Spike Rankings 2027
Best Colleges for Outcomes in America
Where students finish their degree and go on to earn the most. How Spike ranks
How this list is ranked.
The Outcomes part on its own: graduation 40%, earnings after 10 years 25%, return for year two 20%, earnings after 6 years 15%.
232 colleges qualify from Spike’s guide of 233. Colleges without enough reported data are left out.
Guide updated . Data snapshot: . Sources and data years.
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232 colleges
Number 1: Massachusetts Institute of Technology- 96% graduate
- $153k after 10 years
- 99% return for year two
Number 2: Princeton University- 97% graduate
- $134k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 3: University of Pennsylvania- 97% graduate
- $122k after 10 years
- 99% return for year two
Number 4: Harvard University- 97% graduate
- $122k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 5: Yale University- 96% graduate
- $118k after 10 years
- 99% return for year two
Number 6: Duke University- 96% graduate
- $114k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 7: Dartmouth College- 95% graduate
- $111k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 8: University of Notre Dame- 95% graduate
- $113k after 10 years
- 99% return for year two
Number 9: Carnegie Mellon University- 94% graduate
- $125k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 10: Cornell University- 95% graduate
- $114k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 11: Stanford University- 92% graduate
- $125k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 12: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus- 94% graduate
- $114k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 13: Columbia University in the City of New York- 96% graduate
- $109k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 14: California Institute of Technology- 92% graduate
- $167k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 15: University of Chicago- 95% graduate
- $104k after 10 years
- 99% return for year two
Number 16: Brown University- 96% graduate
- $100k after 10 years
- 99% return for year two
Number 17: Northwestern University- 96% graduate
- $104k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 18: Johns Hopkins University- 94% graduate
- $105k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 19: Georgetown University- 95% graduate
- $111k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 20: Washington and Lee University- 95% graduate
- $103k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 21: Villanova University- 92% graduate
- $115k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 22: University of Virginia-Main Campus- 95% graduate
- $96k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 23: Rice University- 95% graduate
- $91k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 24: University of California-Berkeley- 93% graduate
- $100k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 25: Boston College- 90% graduate
- $112k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 26: Vanderbilt University- 93% graduate
- $99k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 27: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor- 93% graduate
- $93k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 28: Worcester Polytechnic Institute- 90% graduate
- $114k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 29: University of Southern California- 91% graduate
- $103k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 30: Santa Clara University- 88% graduate
- $117k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 31: Stevens Institute of Technology- 88% graduate
- $118k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 32: Washington University in St Louis- 94% graduate
- $91k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 33: Tufts University- 94% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 34: Emory University- 91% graduate
- $94k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 35: Bentley University- 87% graduate
- $126k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 36: Lehigh University- 86% graduate
- $116k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 37: Wake Forest University- 90% graduate
- $104k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 38: College of the Holy Cross- 87% graduate
- $100k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 39: Webb Institute- 88% graduate
- 93% return for year two
Number 40: University of Maryland-College Park- 88% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 41: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo- 86% graduate
- $96k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 42: University of California-Los Angeles- 93% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 43: New York University- 88% graduate
- $91k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 44: Bucknell University- 86% graduate
- $110k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 45: Boston University- 89% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 46: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill- 91% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 47: Case Western Reserve University- 87% graduate
- $90k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 48: University of California-San Diego- 86% graduate
- $96k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 49: University of Wisconsin-Madison- 90% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 50: Lafayette College- 87% graduate
- $102k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 51: The University of Texas at Austin- 89% graduate
- $82k after 10 years
- 97% return for year two
Number 52: William & Mary- 89% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 53: University of Florida- 92% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
- 98% return for year two
Number 54: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign- 86% graduate
- $88k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 55: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University- 86% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 56: Colorado School of Mines- 82% graduate
- $102k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 57: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute- 82% graduate
- $113k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 58: George Washington University- 83% graduate
- $97k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 59: University of Washington-Seattle Campus- 85% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 60: University of California-Irvine- 87% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 61: University of Miami- 84% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 62: University of Georgia- 89% graduate
- $77k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 63: Trinity College- 83% graduate
- $103k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 64: Southern Methodist University- 84% graduate
- $90k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 65: University of Rochester- 84% graduate
- $88k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 66: Clemson University- 87% graduate
- $79k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 67: University of California-Davis- 86% graduate
- $87k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 68: Texas A&M University-College Station- 84% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 69: Texas Christian University- 86% graduate
- $77k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 70: Creighton University- 83% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 71: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology- 76% graduate
- $108k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 72: Rutgers University-New Brunswick- 84% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 73: Purdue University-Main Campus- 84% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 74: North Carolina State University at Raleigh- 85% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 75: University of Connecticut- 83% graduate
