United States

50 US Colleges That Pay Off the Most: These New England Schools Made the List

Harvard, Dartmouth and MIT were among the local institutions that made CNBC's list

College is an increasingly expensive proposition, which makes it all the more critical that students paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for their education are able to recoup that cost once they enter the workplace.

CNBC took a look at which colleges and universities have the best return on investment. They analyzed the overall cost and the average salaries of recent graduates to come up with a list of the top 50 U.S. colleges that provide students with the highest average salaries for their tuition dollars.

Not surprisingly, New England colleges were heavily represented on the list, with 11 local institutions featured among the top 50. Here's a quick look at the local schools that made the list:

TOP PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES:

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Average net cost (income $48,001-$75,000): $6,577

Salary average, early and mid-career: $107,600

6. Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

Average net cost: $6,551

Salary average, early and mid-career: $101,850

8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Average net cost: $8,633

Salary average, early and mid-career: $117,000

13. Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire

Average net cost: $10,048

Salary average, early and mid-career: $103,200

14. Olin College of Engineering

Needham, Massachusetts

Average net cost: $10,706

Salary average, early and mid-career: $108,050

16. Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Average net cost: $10,448

Salary average, early and mid-career: $99,750

18. Bowdoin College

Brunswick, Maine

Average net cost: $11,057

Salary average, early and mid-career: $87,850

20. Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island

Average net cost: $12,697

Salary average, early and mid-career: $98,500

24. Bates College

Lewiston, Maine

Average net cost: $12,108

Salary average, early and mid-career: $88,900

25. Wesleyan University

Middletown, Connecticut

Average net cost: $11,996

Salary average, early and mid-career: $87,000

TOP PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES:

3. Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Average net cost: $10,235

Salary average, early and mid-career: $90,900

Contact Us