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National list

Highest earnings after college (2026 data)

The 100 four-year colleges whose former students earn the most 10 years after starting.

Schools listed100
DataCollege Scorecard, October 15, 2026

Former students of Massachusetts Institute of Technology had median earnings of $152,553, the highest on this list. The median across 4-year colleges is $59,172.

These figures cover students who received federal aid, whether or not they graduated, and they reflect the mix of majors at each school. Engineering and technology schools rank high partly for that reason.

#CollegeEarnings after 10 yrsGraduation rateAvg net priceMedian debt
1Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA$152,55396%$14,815$14,000
2Babson CollegeWellesley, MA$138,95092%$34,096$18,293
3Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ$133,52397%$7,815$12,400
4Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA$127,53290%$26,039$13,450
5Bentley UniversityWaltham, MA$126,42788%$38,969$24,250
6Stanford UniversityStanford, CA$125,34092%$12,307$10,750
7Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA$125,25794%$35,780$19,000
8Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA$121,95797%$19,148$17,559
9University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA$121,68797%$29,577$15,000
10Stevens Institute of TechnologyHoboken, NJ$118,35889%$37,396$26,117
11Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT$118,35696%$11,340$11,982
12Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA$117,19387%$50,570$19,500
13Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA$116,34285%$25,272$21,371
14Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA$115,38293%$41,536$25,000
15Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA$114,21094%$12,028$19,500
16Duke UniversityDurham, NC$113,93796%$23,706$13,000
17Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY$113,53195%$33,934$12,000
18Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MA$113,51390%$43,885$27,000
19University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN$113,12495%$25,339$19,000
20Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTroy, NY$113,01180%$32,758$24,250
21Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA$112,17890%$38,930$19,000
22Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH$111,16295%$26,707$13,000
23Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC$110,51694%$33,661$14,746
24Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, PA$109,95485%$50,021$26,486
25Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY$109,43095%$15,370$20,500
26Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyTerre Haute, IN$107,68374%$43,360$25,000
27Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD$104,59093%$18,431$12,000
28Bryant UniversitySmithfield, RI$104,45681%$39,186$23,250
29Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC$104,44390%$28,165$19,500
30West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange CountyAnaheim, CA$104,34425%$36,240$33,500
31West Coast University-OntarioOntario, CA$104,34456%$47,072$33,500
32West Coast University-TexasRichardson, TX$104,3440%$52,439$33,500
33Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL$104,25596%$34,420$17,017
34Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, MA$104,09874%$23,759$25,000
35University of ChicagoChicago, IL$103,87295%$16,776$12,000
36University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA$103,42090%$33,056$17,000
37Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesBoston, MA$103,15661%$43,891$25,000
38Trinity CollegeHartford, CT$103,08983%$37,004$24,000
39Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, VA$102,96696%$25,279$17,500
40Lafayette CollegeEaston, PA$102,33685%$35,879$14,000
41Colorado School of MinesGolden, CO$102,07782%$32,901$21,287
42Fairfield UniversityFairfield, CT$101,58785%$49,906$25,000
43SUNY Maritime CollegeThroggs Neck, NY$100,96654%$22,888$21,500
44College of the Holy CrossWorcester, MA$100,48586%$38,829$21,500
45University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA$100,21294%$14,538$12,416
46Brown UniversityProvidence, RI$99,97496%$26,976$14,567
47Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA$99,37191%$29,060$20,000
48Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBoston, MA$99,371n/an/a$20,000
49Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN$99,08093%$15,497$15,000
50Bates CollegeLewiston, ME$98,37388%$27,390$12,250
51Barnard CollegeNew York, NY$98,28092%$28,930$15,000
52Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterLubbock, TX$97,667n/an/a$12,500
53Chamberlain University-GeorgiaSandy Springs, GA$96,89750%$38,666$19,746
54Chamberlain University-IllinoisAddison, IL$96,89735%$38,263$19,746
55Chamberlain University-New JerseyNorth Brunswick, NJ$96,89760%$42,922$19,746
56Chamberlain University-TexasHouston, TX$96,89740%$39,545$19,746
57George Washington UniversityWashington, DC$96,69183%$35,760$19,857
58University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA$96,46894%$18,056$15,000
59Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY$96,32889%$29,409$12,000
60California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA$96,30487%$18,832$16,500
61University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA$96,19786%$14,794$13,000
62Kettering UniversityFlint, MI$96,13674%$29,797$24,500
63Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA$95,95495%$15,157$8,000
64Union CollegeSchenectady, NY$95,26981%$28,128$25,081
65Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA$95,16193%$19,536$13,250
66Wentworth Institute of TechnologyBoston, MA$94,99563%$30,134$25,000
67University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA$94,61366%$30,496$22,956
68Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA$93,89791%$16,754$12,000
69University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA$93,06981%$29,539$21,250
70Manhattan UniversityRiverdale, NY$92,90468%$25,074$25,000
71University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI$92,83293%$14,362$18,515
72Fordham UniversityBronx, NY$92,80981%$42,760$25,000
73Milwaukee School of EngineeringMilwaukee, WI$92,76163%$27,027$27,000
74Clarkson UniversityPotsdam, NY$92,49472%$32,137$26,000
75University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA$92,36287%$34,256$21,500
76Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PA$92,33878%$37,529$25,166
77Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-PrescottPrescott, AZ$92,06969%$38,102$22,000
78Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachDaytona Beach, FL$92,06968%$40,539$22,000
79Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideDaytona Beach, FL$92,06931%$19,741$22,000
80Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO$91,49793%$13,360$15,250
81New York UniversityNew York, NY$90,95788%$35,737$19,000
82Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, IL$90,80471%$22,443$22,000
83Rice UniversityHouston, TX$90,77395%$11,164$13,000
84New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, NJ$90,76972%$18,783$20,000
85Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA$90,45891%$23,995$9,788
86Providence CollegeProvidence, RI$90,26086%$49,594$27,000
87Loyola University MarylandBaltimore, MD$90,17975%$34,082$25,000
88Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME$90,15393%$15,595$15,000
89Dominican University of CaliforniaSan Rafael, CA$90,05373%$35,567$23,250
90Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX$90,03783%$39,816$18,750
91Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH$89,86587%$44,622$21,500
92Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA$89,41078%$48,065$21,500
93Davidson CollegeDavidson, NC$89,29790%$15,060$15,000
94University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD$89,22888%$14,296$16,000
95Tufts UniversityMedford, MA$89,18794%$38,797$16,250
96Binghamton UniversityVestal, NY$89,13682%$20,907$17,750
97Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WA$89,11086%$32,750$21,500
98Boston UniversityBoston, MA$89,08790%$36,503$17,500
99Colby CollegeWaterville, ME$88,77687%$19,835$18,000
100Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, VA$88,71686%$25,808$20,500

How this list was made

Included: 4-year colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Earnings are the median for former students who received federal aid and were working, measured 10 years after they started (students who started in 2011-12 or 2012-13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars). Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data release of October 15, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Which college graduates earn the most?

Former students of Massachusetts Institute of Technology had the highest median earnings 10 years after entry: $152,553 (in 2024 dollars), among 4-year colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates.

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