韦氏观察

事实证明，在严峻的就业市场形势下，本科学历能够提供比高中学历更好的保护。不过，对学生和家长来说，在本科学历上的投资却可能让人望而生畏。本周公布的一份新研究显示了哪些大学最值得投资。

A college degree has proved to be a better shield than a high-school diploma in a tough labor market, but the investment can be daunting for students and parents. A new study released this week shows which colleges are most worth your money.

2008年，即将毕业的大四学生的平均学生贷款额为2.32万美元，不过研究显示，大学毕业生的薪酬高于仅获得高中文凭的人。5月份，本科以上学历的失业率为4.7%；相比之下，美国全国失业率为9.7%，高中毕业生的失业率为10.9%。

麻省理工学院(Massachusetts Institute of Technology)以12.6%的年投资回报率位居榜首，30年总回报达168.8万美元；加州理工学院(California Institute of Technology)以164.4万美元的30年总回报位居第二，投资回报率也是12.6%；哈佛大学以12.5%的年投资回报率排在第三，30年总回报为163.1万美元。研究由在线工资及薪酬信息公司PayScale进行。

研究对852所公立和私立院校的140万名大学毕业生自我申报的薪酬数据进行了考察。投资回报率是根据大学费用、毕业生的薪酬中值估计值，以及四到六年的在校时间计算出来的；其中大学费用包括学杂费、住宿费、教材和文具用品。费用没有将奖学金计算在内。30年回报是扣除了物价因素的结果，年投资回报率包括4.3%的年度工资涨幅。

总体来看，投资回报最高的是就读本州的公立学校，平均净年投资回报率为9.7%；最低的则是就读外州的公立学校，平均净年投资回报率为8.4%。私立院校的净年投资回报率为9.1%。

研究表明，近年来，本科学位的投资回报率下滑，学历贬值，不过硕士或博士学位以及专业学位则回报更高。研究还证实了人们长期以来所持的就读名牌大学确实很重要的观点──常春藤学校在前10位中占了五位。

Average student loan debt among graduating seniors in 2008 was $23,200, but research has revealed that college graduates earn more than those with just a high-school diploma. And the unemployment rate for those with at least a bachelor’s degree was 4.7% in May, compared to 9.7% for the nation as a whole and 10.9% among high-school graduates who didn’t attend college.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology topped the list with a 12.6% annual return on investment, totaling $1,688,000 over 30 years. The California Institute of Technology came in second with a $1,644,000 ROI – also 12.6% annually, and Harvard University ranked third with a 12.5% ROI, totaling $1,631,000. The study was conducted by PayScale, an online salary and compensation information company.

The study surveyed results from self-reported compensation data from 1.4 million college graduates across 852 public and private institutions. ROIs were calculated based on the cost of college – tuition and fees, room and board, and books and supplies – and the estimated median pay for that graduate plus four-to-six years to compensate for time spent in school. Costs don’t account for financial aid. The 30-year returns are reflected in real terms and the annual ROI figures include a 4.3% yearly wage inflation.

Overall, the best value proved to be public schools attended by in-state students, yielding a 9.7% average net annualized ROI. The worst deal was attending an out-of-state public school, yielding an annualized net ROI of 8.4%. The net annualized return for private institutions was 9.1%.

The study suggests that a bachelor’s degree has been devalued with lower ROIs over the years, though advanced and professional degrees are seeing greater returns. It also points to the longtime belief that attending an elite university matters – Ivy League schools take up five spots in the top 10.

Below a sortable chart (in Chinese) of the top 20 best schools for return on investment.