Best Schools for Public Policy Analysis

Top colleges ranked by median earnings 2 years after graduation.

35
Schools
$39,377
Avg. Earnings
1,226
Graduates
#1
P

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ · Private

$62,012
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $50,510
Graduates: 48
Acceptance: 4.5%
#2
D

Duke University

Durham, NC · Private

$60,106
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $51,435
Graduates: 116
Acceptance: 6.8%
#3
C

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private

$57,318
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $65,965
Graduates: 49
Acceptance: 8.2%
#4
V

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN · Private

$57,318
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,717
Graduates: 20
Acceptance: 6.3%
#5
R

Rice University

Houston, TX · Private

$55,512
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 7.9%
#6
D

Dickinson College

Carlisle, PA · Private

$55,338
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $50,129
Graduates: 17
Acceptance: 43.1%
#7
U

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private

$52,663
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $51,165
Graduates: 90
Acceptance: 4.8%
#8
H

Hamilton College

Clinton, NY · Private

$50,856
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 11.8%
#9
T

Trinity College

Hartford, CT · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $50,564
Graduates: 25
Acceptance: 33.5%
#10
M

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$46,478
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,690
Graduates: 17
Acceptance: 68.7%
#11
S

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX · Private

$45,852
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $26,063
Graduates: 20
Acceptance: 61.2%
#12
H

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Geneva, NY · Private

$44,942
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 57.3%
#13
U

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

$44,384
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $44,429
Graduates: 55
Acceptance: 17.9%
#14
V

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Public

$43,575
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 57.0%
#15
W

Washington State University

Pullman, WA · Public

$42,682
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $39,057
Graduates: 18
Acceptance: 85.4%
#16
S

St. Mary's College of Maryland

St. Mary's City, MD · Public

$39,648
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 75.4%
#17
W

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA · Public

$39,153
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,566
Graduates: 27
Acceptance: 32.7%
#18
N

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $40,701
Graduates: 23
Acceptance: 7.1%
#19
M

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $34,123
Graduates: 16
Acceptance: 83.9%
#20
U

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $39,751
Graduates: 157
Acceptance: 18.7%
#21
U

University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI · Public

$36,668
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $22,911
Graduates: 32
Acceptance: 77.1%
#22
A

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

$36,560
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,079
Graduates: 89
Acceptance: 90.2%
#23
A

Arizona State University Digital Immersion

Scottsdale, AZ · Public

$36,560
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,079
Graduates: 89
Acceptance: 64.1%
#24
U

University of Mississippi

University, MS · Public

$35,416
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 97.8%
#25
G

Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA · Public

$33,138
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $34,007
Graduates: 67
Acceptance: 62.3%
#26
B

Brandeis University

Waltham, MA · Private

$33,138
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $40,376
Graduates: 93
Acceptance: 35.3%
#27
P

Pomona College

Claremont, CA · Private

$29,685
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 6.8%
#28
U

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA · Public

$27,181
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $28,053
Graduates: 37
Acceptance: 63.3%
#29
T

The University of Texas at Dallas

Richardson, TX · Public

$24,421
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $41,618
Graduates: 16
Acceptance: 65.5%
#30
R

Regent University

Virginia Beach, VA · Private

$23,351
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 41.2%
#31
U

University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT · Public

$20,140
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,200
Graduates: 21
Acceptance: 53.9%
#32
U

University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus

Waterbury, CT · Public

$20,140
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,200
Graduates: 21
Acceptance: 87.0%
#33
U

University of Connecticut-Avery Point

Groton, CT · Public

$20,140
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,200
Graduates: 21
Acceptance: 86.5%
#34
U

University of Connecticut-Stamford

Stamford, CT · Public

$20,140
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,200
Graduates: 21
Acceptance: 80.2%
#35
U

University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus

Hartford, CT · Public

$20,140
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $25,200
Graduates: 21
Acceptance: 86.5%

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard - earnings data for graduates with this field of study.

Earnings: Median earnings 2 years after graduation for students who completed this major.

College logos from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA).