Colleges with the Highest Graduate Salaries in 2019 - Part II: Public Universities

While the Ivy Leagues, Stanford, MIT, UChicago, Duke and other top private schools have a reputation for reaping high returns in graduate salaries, top US public universities also have a high return on investment for their students post graduation day.

Following on from our Part 1 in this two part series - which reported the Top 5 private universities recording the highest median graduate salaries, comes the below list of public universities which see the best graduation returns (as reported recently by CNBC).

Referred to as a ‘return on investment’ or ROI, many students and parents are viewing a world class college education as exactly that - an ‘investment’ in their child’s future of top job opportunities and professional and personal fulfillment.

Here are the 5 US public universities reporting the highest returns for their students after graduation.

1. University of Washington, Seattle

Location: Seattle, Washington

Accepting approximately 7,400 undergraduate freshman per year, the University of Washington, Seattle, is the flagship school of the University of Washington school system. The UW is one of the world’s preeminent public universities and was recently ranked No. 14 in the world on the 2018 Academic Ranking of World Universities. With over 180 majors to choose from - the university and is known for its computer science and engineering programs.

• Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $59,900
• Median salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $111,800
• Salary average, early and mid career: $85,850

If you would like to understand how likely you are to get into the University of Washington based on your current scores, use our US College Admissions Calculator

2. University of Washington, Bothell

Location: Bothell, Washington

Also a member of the University of Washington school system, the University of Washington, Bothell, is a public university that offers roughly 55 degree programs and enrolls just 5,411 undergraduate students. It’s major schools include a school of business, educational studies, interdisciplinary arts and sciences, STEM and nursing.

• Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $58,200
• Median salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $104,100
• Salary average, early and mid career: $81,150

If you would like to understand how likely you are to get into the University of Washington based on your current scores, use our US College Admissions Calculator

3. Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Location: Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

For over 100 years, Massachusetts Maritime Academy has been preparing young women and men for rewarding careers on land and sea! As the nation's leading co-ed maritime college, MMA challenges students to succeed by balancing a unique regimented lifestyle with a typical four-year college environment. The Academy offers bachelor’s and master’s of science degrees in marine engineering fields, with many. MMA students choose to volunteer for military service. MMA enrols approximately 1,000 undergraduates with their median future salaries estimated as follows:

• Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $67,200
• Median salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $114,600
• Salary average, early and mid career: $90,900

If you would like to understand how likely you are to get into the Massachusetts Maritime Academy based on your current scores, use our US College Admissions Calculator

4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ranked No 1 by Forbes as the US’s best college town, Ann Arbor plays home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor that also ranks 21 on QS's World University rankings. The public university offers 263 degree programs, enrolls 29,026 undergraduate students and is known for its top academic reputation and strong athletics program.

• Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $62,000
• Median salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $107,900
• Salary average, early and mid career: $84,950

If you would like to understand how likely you are to get into the University of Michigan based on your current scores, use our US College Admissions Calculator

5. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology, often referred to as “Georgia Tech,” is a public research university located in Atlanta, with a world-class reputation for STEM study. The school offers technology-focused education to more than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six colleges and 28 schools focusing on business, computing, design, engineering, the liberal arts and sciences.

• Median salary for alumni with 0-5 years of experience: $70,800
• Median salary for alumni with 10+ years of experience: $131,900
• Salary average, early and mid career: $101,350

If you would like to understand how likely you are to get into Georgia Institute of Technology based on your current scores, use our US College Admissions Calculator