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2022 Best Colleges for a Bachelor's Degree by Salary Score

Many people believe attending the most prestigious schools is the best way to earn a high salary after graduation. But does the data back that up? We ranked the best colleges for a bachelor's degree to find out.

Our findings show that many elite universities indeed result in top salaries for their graduates across majors. However, they are not the only universities that do. Earnings data released by the U.S. Department of Education in 2022 show that a handful of public schools showcase salary outcomes in line with those of Ivy League graduates. These most notably include online schools Thomas Edison State University and Colorado State University Global. Two online for-profits also showcased strong salary outcomes this year: the American Public University System and Capella University.

Best Online Schools by Salary Score in 2022

The rise of the online degree has widely increased access to higher education. Today's students can attend the college they want to without needing to move, quit their jobs, or even commute to campus.

However, not all online degrees are created equal. Our rankings of the best online schools for a bachelor's degree highlight colleges that consistently result in higher median salaries for students across the country. While for-profit schools have a bad reputation thanks to poor student outcomes in many cases, our list highlights eight for-profit online schools whose graduates are top earners in their field.

Another eight private non-profit universities make the rankings, including Excelsior College and Western Governors University. A handful of public online universities also showcase strong student outcomes, such as top-ranked public school Thomas Edison State University and Colorado State University Global.

Best Graduate Schools by Salary Score in 2022

While federal earnings data released in 2022 show the best schools for a bachelor's degree salary tend to be private universities, it's a different story for master's degrees.

Our master's rankings highlight 26 public universities with equally strong outcomes compared to the best private graduate schools. Schools like CUNY Hunter College and California State University - East Bay have a stronger track record for master's graduate earnings than some Ivy League universities.

Why We Rank by Alumni Salary

Millions of students take out loans each year to pay for school. If you're investing thousands of dollars into your education, you should know what you'll get out of it. We believe students deserve easy access to the data they need to make informed decisions about their education.

While other rankings evaluate schools based on prestige, selectivity, and other factors, we rank schools based on alumni outcomes to help students choose the college and degree that will offer the best chance of financial success. Salary Score can be used to help students follow their dreams and pursue their passion without sacrificing high-paying jobs after college.