10 National Universities Where Grads Are Paid Well
Competitive earners
The average median starting salary for recent college graduates from ranked National Universities is $52,201, according to data submitted to U.S. News by 379 schools. Some of these alumni, however, are making far more than that. Using data from PayScale, here are the 10 National Universities where graduates with three years of postgraduation work experience and whose highest degree is a bachelor's have the highest median starting salaries.
Georgia Institute of Technology
U.S. News rank: 29 (tie)
Median starting salary: $70,100
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $12,682 (in-state), $33,794 (out-of-state)
Some of the most popular majors at the Georgia Institute of Technology are engineering; computer and information sciences and support services; business, management, marketing and related support services; biological and biomedical sciences; and physical sciences. The school offers other kinds of engineering majors, such as environmental engineering, and hosts major-specific career fairs, like the Schools of Architecture, City and Regional Planning, and Public Policy career fair.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)
U.S. News rank: 50 (tie)
Median starting salary: $70,100
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $55,378
Engineering; computer and information sciences and support services; and business, management, marketing and related support services are a few of the most popular majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. The school offers ample opportunities for research at its 32 research centers, which can be in fields like renewable energy, cybersecurity or biotechnology, according to its website.
Princeton University (NJ)
U.S. News rank: 1
Median starting salary: $70,200
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $51,870
Popular majors of study at Princeton University are wide-ranging, including fields like social sciences; engineering; computer and information sciences and support services; biological and biomedical sciences; and public administration and social service professions. The New Jersey university's report for 2016-2017 says that about 22% of recent graduates work in the nonprofit and government sector.
Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ)
U.S. News rank: 74 (tie)
Median starting salary: $70,400
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $54,014
With a strong emphasis on engineering, the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey says on its website that students have opportunities to innovate in fields like artificial intelligence, nanotech and medicine. The most popular majors at the institution are mechanical engineering; computer science; business administration and management; bioengineering and biomedical engineering; and chemical engineering.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (MA)
U.S. News rank: 64 (tie)
Median starting salary: $71,000
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $52,322
The most popular majors at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts are mostly engineering fields: mechanical engineering; computer science; chemical engineering; bioengineering and biomedical engineering; and electrical and electronics engineering. The institution's resources include career fairs and career outlook information available online on fields like physics, psychology, professional writing and industrial engineering.
Colorado School of Mines
U.S. News rank: 84 (tie)
Median starting salary: $71,200
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $19,062 (in-state), $39,762 (out-of-state)
The Colorado School of Mines offers students industry panel presentations on careers in energy; aerospace and aviation; and biomedical and biotechnical engineering, among others, each semester. The most popular majors at the college are engineering; computer and information sciences and support services; mathematics and statistics; physical sciences; and social sciences.
Stanford University (CA)
U.S. News rank: 6 (tie)
Median starting salary: $73,800
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $53,529
The most popular majors at Stanford University in California are computer and information sciences and support services; engineering; multi/interdisciplinary studies; social sciences; and physical sciences. According to its website, the university provides a program to humanities students aimed at connecting liberal arts courses with career paths in fields like marketing and advertising; government; media and journalism; social impact; and business.
Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
U.S. News rank: 25 (tie)
Median starting salary: $74,200
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $57,119
Popular majors at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh include engineering; computer and information sciences and support services; and mathematics and statistics. According to the school's website, the university offers specialty area advising in career fields like data science and energy as well as more broad areas of interest like startup companies and diversity and inclusion.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
U.S. News rank: 3 (tie)
Median starting salary: $82,300
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $53,790
Events like analytics career night, a European career fair and polymer day allow students to explore the various industries they might enter after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The most popular fields of study at the school are engineering; computer and information sciences and support services; mathematics and statistics; physical sciences; and biological and biomedical sciences.
California Institute of Technology
U.S. News rank: 12 (tie)
Median starting salary: $83,200
2019-2020 tuition and fees: $54,600
Engineering; physical sciences; computer and information sciences and support services; biological and biomedical sciences; and mathematics and statistics are the most popular majors at the California Institute of Technology. Students who study in Caltech's computing and mathematical sciences department can conduct research in areas like applied probability and stochastic analysis, and molecular programming and synthetic biology.
Learn more about National Universities.
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Schools where graduates make highest starting salaries
-- California Institute of Technology: $83,200
-- Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $82,300
-- Carnegie Mellon University: $74,200
-- Stanford University: $73,800
-- Colorado School of Mines: $71,200
-- Worcester Polytechnic Institute: $71,000
-- Stevens Institute of Technology: $70,400
-- Princeton University: $70,200
-- Georgia Institute of Technology: $70,100
-- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: $70,100
