Find a Job You Really Want In
As the labor market continues to evolve in 2026, with low unemployment rates and increasing competition, it is essential for college graduates to strategically prepare for a dynamic workforce. This preparation involves not only selecting the right major and gaining valuable internship experiences, but also choosing the right college that can enhance job placement opportunities.
If you missed our previous analysis of the best colleges for job seekers, check it out.
With a new wave of graduates entering the job market (welcome to the workforce, Class of 2026), we’ve refreshed our analysis to identify the colleges that best prepare their students for successful careers after graduation.
Here’s a glimpse of the top colleges across the United States:
- Pennsylvania – Lebanon Valley College
- Rhode Island – Salve Regina University
- Ohio – Ohio Northern University
- Oregon – Oregon Health & Science University
- New York – Hobart and William Smith Colleges
- South Dakota – University of Sioux Falls
- Wisconsin – University of Wisconsin – Platteville
- Massachusetts – Endicott College
- Nebraska – Nebraska Wesleyan University
- Connecticut – Quinnipiac University
Using the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the Department of Education College Scorecard data, we identified the college in each state with the highest job placement rates, focusing on employment levels ten years post-graduation.
We then ranked each state’s top institution according to their ratings. For clarity, the ratings were rounded to three decimal places, and the cities of the top ten colleges are included.
Let’s dive into the rankings.
1. Pennsylvania
- College: Lebanon Valley College
- City: Annville
- Placement Rate: 96.185%
- Lebanon Valley College ranks as the best college in the U.S. for job placement, offering over 40 majors and a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, ensuring personalized career guidance for its students.
2. Rhode Island
- College: Salve Regina University
- City: Newport
- Placement Rate: 95.896%
- Known for its beautiful campus, Salve Regina University is also dedicated to ensuring its graduates secure employment, having just graduated its largest class to date.
3. Ohio
- College: Ohio Northern University
- City: Ada
- Placement Rate: 95.527%
- Ohio Northern University continually exceeds the national average for graduate job placement rates.
4. Oregon
- College: Oregon Health & Science University
- City: Portland
- Placement Rate: 95.509%
- Oregon Health & Science University is unique with its main campus integrated into a hospital, providing students with hands-on experience in the healthcare field.
5. New York
- College: Hobart and William Smith Colleges
- City: Geneva
- Placement Rate: 95.447%
- This picturesque liberal arts college is known for its strong study abroad programs, enhancing the global readiness of its graduates.
6. South Dakota
- College: University of Sioux Falls
- City: Sioux Falls
- Placement Rate: 95.428%
- This private liberal arts university, with a student population of around 1,500, effectively connects its graduates with job opportunities.
7. Wisconsin
- College: University of Wisconsin – Platteville
- City: Platteville
- Placement Rate: 95.337%
- Offering a great education at an affordable price, Wisconsin-Platteville is an excellent choice for in-state students.
8. Massachusetts
- College: Endicott College
- City: Beverly
- Placement Rate: 95.309%
- With one of the most stunning campuses in the country, Endicott College boasts that 90% of its employed graduates work in fields related to their majors.
9. Nebraska
- College: Nebraska Wesleyan University
- City: Lincoln
- Placement Rate: 95.217%
- A private institution known for its academic excellence, Nebraska Wesleyan University ranks among the nation’s leaders in Fulbright scholars.
10. Connecticut
- College: Quinnipiac University
- City: Hamden
- Placement Rate: 95.172%
- Quinnipiac is known for its high retention rate, with 90% of first-year students continuing to their second year, and it ranks among the top colleges for veterans.
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Author
McLeod Brown is a former writer and researcher for the Zippia Career Advice blog. His work at Zippia focused on understanding the relationship between colleges, debt, and jobs. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a BA in Business Administrator, he is now pursuing a masters of science in analytics from the Institute of Advanced Analytics.
