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.
| # | College | Earnings after 10 yrs | Graduation rate | Avg net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA | $152,553 | 96% | $14,815 | $14,000 |
| 2 | Babson CollegeWellesley, MA | $138,950 | 92% | $34,096 | $18,293 |
| 3 | Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ | $133,523 | 97% | $7,815 | $12,400 |
| 4 | Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA | $127,532 | 90% | $26,039 | $13,450 |
| 5 | Bentley UniversityWaltham, MA | $126,427 | 88% | $38,969 | $24,250 |
| 6 | Stanford UniversityStanford, CA | $125,340 | 92% | $12,307 | $10,750 |
| 7 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA | $125,257 | 94% | $35,780 | $19,000 |
| 8 | Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA | $121,957 | 97% | $19,148 | $17,559 |
| 9 | University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA | $121,687 | 97% | $29,577 | $15,000 |
| 10 | Stevens Institute of TechnologyHoboken, NJ | $118,358 | 89% | $37,396 | $26,117 |
| 11 | Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT | $118,356 | 96% | $11,340 | $11,982 |
| 12 | Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA | $117,193 | 87% | $50,570 | $19,500 |
| 13 | Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA | $116,342 | 85% | $25,272 | $21,371 |
| 14 | Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA | $115,382 | 93% | $41,536 | $25,000 |
| 15 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusAtlanta, GA | $114,210 | 94% | $12,028 | $19,500 |
| 16 | Duke UniversityDurham, NC | $113,937 | 96% | $23,706 | $13,000 |
| 17 | Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY | $113,531 | 95% | $33,934 | $12,000 |
| 18 | Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MA | $113,513 | 90% | $43,885 | $27,000 |
| 19 | University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN | $113,124 | 95% | $25,339 | $19,000 |
| 20 | Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteTroy, NY | $113,011 | 80% | $32,758 | $24,250 |
| 21 | Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA | $112,178 | 90% | $38,930 | $19,000 |
| 22 | Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NH | $111,162 | 95% | $26,707 | $13,000 |
| 23 | Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC | $110,516 | 94% | $33,661 | $14,746 |
| 24 | Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, PA | $109,954 | 85% | $50,021 | $26,486 |
| 25 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkNew York, NY | $109,430 | 95% | $15,370 | $20,500 |
| 26 | Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyTerre Haute, IN | $107,683 | 74% | $43,360 | $25,000 |
| 27 | Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD | $104,590 | 93% | $18,431 | $12,000 |
| 28 | Bryant UniversitySmithfield, RI | $104,456 | 81% | $39,186 | $23,250 |
| 29 | Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC | $104,443 | 90% | $28,165 | $19,500 |
| 30 | West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange CountyAnaheim, CA | $104,344 | 25% | $36,240 | $33,500 |
| 31 | West Coast University-OntarioOntario, CA | $104,344 | 56% | $47,072 | $33,500 |
| 32 | West Coast University-TexasRichardson, TX | $104,344 | 0% | $52,439 | $33,500 |
| 33 | Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL | $104,255 | 96% | $34,420 | $17,017 |
| 34 | Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBuzzards Bay, MA | $104,098 | 74% | $23,759 | $25,000 |
| 35 | University of ChicagoChicago, IL | $103,872 | 95% | $16,776 | $12,000 |
| 36 | University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA | $103,420 | 90% | $33,056 | $17,000 |
| 37 | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health SciencesBoston, MA | $103,156 | 61% | $43,891 | $25,000 |
| 38 | Trinity CollegeHartford, CT | $103,089 | 83% | $37,004 | $24,000 |
| 39 | Washington and Lee UniversityLexington, VA | $102,966 | 96% | $25,279 | $17,500 |
| 40 | Lafayette CollegeEaston, PA | $102,336 | 85% | $35,879 | $14,000 |
| 41 | Colorado School of MinesGolden, CO | $102,077 | 82% | $32,901 | $21,287 |
| 42 | Fairfield UniversityFairfield, CT | $101,587 | 85% | $49,906 | $25,000 |
| 43 | SUNY Maritime CollegeThroggs Neck, NY | $100,966 | 54% | $22,888 | $21,500 |
| 44 | College of the Holy CrossWorcester, MA | $100,485 | 86% | $38,829 | $21,500 |
| 45 | University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA | $100,212 | 94% | $14,538 | $12,416 |
| 46 | Brown UniversityProvidence, RI | $99,974 | 96% | $26,976 | $14,567 |
| 47 | Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA | $99,371 | 91% | $29,060 | $20,000 |
| 48 | Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBoston, MA | $99,371 | n/a | n/a | $20,000 |
