For each new generation of Americans, upward financial mobility appears to be increasingly elusive. According to a study from Stanford University, Americans born in 1945 had a 90% likelihood of out-earning their parents. However, due to several macroeconomic factors, those chances have fallen considerably in the decades since. Now, the millennial generation may be the first to earn less in aggregate than their parents did.
While the earning potential of subsequent generations has been declining since the rise of the baby boomers, for individuals, there are still paths to upward mobility – and one of them is a college education.
According to 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical college graduate working full time earns $74,464 a year, over $30,000 more than the typical worker with only a high school diploma. College graduates are also nearly half as likely to be unemployed as adults with no more than a high school education.
Still, a college education is a big investment, both of time and money, and a four-year degree itself is no guarantee of a well-paying career. Still, some colleges and universities are demonstrably better at improving the financial standing of their students than others. (Here is a look at the 50 most expensive colleges in America.)
Using data from the U.S. Department of Education, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 colleges that offer students the greatest likelihood of upward mobility. We ranked all nonprofit bachelor’s degree-granting institutions with at least 2,500 undergraduates on the ratio of the median earnings of working alumni 10 years after matriculation to the median family income of the undergraduate student body.
For every school on this list, the typical graduate earns at least twice as much as the typical family of an enrolled undergraduate 10 years after matriculation.
Most of the schools on this list are public institutions, which are typically far less expensive and more affordable for lower income families than private colleges and universities. In several of these schools, most students are from families that earn less than $20,000 a year.
Meanwhile, the 13 private schools on this list include some of the most selective and elite colleges and universities in the country, such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and MIT. Graduates of these schools typically earn over $95,000 10 years after enrolling, compared to median family incomes among the current student body of below $45,000 in every case. (Here is a look at the college majors most likely to earn six figures.)
Here are the colleges with the most upward mobility.
50. California State University – Fullerton (Fullerton, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,585 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $28,124
- Acceptance rate: 59.4%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 35,502
49. Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $82,793 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $39,719
- Acceptance rate: 66.1%
- Most popular degree: Engineering
- Undergraduate population: 2,889
48. Portland State University (Portland, OR)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,567 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $25,986
- Acceptance rate: 98.4%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 15,674
47. Saint Leo University (Saint Leo, FL)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,428 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $22,361
- Acceptance rate: 70.7%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 6,456
46. Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach (Daytona Beach, FL)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $82,012 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $38,662
- Acceptance rate: 72.3%
- Most popular degree: Transportation And Materials Moving
- Undergraduate population: 6,899
45. Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott (Prescott, AZ)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $82,012 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $38,662
- Acceptance rate: 73.8%
- Most popular degree: Engineering
- Undergraduate population: 3,015
44. University of Houston – Downtown (Houston, TX)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,929 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $24,910
- Acceptance rate: 94.8%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 13,515
43. California State University – San Bernardino (San Bernardino, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,258 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $25,849
- Acceptance rate: 91.0%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 16,595
42. Metropolitan State University (Saint Paul, MN)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $60,744 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $28,315
- Acceptance rate: 66.6%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 5,689
41. National University (San Diego, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $66,998 (2.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $31,188
- Acceptance rate: 54.5%
- Most popular degree: Health Professions And Related Programs
- Undergraduate population: 7,160
40. New Jersey City University (Jersey City, NJ)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $50,417 (2.2 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $23,397
- Acceptance rate: 90.7%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 5,146
39. Yale University (New Haven, CT)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $95,961 (2.2 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $44,004
- Acceptance rate: 5.3%
- Most popular degree: Social Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 6,535
38. New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark, NJ)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $84,495 (2.2 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $38,563
- Acceptance rate: 69.1%
- Most popular degree: Engineering
- Undergraduate population: 8,377
37. University of California – Davis (Davis, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $74,305 (2.2 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $33,784
- Acceptance rate: 48.8%
- Most popular degree: Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 31,637
36. University of California – Irvine (Irvine, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $76,593 (2.2 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $34,735
- Acceptance rate: 28.8%
- Most popular degree: Social Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 29,438
35. University of Houston – Clear Lake (Houston, TX)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,946 (2.2 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $25,351
- Acceptance rate: 91.2%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 6,747
34. California State University – Sacramento (Sacramento, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $61,267 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $27,217
- Acceptance rate: 93.7%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 29,370
33. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg, TX)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,698 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $21,058
- Acceptance rate: 93.9%
- Most popular degree: Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Undergraduate population: 26,402
32. CUNY Medgar Evers College (Brooklyn, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $42,968 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $18,815
- Acceptance rate: 85.9%
- Most popular degree: Physical Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 3,824
31. University of California – San Diego (La Jolla, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $82,255 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $35,914
- Acceptance rate: 34.2%
- Most popular degree: Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 33,339
30. Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago, IL)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $50,312 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $21,900
- Acceptance rate: 62.1%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 4,547
29. University of Michigan – Dearborn (Dearborn, MI)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,324 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $25,334
- Acceptance rate: 68.8%
- Most popular degree: Engineering
