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These 20 colleges give you the biggest bang for your buck

Payscale's list includes many schools specializing in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs. And half the schools are public.

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Payscale, a compensation data company, published it's 2017 College Return on Investment report, naming the 20 best value colleges in the U.S.

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Many of the schools specialize in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs. Additionally, the majority of these schools are located by the coasts, 10 of the top 20 schools are public, and some repeat in the list due to in-state and out-of-state tuition price differences.

The list shows that the important factors in education return on investment are: major, location, and debt burden.

Here are the top value colleges according to Payscale:

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20. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT) (Private)

20 year net ROI: $738,000

Total 4 year cost: $232,000

Graduation rate: 78%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

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AVG loan amount: $45,500

Source: Payscale

19. Kettering University (Private)

20 year net ROI: $743,000

Total 4 year cost: $208,000

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Graduation rate: 57%

Typical years to graduate: 5 years

AVG loan amount: $41,700

Source: Payscale

18. Georgia Institute of Technology (Out-of-State)

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20 year net ROI: $746,000

Total 4 year cost: $174,000

Graduation rate: 82%

Typical years to graduate: 5 years

AVG loan amount: $31,700

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Source: Payscale

17. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) (Private)

20 year net ROI: $752,000

Total 4 year cost: $235,000

Graduation rate: 85%

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Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $43,000

Source: Payscale

16. Stanford University (Private)

20 year net ROI: $761,000

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Total 4 year cost: $247,000

Graduation rate: 95%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $29,100

Source: Payscale

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15. Princeton University (Private)

20 year net ROI: $764,000

Total 4 year cost: $231,000

Graduation rate: 97%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

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AVG loan amount: $14,100

Source: Payscale

14. Massachusetts Maritime Academy (In-State)

20 year net ROI: $773,000

Total 4 year cost: $89,900

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Graduation rate: 70%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $32,000

Source: Payscale

13. California State University, Maritime (CSUM) (Out-of-State)

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20 year net ROI: $781,000

Total 4 year cost: $131,000

Graduation rate: 54%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $30,600

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Source: Payscale

12. Stevens Institute of Technology (Private)

20 year net ROI: $800,000

Total 4 year cost: $244,000

Graduation rate: 82%

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Typical years to graduate: 5 years

AVG loan amount: $45,800

Source: Payscale

11. Colorado School of Mines (Out-of-State)

20 year net ROI: $818,000

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Total 4 year cost: $188,000

Graduation rate: 76%

Typical years to graduate: 5 years

AVG loan amount: $33,400

Source: Payscale

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10. Georgia Institute of Technology (In-State)

20 year net ROI: $824,000

Total 4 year cost: $96,200

Graduation rate: 82%

Typical years to graduate: 5 years

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AVG loan amount: $31,700

Source: Payscale

9. California State University, Maritime (CSUM) (In-State)

20 year net ROI: $826,000

Total 4 year cost: $87,500

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Graduation rate: 54%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $30,600

Source: Payscale

8. Webb Institute (Private)

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20 year net ROI: $854,000

Total 4 year cost: $209,000

Graduation rate: 91%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $25,200

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Source: Payscale

7. SUNY - Maritime College (Out-of-State)

20 year net ROI: $857,000

Total 4 year cost: $130,000

Graduation rate: 47%

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Typical years to graduate: 5 years

AVG loan amount: $32,000

Source: Payscale

6. California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (Private)

20 year net ROI: $864,000

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Total 4 year cost: $240,000

Graduation rate: 92%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $19,000

Source: Payscale

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5. Colorado School of Mines (In-State)

20 year net ROI: $883,000

Total 4 year cost: $123,000

Graduation rate: 76%

Typical years to graduate: 5 years

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AVG loan amount: $33,400

Source: Payscale

4. SUNY - Maritime College (In-State)

20 year net ROI: $895,000

Total 4 year cost: $92,300

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Graduation rate: 47%

Typical years to graduate: 5 years

AVG loan amount: $32,000

Source: Payscale

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (Private)

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20 year net ROI: $959,000

Total 4 year cost: $240,000

Graduation rate: 91%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $32,200

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Source: Payscale

2. Harvey Mudd College (Private)

20 year net ROI: $962,000

Total 4 year cost: $260,000

Graduation rate: 90%

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Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $24,400

Source: Payscale

1. United State Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) (Federal)

20 year net ROI: $1,056,000

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Total 4 year cost: $33,100

Graduation rate: 72%

Typical years to graduate: 4 years

AVG loan amount: $12,300

Source: Payscale

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