Find a Job You Really Want In
The task of finding the perfect college is daunting.
Finding a job after graduation is even more stressful.
Since some colleges are too big and others are too small, we chose to focus our efforts on mid-sized colleges for that Goldilocks effect.
By comparing mid-sized colleges, we were able to narrow down the ones that are perfect for helping you be successful at finding a job after graduation.
This way, you have less to stress about.
We found the top 10 schools by ranking each college by their job placement rate.
Top 10 Schools for Jobs
- Quinnipiac University
- Fairfield University
- University of Wisconsin-Platteville
- Bentley University
- Merrimack College
- Creighton University
- Elon University
- MCPHS University
- Winona State University
- SUNY Cortland
These schools provide the best opportunity for you to find a job after receiving your diploma, but there are other great schools that are just as determined to see you succeed. Keep reading for our full list of A+ schools.
How We Determined This
Using information found on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , we searched for the college in each state with an enrollment level between
5,000 – 19,999
We then cross-referenced the small colleges with data from College Scorecard to find the highest listed job placement ratings, looking at employment levels 10 years after students have graduated.
From there, we selected the institution with the highest job placement rate in each state. For the purposes of readability, we rounded each school’s placement to the nearest decimal point.
1. Quinnipiac University
State: Connecticut
Job Placement: 96.10%
Quinnipiac University makes the grade in our book. At No. 1, the school offers a job placement rate of 96.1%. At that rate, you’ll be paying back that student debt in no time.
2. Fairfield University
State: Connecticut
Job Placement: 95.56%
Located in Connecticut, Fairfield University tops our list at No. 2. The school has a job placement rate of 95.56%. So it’s easy to see that the school sets up its students for success.
3. University of Wisconsin-Platteville
State: Wisconsin
Job Placement: 95.32%
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville is next on the list. With a job placement rate of 95.32%, this school should be on your list to check out.
4. Bentley University
State: Massachusetts
Job Placement: 94.81%
Bentley University tops the charts as the fourth-best school for starting a career after graduation. It earns this status through its job placement rate of 94.81%. May the odds of you getting a job be ever in your favor.
5. Merrimack College
State: Massachusetts
Job Placement: 94.55%
Merrimack College definitely deserves a high grade for its fifth-place status. The school has built up a 94.55% job placement rate that means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get a job once you’ve graduated.
6. Creighton University
State: Nebraska
Job Placement: 94.54%
In addition to diplomas, Creighton University likes to give students the opportunity to succeed. The Nebraska school sports a 94.54% job placement rate, which is the sixth-highest in the nation.
7. Elon University
State: North Carolina
Job Placement: 94.54%
Tied for sixth place, Elon University is on this list for a reason. With the school’s 94.54% placement rate, it’s clear that the focus is on students succeeding.
8. MCPHS University
State: Massachusetts
Job Placement: 94.54%
Also tied for sixth-best college for jobs, MCPHS University just wants to see its students go the distance. You’ll have job opportunities after job opportunities to think about with a degree from MCPHS. Especially since the school has a 94.54% job placement rate.
9. Winona State University
State: Minnesota
Job Placement: 94.50%
The ninth college we’ll mention here is Winona State University, located in Minnesota. This is the place to be if you want to obtain a job after college. And let’s face it. That’s the main reason to go to college. With the school’s 94.5% job placement rate, you’ll have a job in no time.
10. SUNY Cortland
State: New York
Job Placement: 94.44%
Job prospects are sunny at SUNY Cortland. The New York school rounds off our top 10 schools list with its 94.44% job placement rate. Say hello to your future.
Summary of the Best Mid-Sized Colleges
Aside from all being mid-sized colleges, these schools truly offer students the best opportunity possible: Job Placement. These 10 schools have the highest job placement rates in the country. The table below shows the rest of the colleges that aren’t far behind.