- Undergraduate population: 6,193
28. California State University – Long Beach (Long Beach, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $60,973 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $26,465
- Acceptance rate: 46.9%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 33,765
27. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $124,213 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $53,870
- Acceptance rate: 4.1%
- Most popular degree: Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 4,629
26. California State Polytechnic University – Pomona (Pomona, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $67,406 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $29,032
- Acceptance rate: 60.6%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 26,802
25. San Francisco State University (San Francisco, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $64,797 (2.3 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $27,896
- Acceptance rate: 92.9%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 22,563
24. CUNY New York City College of Technology (Brooklyn, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,242 (2.4 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,013
- Acceptance rate: 82.5%
- Most popular degree: Engineering Technologies And Engineering-Related Fields
- Undergraduate population: 13,490
23. Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $106,987 (2.4 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $44,842
- Acceptance rate: 4.0%
- Most popular degree: Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 7,645
22. Florida International University (Miami, FL)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $57,946 (2.4 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $23,924
- Acceptance rate: 64.0%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 39,936
21. University of California – Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $79,826 (2.4 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $32,614
- Acceptance rate: 10.8%
- Most popular degree: Social Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 32,122
20. MCPHS University (Boston, MA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $124,126 (2.5 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $50,594
- Acceptance rate: 97.7%
- Most popular degree: Health Professions And Related Programs
- Undergraduate population: 3,664
19. California State University – Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,219 (2.5 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $22,032
- Acceptance rate: 90.5%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 23,506
18. California State University – Northridge (Northridge, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $56,375 (2.5 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $22,839
- Acceptance rate: 88.1%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 34,436
17. San Jose State University (San Jose, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $72,635 (2.5 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $29,408
- Acceptance rate: 84.4%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 28,190
16. California State University – Dominguez Hills (Carson, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $49,934 (2.5 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,044
- Acceptance rate: 89.6%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 15,214
15. Governors State University (University Park, IL)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,665 (2.5 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,792
- Acceptance rate: 52.0%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 2,698
14. California State University – East Bay (Hayward, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $64,188 (2.6 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $24,527
- Acceptance rate: 82.4%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 12,047
13. CUNY Hunter College (New York, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,822 (2.6 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $22,326
- Acceptance rate: 45.9%
- Most popular degree: Psychology
- Undergraduate population: 17,293
12. CUNY York College (Jamaica, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,325 (2.7 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $19,735
- Acceptance rate: 67.0%
- Most popular degree: Health Professions And Related Programs
- Undergraduate population: 5,595
11. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (New York, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,207 (2.8 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $19,475
- Acceptance rate: 44.6%
- Most popular degree: Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting And Related Protective Services
- Undergraduate population: 12,834
10. CUNY Queens College (Queens, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,348 (2.8 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,800
- Acceptance rate: 60.8%
- Most popular degree: Social Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 14,859
9. University of California – Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $88,046 (2.8 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $31,227
- Acceptance rate: 14.4%
- Most popular degree: Social Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 31,811
8. University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $112,761 (2.8 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $39,832
- Acceptance rate: 5.9%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 10,644
7. Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $95,114 (2.9 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $33,066
- Acceptance rate: 4.0%
- Most popular degree: Social Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 7,938
6. CUNY Brooklyn College (Brooklyn, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $57,665 (2.9 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $19,957
- Acceptance rate: 51.4%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 12,567
5. CUNY City College (New York, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,052 (2.9 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,074
- Acceptance rate: 64.1%
- Most popular degree: Engineering
- Undergraduate population: 11,861
4. CUNY Lehman College (Bronx, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,882 (3.0 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $17,797
- Acceptance rate: 57.9%
- Most popular degree: Health Professions And Related Programs
- Undergraduate population: 11,609
3. Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $110,433 (3.0 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $37,036
- Acceptance rate: 4.4%
- Most popular degree: Social Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 5,236
2. Columbia University in the City of New York (New York, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $97,540 (3.1 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $31,311
- Acceptance rate: 4.1%
- Most popular degree: Social Sciences
- Undergraduate population: 8,832
1. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College (New York, NY)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $71,078 (3.4 times family income)
- Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,825
- Acceptance rate: 50.6%
- Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
- Undergraduate population: 15,483
Methodology
To determine the colleges with the most upward mobility, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed College Scorecard data on family income and earnings after entry from the U.S. Department of Education. Colleges and universities were ranked based on the ratio of the median earnings for working alumni 10 years after entry (typically freshman year) to the median family income of undergraduate students.
Only public and private nonprofit colleges and universities that are predominantly bachelor’s degree-granting with at least 2,500 undergraduate students were considered.
Data on median earnings 10 years after entry is for students who entered college in the 2008-09 or 2009-10 school years and was collected in 2019 and 2020. Data on median family income of undergraduate students was collected in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years. Data on acceptance rates and size of the undergraduate population are for Fall 2021, while data on percentage of degrees awarded by field are for the 2020-21 academic year.
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