- $82k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 76: Fordham University- 81% graduate
- $93k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 77: Kettering University- 72% graduate
- $96k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 78: Syracuse University- 82% graduate
- $85k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 79: University of California-Santa Barbara- 83% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 80: Marquette University- 81% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 81: Pitzer College- 83% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 82: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus- 86% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 83: Drexel University- 78% graduate
- $92k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 84: Elon University- 83% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 85: Rhode Island School of Design- 90% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 86: Tulane University of Louisiana- 87% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 87: Chapman University- 82% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 88: Trinity University- 83% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 89: University of Delaware- 79% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 90: Ohio State University-Main Campus- 87% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 91: Florida State University- 86% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 96% return for year two
Number 92: Auburn University- 82% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 95% return for year two
Number 93: Franklin and Marshall College- 81% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 94: University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus- 86% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 95: Rhodes College- 83% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 96: University of Portland- 80% graduate
- $86k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 97: University of Dayton- 80% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 98: Connecticut College- 82% graduate
- $82k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 99: Pepperdine University- 81% graduate
- $89k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 100: Gettysburg College- 81% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 101: Loyola Marymount University- 79% graduate
- $86k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 102: The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art- 81% graduate
- $77k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 103: New Jersey Institute of Technology- 72% graduate
- $91k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 104: Baylor University- 81% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 105: Dickinson College- 77% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 106: James Madison University- 80% graduate
- $75k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 107: Occidental College- 80% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 108: Butler University- 79% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 109: Stony Brook University- 76% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 110: Michigan State University- 81% graduate
- $74k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 111: Clarkson University- 73% graduate
- $92k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 112: Illinois Institute of Technology- 73% graduate
- $91k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 113: Kenyon College- 84% graduate
- $66k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 114: Saint Louis University- 79% graduate
- $76k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 115: Fashion Institute of Technology- 81% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 116: Indiana University-Bloomington- 80% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 117: Rochester Institute of Technology- 70% graduate
- $85k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 118: The University of Texas at Dallas- 77% graduate
- $75k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 119: San Diego State University- 77% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 120: Michigan Technological University- 69% graduate
- $85k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 121: CUNY Bernard M Baruch College- 71% graduate
- $84k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 122: University of the Pacific- 71% graduate
- $88k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 123: University of Colorado Boulder- 74% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 124: University of South Carolina-Columbia- 79% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 125: Seattle University- 73% graduate
- $85k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 126: University of Missouri-Columbia- 76% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
- 93% return for year two
Number 127: Mount Holyoke College- 83% graduate
- $66k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 128: Denison University- 79% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 129: The University of the South- 79% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 130: University of Denver- 75% graduate
- $77k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 131: University of San Francisco- 68% graduate
- $95k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 132: Wentworth Institute of Technology- 66% graduate
- $95k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 133: Miami University-Oxford- 81% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 134: Furman University- 76% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 135: Spelman College- 78% graduate
- $66k after 10 years
- 94% return for year two
Number 136: University of Vermont- 80% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 137: Milwaukee School of Engineering- 65% graduate
- $93k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 138: San Jose State University- 68% graduate
- $83k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 139: Missouri University of Science and Technology- 66% graduate
- $86k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 140: Art Center College of Design- 80% graduate
- $76k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 141: University of Iowa- 75% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 142: University of New Hampshire-Main Campus- 76% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 143: Centre College- 80% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 144: University of Central Florida- 78% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 145: Florida International University- 76% graduate
- $66k after 10 years
- 92% return for year two
Number 146: University of California-Riverside- 76% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 147: Bradley University- 75% graduate
- $76k after 10 years
- 83% return for year two
Number 148: University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus- 75% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
- 90% return for year two
Number 149: Iowa State University- 76% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 150: Drake University- 72% graduate
- $79k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 151: Loyola University Chicago- 73% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
- 82% return for year two
Number 152: Howard University- 72% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
- 91% return for year two
Number 153: George Mason University- 67% graduate
- $80k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 154: Whitman College- 78% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 155: University of Rhode Island- 73% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 156: Emerson College- 79% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 157: University of Redlands- 66% graduate
- $81k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 158: Temple University- 74% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