| State | Institution | Job Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Quinnipiac University | 96.10% |
| Connecticut | Fairfield University | 95.56% |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | 95.32% |
| Massachusetts | Bentley University | 94.81% |
| Massachusetts | Merrimack College | 94.55% |
| Nebraska | Creighton University | 94.54% |
| North Carolina | Elon University | 94.54% |
| Massachusetts | MCPHS University | 94.54% |
| Minnesota | Winona State University | 94.50% |
| New York | SUNY Cortland | 94.44% |
| Indiana | Butler University | 94.32% |
| New York | Ithaca College | 94.30% |
| Missouri | Truman State University | 94.30% |
| New Jersey | The College of New Jersey | 94.26% |
| Pennsylvania | University of Scranton | 94.21% |
| Maryland | Loyola University Maryland | 94.19% |
| Pennsylvania | Lehigh University | 94.15% |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin-Stout | 94.13% |
| Pennsylvania | Duquesne University | 94.12% |
| Connecticut | University of New Haven | 94.11% |
| Massachusetts | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 94.03% |
| Connecticut | Sacred Heart University | 93.91% |
| New York | SUNY Oneonta | 93.81% |
| Illinois | Bradley University | 93.79% |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | 93.74% |
| Pennsylvania | Saint Joseph’s University | 93.73% |
| Maine | University of New England | 93.65% |
| Minnesota | Southwest Minnesota State University | 93.61% |
| Massachusetts | Westfield State University | 93.61% |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 93.56% |
| Illinois | Eastern Illinois University | 93.52% |
| New York | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 93.52% |
| Pennsylvania | Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 93.52% |
| Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | 93.50% |
| Ohio | Xavier University | 93.44% |
| Pennsylvania | Thomas Jefferson University | 93.42% |
| Maryland | Salisbury University | 93.40% |
| New York | SUNY College at Geneseo | 93.34% |
| Minnesota | University of St Thomas | 93.27% |
| Nebraska | University of Nebraska at Kearney | 93.25% |
| Pennsylvania | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | 93.16% |
| Texas | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center | 93.16% |
| Pennsylvania | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | 93.13% |
| New Jersey | Ramapo College of New Jersey | 93.10% |
| Connecticut | University of Hartford | 93.02% |
| Michigan | Michigan Technological University | 93.00% |
| Massachusetts | Fitchburg State University | 92.99% |
| Massachusetts | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 92.83% |
| New York | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 92.78% |
| California | University of the Pacific | 92.75% |
| North Carolina | Wake Forest University | 92.73% |
| Illinois | Lewis University | 92.71% |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island College | 92.66% |
| Illinois | Western Illinois University | 92.51% |
| Minnesota | Minnesota State University Moorhead | 92.49% |
| Texas | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | 92.46% |
| Pennsylvania | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 92.38% |
| Missouri | Northwest Missouri State University | 92.37% |
| New York | SUNY College at Brockport | 92.18% |
| Florida | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | 92.13% |
| South Dakota | University of South Dakota | 92.12% |
| Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | 92.06% |
| Minnesota | Concordia University-Saint Paul | 92.04% |
| California | Loyola Marymount University | 92.04% |
| Pennsylvania | Millersville University of Pennsylvania | 92.02% |
| New Jersey | Stevens Institute of Technology | 92.00% |
| Missouri | Missouri University of Science and Technology | 91.99% |
| Colorado | Colorado School of Mines | 91.91% |
| Georgia | Augusta University | 91.88% |
| Virginia | William Mary | 91.87% |
| New York | Adelphi University | 91.84% |
| New Jersey | Monmouth University | 91.83% |
| New York | Molloy College | 91.81% |
| California | Santa Clara University | 91.79% |
| Louisiana | Southern University and A M College | 91.77% |
| Washington | Gonzaga University | 91.73% |
| Tennessee | Belmont University | 91.69% |
| New York | SUNY College at Oswego | 91.65% |
| Connecticut | Western Connecticut State University | 91.62% |
| New Jersey | Rutgers University-Camden | 91.58% |
| Minnesota | Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota | 91.57% |
| Ohio | Ashland University | 91.50% |
| New York | SUNY Buffalo State | 91.50% |
| Connecticut | Southern Connecticut State University | 91.45% |
| Maryland | Frostburg State University | 91.40% |
| Massachusetts | Salem State University | 91.39% |
| Texas | Texas A M International University | 91.33% |
| Illinois | Aurora University | 91.30% |
| Massachusetts | Framingham State University | 91.27% |
| Washington, D.C. | The Catholic University of America | 91.27% |
| Missouri | Lindenwood University | 91.25% |
| New York | Marist College | 91.25% |
| Michigan | Saginaw Valley State University | 91.21% |
| Maryland | Bowie State University | 91.19% |
| Massachusetts | Simmons University | 91.17% |
| Virginia | Norfolk State University | 91.16% |
| New Jersey | Stockton University | 91.15% |
| Wisconsin | Concordia University-Wisconsin | 91.10% |
| Washington, D.C. | Howard University | 90.98% |
Author
Amanda Postma is a writer for the Zippia Career Advice blog with a focus on creating entertaining content to help you through your job search. She received her BA from the University Of Missouri-Columbia.
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