College affordability has been a hot topic for years now, as legislators and chancellors tussle over how the split between college education should be divided among students and taxpayers.

While that certainly won’t be resolved today – or possibly ever – Payscale takes a look at the 20-year return on investment from more than 1,300 colleges and universities throughout the nation, including nearly 30 here in North Carolina.

Duke University ranks as the No. 1 school in terms of ROI. At a cost…