The Best Universities For a Bachelor’s Degree

Before taking the plunge and enrolling in a four-year program, do some research and check out the top colleges with the highest-paid graduates.

Bachelor's Only
All Alumni
RankSchool NameSchool TypeEarly Career Pay
Mid-Career Pay
% High Meaning
% STEM Degrees
Rank:26School Name:Washington and Lee UniversitySchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$77,500Mid-Career Pay:$162,500% High Meaning:40%% STEM Degrees:17%
Rank:27School Name:Carnegie Mellon UniversitySchool Type:Engineering, Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$96,700Mid-Career Pay:$162,100% High Meaning:41%% STEM Degrees:68%
Rank:28School Name:Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologySchool Type:Engineering, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$90,500Mid-Career Pay:$161,500% High Meaning:50%% STEM Degrees:99%
Rank:29School Name:Worcester Polytechnic InstituteSchool Type:Engineering, Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$89,100Mid-Career Pay:$161,000% High Meaning:51%% STEM Degrees:86%
Rank:30School Name:Webb InstituteSchool Type:Engineering, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$94,500Mid-Career Pay:$160,900% High Meaning:47%% STEM Degrees:100%
Rank:31School Name:University of Notre DameSchool Type:Private School, Religious, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$83,600Mid-Career Pay:$160,200% High Meaning:43%% STEM Degrees:30%
Rank:32School Name:Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteSchool Type:Engineering, Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$86,900Mid-Career Pay:$159,100% High Meaning:48%% STEM Degrees:79%
Rank:33School Name:Lafayette CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$82,700Mid-Career Pay:$158,700% High Meaning:39%% STEM Degrees:50%
Rank:33School Name:Duke UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Religious, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$87,400Mid-Career Pay:$158,700% High Meaning:50%% STEM Degrees:28%
Rank:35School Name:Clarkson UniversitySchool Type:Engineering, Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$79,900Mid-Career Pay:$157,700% High Meaning:58%% STEM Degrees:54%
Rank:36School Name:Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and ArtSchool Type:Engineering, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$84,300Mid-Career Pay:$156,500% High Meaning:38%% STEM Degrees:58%
Rank:37School Name:California State University Maritime AcademySchool Type:State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$82,600Mid-Career Pay:$156,200% High Meaning:49%% STEM Degrees:12%
Rank:38School Name:Columbia University in the City of New YorkSchool Type:Ivy League, Private School, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$89,300Mid-Career Pay:$156,000% High Meaning:45%% STEM Degrees:36%
Rank:39School Name:Bucknell UniversitySchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Party School, Private School, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$82,400Mid-Career Pay:$155,500% High Meaning:43%% STEM Degrees:35%
Rank:40School Name:Cornell UniversitySchool Type:Ivy League, Private School, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$86,100Mid-Career Pay:$155,400% High Meaning:44%% STEM Degrees:46%
Rank:41School Name:Brown UniversitySchool Type:Ivy League, Private School, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$85,200Mid-Career Pay:$155,000% High Meaning:43%% STEM Degrees:42%
Rank:42School Name:Swarthmore CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$79,700Mid-Career Pay:$154,900% High Meaning:44%% STEM Degrees:41%
Rank:43School Name:Brandeis UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$72,700Mid-Career Pay:$153,600% High Meaning:43%% STEM Degrees:33%
Rank:44School Name:Union College (New York)School Type:Liberal Arts School, Party School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$78,500Mid-Career Pay:$153,300% High Meaning:41%% STEM Degrees:42%
Rank:45School Name:Bowdoin CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$75,800Mid-Career Pay:$152,900% High Meaning:48%% STEM Degrees:33%
Rank:46School Name:Manhattan CollegeSchool Type:Private School, Religious, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$77,300Mid-Career Pay:$152,400% High Meaning:44%% STEM Degrees:37%
Rank:47School Name:Rice UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$88,000Mid-Career Pay:$152,100% High Meaning:57%% STEM Degrees:45%
Rank:48School Name:Samuel Merritt UniversitySchool Type:Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$112,400Mid-Career Pay:$152,000% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:0%
Rank:49School Name:University of California-San DiegoSchool Type:Engineering, Research University, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$79,200Mid-Career Pay:$151,500% High Meaning:54%% STEM Degrees:54%
Rank:50School Name:University of ChicagoSchool Type:Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$81,600Mid-Career Pay:$150,600% High Meaning:35%% STEM Degrees:31%

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