Leading U.S. colleges by starting and mid-career pay of graduates 2020/21

As of the 2020/21 academic year, graduates from Harvey Mudd College had the highest starting salary, at 91,400 U.S. dollars, as well as the highest mid-career salary at 162,500 U.S. dollars.

Top universities in the United States

One of the top universities in the United States, Harvey Mudd College, is located in Claremont, California. Not only do graduates earn the highest salaries after graduation, they also pay the most. In the academic year of 2018-2019, Harvey Mudd College was the most expensive school by total annual cost. The best university in the United States in 2019 belonged to Harvard University, which consistently leads the pack as the top school.

The Ivy League

The Ivy League is a group of eight private universities in the Northeastern United States. It is not only a collegiate athletic conference, but also a group of highly respected academic institutions. They are usually regarded as the best eight universities in the United States and the world. They are extremely selective with their admissions process. However, these universities are extremely expensive to attend. Despite the high price tag, students who graduate from Princeton University have the highest early career salary out of all Ivy League attendees in 2019. This is compared to the overall expected starting salaries of recent college graduates across the United States, which was less than 35,000 U.S. dollars.