
60	Film/Video and Photographic Arts New York Film Academy · Burbank, CA	14 12–15	$16,415/yr	High	0.1x
61	Biology, General The University of the South · Sewanee, TN	21 21–22	$23,932/yr	High	0.1x
62	International Relations Allegheny College · Meadville, PA	21 22–22	$24,303/yr	High	0.1x
63	Fine and Studio Arts Otis College of Art and Design · Los Angeles, CA	15 14–16	$11,590/yr	Moderate	0.1x
64	Research and Experimental Psychology Grinnell College · Grinnell, IA	29 30–30	$28,507/yr	High	0.1x
65	Communication and Media Studies Pacific University · Forest Grove, OR	20 17–20	$23,879/yr	High	0.1x
66	Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft The New School · New York, NY	12 10–13	$17,113/yr	Moderate	0.1x
67	English Language and Literature, General Lewis & Clark College · Portland, OR	21 17–21	$26,998/yr	Very High	0.1x
68	Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies Hamilton College · Clinton, NY	20 15–20	$28,442/yr	Very High	0.1x
69	Sustainability Studies Chatham University · Pittsburgh, PA	15 14–16	$18,954/yr	High	0.1x
70	Visual and Performing Arts, General Northeastern University · Boston, MA	21 17–22	$27,246/yr	High	0.1x
71	History Villanova University · Villanova, PA	28 28–29	$27,882/yr	High	0.1x
72	Natural Resources Conservation and Research Stetson University · DeLand, FL	17 16–18	$23,790/yr	High	0.1x
73	Music Gettysburg College · Gettysburg, PA	25 17–26	$27,556/yr	High	0.1x
74	Research and Experimental Psychology Albion College · Albion, MI	26 27–27	$23,906/yr	High	0.1x
75	Education, General Boston University · Boston, MA	16 25–17	$27,891/yr	High	0.1x
76	Music Biola University · La Mirada, CA	21 16–21	$19,978/yr	High	0.1x
77	Ethnic & Cultural Minority University of Puget Sound · Tacoma, WA	15 11–15	$25,623/yr	Very High	0.1x
78	Anthropology DePaul University · Chicago, IL	22 20–22	$18,950/yr	High	0.1x
79	Fine and Studio Arts Ohio Wesleyan University · Delaware, OH	23 20–23	$22,239/yr	Moderate	0.1x
80	Music The New School · New York, NY	13 11–13	$12,109/yr	High	0.1x
81	Neurobiology and Neurosciences Saint Louis University · Saint Louis, MO	16 15–16	$22,459/yr	High	0.1x
82	Public Health Baylor University · Waco, TX	26 26–26	$23,096/yr	High	0.1x
83	Film/Video and Photographic Arts Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY	19 14–19	$26,331/yr	High	0.0x
84	English Language and Literature, General Whitman College · Walla Walla, WA	20 16–20	$25,574/yr	Very High	0.0x
85	Social Sciences, General Whittier College · Whittier, CA	29 31–30	$20,660/yr	High	0.0x
86	Anthropology Boston University · Boston, MA	25 22–26	$26,934/yr	High	0.0x
87	Romance Languages & Literatures Susquehanna University · Selinsgrove, PA	19 15–20	$23,699/yr	Very High	0.0x
88	English Language and Literature, General University of La Verne · La Verne, CA	17 15–18	$19,382/yr	Very High	0.0x
89	English Language and Literature, General Ursinus College · Collegeville, PA	19 16–19	$24,373/yr	Very High	0.0x
90	Film/Video and Photographic Arts Calvin University · Grand Rapids, MI	14 12–15	$15,906/yr	High	0.0x
91	Journalism Widener University · Chester, PA	16 14–17	$22,058/yr	Very High	0.0x
92	Physics New York University · New York, NY	20 27–21	$24,802/yr	Very High	0.0x
93	Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA	22 13–22	$32,967/yr	Moderate	0.0x
94	Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Augustana College · Rock Island, IL	19 15–19	$20,326/yr	Moderate	0.0x
95	Music California Lutheran University · Thousand Oaks, CA	21 16–21	$20,650/yr	High	0.0x
96	Fine and Studio Arts Berea College · Berea, KY	22 20–22	$20,036/yr	Moderate	0.0x
97	Ethnic & Cultural Minority DePaul University · Chicago, IL	13 10–13	$18,029/yr	Very High	0.0x
98	Graphic Communications Cleveland Institute of Art · Cleveland, OH	15 12–15	$19,409/yr	High	0.0x
99	Science, Technology and Society Vassar College · Poughkeepsie, NY	16 25–17	$27,215/yr	Moderate	0.0x
100	Anthropology Eckerd College · Saint Petersburg, FL	22 20–22	$20,191/yr	High	0.0x

Methodology

Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score (0–100), combining graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI. Earnings data is from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.