- 83% return for year two
Number 159: California Lutheran University- 69% graduate
- $78k after 10 years
- 79% return for year two
Number 160: Lewis & Clark College- 75% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 161: Oregon State University- 69% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 162: California State University-Long Beach- 70% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 163: University of Utah- 66% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 164: University of Kansas- 70% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 165: University of Kentucky- 72% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 166: University of Oregon- 71% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 167: Pratt Institute-Main- 74% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
- 88% return for year two
Number 168: University of Cincinnati-Main Campus- 75% graduate
- $61k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 169: Arizona State University Campus Immersion- 68% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 170: Xavier University- 70% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
- 77% return for year two
Number 171: Lawrence University- 78% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 172: University of Houston- 65% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 173: Texas Tech University- 69% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 174: California State University-Fullerton- 69% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
- 82% return for year two
Number 175: Belmont University- 71% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 176: Kansas State University- 71% graduate
- $61k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 177: Southwestern University- 73% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
- 81% return for year two
Number 178: University of Mississippi- 71% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 179: Colorado State University-Fort Collins- 67% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 180: School of Visual Arts- 77% graduate
- $52k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 181: Washington State University- 62% graduate
- $72k after 10 years
- 78% return for year two
Number 182: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College- 68% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 183: Willamette University- 71% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 184: Illinois State University- 66% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 81% return for year two
Number 185: University of Nebraska-Lincoln- 68% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
- 86% return for year two
Number 186: The University of Texas at Arlington- 52% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 73% return for year two
Number 187: Virginia Commonwealth University- 64% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 188: San Francisco State University- 50% graduate
- $73k after 10 years
- 83% return for year two
Number 189: Berklee College of Music- 70% graduate
- $43k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 190: University of North Florida- 69% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 191: CUNY Hunter College- 58% graduate
- $71k after 10 years
- 78% return for year two
Number 192: Ohio University-Main Campus- 65% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 193: California State University-Sacramento- 55% graduate
- $69k after 10 years
- 82% return for year two
Number 194: Agnes Scott College- 70% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
- 81% return for year two
Number 195: West Virginia University- 65% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
- 83% return for year two
Number 196: Hampton University- 61% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 197: CUNY City College- 53% graduate
- $70k after 10 years
- 79% return for year two
Number 198: College of Charleston- 66% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
- 82% return for year two
Number 199: Florida Atlantic University- 63% graduate
- $61k after 10 years
- 84% return for year two
Number 200: Morehouse College- 58% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
- 87% return for year two
Number 201: Bard College- 68% graduate
- $55k after 10 years
- 85% return for year two
Number 202: Saint Edward's University- 60% graduate
- $65k after 10 years
- 80% return for year two
Number 203: Mississippi State University- 68% graduate
- $54k after 10 years
- 83% return for year two
Number 204: University of Louisville- 61% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
- 81% return for year two
Number 205: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University- 57% graduate
- $52k after 10 years
- 89% return for year two
Number 206: University of Wyoming- 60% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
- 80% return for year two
Number 207: Boise State University- 61% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
- 79% return for year two
Number 208: Whittier College- 58% graduate
- $68k after 10 years
- 66% return for year two
Number 209: CUNY Brooklyn College- 53% graduate
- $67k after 10 years
- 80% return for year two
Number 210: California State University-Fresno- 58% graduate
- $63k after 10 years
- 82% return for year two
Number 211: Florida Gulf Coast University- 57% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
- 83% return for year two
Number 212: California State University-Northridge- 57% graduate
- $64k after 10 years
- 73% return for year two
Number 213: Montana State University- 58% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
- 79% return for year two
Number 214: University of Maine- 56% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
- 83% return for year two
Number 215: Portland State University- 53% graduate
- $62k after 10 years
- 76% return for year two
Number 216: Loyola University New Orleans- 60% graduate
- $59k after 10 years
- 80% return for year two
Number 217: California Institute of the Arts- 65% graduate
- $45k after 10 years
- 82% return for year two
Number 218: The University of Texas at San Antonio- 52% graduate
- $61k after 10 years
- 80% return for year two
Number 219: University of Idaho- 59% graduate
- $58k after 10 years
- 76% return for year two
Number 220: Berea College- 62% graduate
- $48k after 10 years
- 79% return for year two
Number 221: Kent State University at Kent- 57% graduate
- $51k after 10 years
- 81% return for year two
Number 222: Tuskegee University- 55% graduate
- $58k after 10 years
- 81% return for year two
Number 223: Old Dominion University- 45% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
- 77% return for year two
Number 224: North Carolina A & T State University- 57% graduate
- $50k after 10 years
- 78% return for year two
Number 225: University of New Mexico-Main Campus- 54% graduate
- $50k after 10 years
- 76% return for year two
Number 226: Xavier University of Louisiana- 52% graduate
- $60k after 10 years
- 72% return for year two
Number 227: Cleveland State University- 51% graduate
- $57k after 10 years
- 70% return for year two
Number 228: Wichita State University- 52% graduate
- $56k after 10 years
- 69% return for year two
Number 229: New Mexico State University-Main Campus- 54% graduate
- $44k after 10 years
- 73% return for year two
Number 230: Morgan State University- 41% graduate
- $57k after 10 years
- 73% return for year two
Number 231: The University of Montana- 48% graduate
- $49k after 10 years
- 75% return for year two
Number 232: Clark Atlanta University- 44% graduate
- $47k after 10 years
- 71% return for year two
How to use this ranking.
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What the rank does not tell you.
Earnings reflect the students and subjects at a college as well as their education. These averages do not predict your salary or prove that the college caused the result.
Spike ranks the colleges in its guide, not every college in America. Read the full method and its limits, or compare colleges by your own priorities.
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