| 49 | Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN | $99,080 | 93% | $15,497 | $15,000 |
| 50 | Bates CollegeLewiston, ME | $98,373 | 88% | $27,390 | $12,250 |
| 51 | Barnard CollegeNew York, NY | $98,280 | 92% | $28,930 | $15,000 |
| 52 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterLubbock, TX | $97,667 | n/a | n/a | $12,500 |
| 53 | Chamberlain University-GeorgiaSandy Springs, GA | $96,897 | 50% | $38,666 | $19,746 |
| 54 | Chamberlain University-IllinoisAddison, IL | $96,897 | 35% | $38,263 | $19,746 |
| 55 | Chamberlain University-New JerseyNorth Brunswick, NJ | $96,897 | 60% | $42,922 | $19,746 |
| 56 | Chamberlain University-TexasHouston, TX | $96,897 | 40% | $39,545 | $19,746 |
| 57 | George Washington UniversityWashington, DC | $96,691 | 83% | $35,760 | $19,857 |
| 58 | University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA | $96,468 | 94% | $18,056 | $15,000 |
| 59 | Colgate UniversityHamilton, NY | $96,328 | 89% | $29,409 | $12,000 |
| 60 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA | $96,304 | 87% | $18,832 | $16,500 |
| 61 | University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA | $96,197 | 86% | $14,794 | $13,000 |
| 62 | Kettering UniversityFlint, MI | $96,136 | 74% | $29,797 | $24,500 |
| 63 | Williams CollegeWilliamstown, MA | $95,954 | 95% | $15,157 | $8,000 |
| 64 | Union CollegeSchenectady, NY | $95,269 | 81% | $28,128 | $25,081 |
| 65 | Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA | $95,161 | 93% | $19,536 | $13,250 |
| 66 | Wentworth Institute of TechnologyBoston, MA | $94,995 | 63% | $30,134 | $25,000 |
| 67 | University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA | $94,613 | 66% | $30,496 | $22,956 |
| 68 | Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA | $93,897 | 91% | $16,754 | $12,000 |
| 69 | University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA | $93,069 | 81% | $29,539 | $21,250 |
| 70 | Manhattan UniversityRiverdale, NY | $92,904 | 68% | $25,074 | $25,000 |
| 71 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI | $92,832 | 93% | $14,362 | $18,515 |
| 72 | Fordham UniversityBronx, NY | $92,809 | 81% | $42,760 | $25,000 |
| 73 | Milwaukee School of EngineeringMilwaukee, WI | $92,761 | 63% | $27,027 | $27,000 |
| 74 | Clarkson UniversityPotsdam, NY | $92,494 | 72% | $32,137 | $26,000 |
| 75 | University of RichmondUniversity of Richmond, VA | $92,362 | 87% | $34,256 | $21,500 |
| 76 | Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PA | $92,338 | 78% | $37,529 | $25,166 |
| 77 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-PrescottPrescott, AZ | $92,069 | 69% | $38,102 | $22,000 |
| 78 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachDaytona Beach, FL | $92,069 | 68% | $40,539 | $22,000 |
| 79 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideDaytona Beach, FL | $92,069 | 31% | $19,741 | $22,000 |
| 80 | Washington University in St LouisSt. Louis, MO | $91,497 | 93% | $13,360 | $15,250 |
| 81 | New York UniversityNew York, NY | $90,957 | 88% | $35,737 | $19,000 |
| 82 | Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, IL | $90,804 | 71% | $22,443 | $22,000 |
| 83 | Rice UniversityHouston, TX | $90,773 | 95% | $11,164 | $13,000 |
| 84 | New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNewark, NJ | $90,769 | 72% | $18,783 | $20,000 |
| 85 | Wellesley CollegeWellesley, MA | $90,458 | 91% | $23,995 | $9,788 |
| 86 | Providence CollegeProvidence, RI | $90,260 | 86% | $49,594 | $27,000 |
| 87 | Loyola University MarylandBaltimore, MD | $90,179 | 75% | $34,082 | $25,000 |
| 88 | Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, ME | $90,153 | 93% | $15,595 | $15,000 |
| 89 | Dominican University of CaliforniaSan Rafael, CA | $90,053 | 73% | $35,567 | $23,250 |
| 90 | Southern Methodist UniversityDallas, TX | $90,037 | 83% | $39,816 | $18,750 |
| 91 | Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OH | $89,865 | 87% | $44,622 | $21,500 |
| 92 | Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA | $89,410 | 78% | $48,065 | $21,500 |
| 93 | Davidson CollegeDavidson, NC | $89,297 | 90% | $15,060 | $15,000 |
| 94 | University of Maryland-College ParkCollege Park, MD | $89,228 | 88% | $14,296 | $16,000 |
| 95 | Tufts UniversityMedford, MA | $89,187 | 94% | $38,797 | $16,250 |
| 96 | Binghamton UniversityVestal, NY | $89,136 | 82% | $20,907 | $17,750 |
| 97 | Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WA | $89,110 | 86% | $32,750 | $21,500 |
| 98 | Boston UniversityBoston, MA | $89,087 | 90% | $36,503 | $17,500 |
| 99 | Colby CollegeWaterville, ME | $88,776 | 87% | $19,835 | $18,000 |
| 100 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBlacksburg, VA | $88,716 | 86% | $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.