Find a Job You Really Want In
As graduates step into the workforce in 2026, the pursuit of high-paying jobs remains a key focus for many. Understanding which colleges produce the highest-earning graduates can significantly influence career decisions, especially as student loan repayment continues to be a pressing concern.
To assist in this important evaluation, Zippia has compiled an updated list highlighting the top institution in each state based on the average earnings of graduates ten years after enrollment. Our data is sourced from the College Scorecard, which has recently refreshed its dataset. For historical context, you can also explore our previous lists of colleges with the highest earning graduates for 2018 and 2017.
Below, you’ll find a table of the highest earners in each state, but first, here are the colleges that lead in graduate earnings:
- New York – SUNY Downstate Medical Center
- Massachusetts – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- California – Stanford University
- Texas – The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
- Pennsylvania – University of Pennsylvania
- Illinois – Rush University
- Connecticut – Yale University
- Louisiana – Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport
- New Jersey – Princeton University
- Oregon – Oregon Health & Science University
Using data from the Department of Education College Scorecard, we identified the college in each state with the highest average earnings for graduates ten years post-enrollment. The dataset was confined to accredited, non-profit institutions primarily focused on undergraduate education.
We then ranked all colleges across the country from highest to lowest average salary based on the available data. Ultimately, we selected the institution with the highest earning graduates in each state, which is detailed below along with their average earnings.
That’s it for the overview! Now, let’s check out the complete list.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
