50 Best Colleges for Communications – 2024

Academic Highlights: Northwestern is home to six undergraduate schools, including Medill, which is widely regarded as one of the country’s best journalism schools. The McCormick School of Engineering also achieves top rankings, along with programs in economics, social policy, and theatre. The social sciences account for the greatest number of degrees conferred (19%), followed by communications/journalism (13%), and engineering (11%). 45% of classes have nine or fewer students enrolled; 78% have fewer than twenty enrollees. 57% of recent grads had the chance to conduct undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 69% of the Class of 2022 had found employment and 27% were in graduate school. The four most popular professional fields were consulting (18%), engineering (18%), business/finance (16%), and communications/marketing/media (13%). Employers included the BBC, NBC News, The Washington Post, NPR, Boeing, Google, IBM, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Northrop Grumman, and Goldman Sachs. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $73k. Of those headed straight to graduate school, engineering, medicine, and business were the three most popular areas of concentration.

Academic Highlights: There are 140 undergraduate majors and minors within the Dornsife College of Arts & Sciences alone, the university’s oldest and largest school. The Marshall School of Business, Viterbi School of Engineering, and programs in communication, the cinematic arts, and the performing arts are highly acclaimed. Popular areas of study are business (22%), social sciences (11%), visual and performing arts (11%), communications/journalism (9%), and engineering (8%). Most courses enroll 10-19 students, and USC does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The top five industries entered were finance, consulting, advertising, software development, and engineering; the median salary across all majors is an astounding $79k. Presently, between 300 and 1,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, and Meta. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2022 USC grads include NYU, Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, Pepperdine, and UCLA.

Academic Highlights: 90 distinct degrees are available across four schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Applied Science and Engineering, the College of Nursing, and the world-renowned Wharton School. The greatest number of students pursue degrees in business (19%), social sciences (14%), biology (11%), health sciences (9%), engineering (9%), and computer science (9%). The university boasts an exceptional 26% of courses with an enrollment under ten and 59% with an enrollment under twenty as well as multiple ways for undergrads to conduct research.

Professional Outcomes: 75% of Class of 2022 grads were employed within six months of graduating, and 18% were in graduate school. Finance attracted the highest percentage of grads (30%) followed by consulting (20%), technology (15%), and healthcare (10%). Employers hiring the greatest number of 2022 grads included JPMorgan, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey, Bain & Company, Meta, and Goldman Sachs. The median starting salary for all graduates is $80,000. For those continuing their educational journeys, the most popular move is to remain at Penn, followed by Columbia and Harvard.

Academic Highlights: In total, the university offers more than 300 programs of study, 100+ of which are distinct undergraduate degrees spread across ten schools/colleges. Many classes at BU are reasonably small—60% contain fewer than twenty students; only 19% contain more than forty. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in social sciences (16%), business/marketing (15%), communications and journalism (15%), biology (11%), engineering (9%), and health professions/related sciences (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 90% of BU grads have found their way into the world of employment or full-time graduate study. Across all graduating years, companies employing more than 350 BU alums include Google, Oracle, Accenture, IBM, and Amazon Web Services. Of the one-quarter of grads who move directly into graduate school, many are welcomed onto the campuses of elite graduate programs. For example, engineering students found new academic homes at MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, and Columbia.

Academic Highlights: UT Austin offers over 150 majors, including those at the Cockrell School of Engineering, one of the most heralded undergraduate engineering schools around, and The McCombs School of Business, which dominates in the specialty areas of accounting and marketing. The computer science department is also top-ranked. In terms of degrees conferred, engineering is tied with biology (12%) followed by communication (11%), business (11%), and the social sciences (8%). The elite Plan II Honors Program is one of the best in the country.

Professional Outcomes: Within the College of Liberal Arts, six months after graduating, 68% of Longhorns are employed and 24% have entered graduate school. The for-profit sector attracts 65% of those employed while 19% enter public sector employment and 16% pursue jobs at a nonprofit. Major corporations that employ more than 500 UT Austin grads include Google, Meta, Oracle, Microsoft, IBM, and Apple. Engineering majors took home a median income of $79k and business majors took home $70k.

Academic Highlights: Stanford has three undergraduate schools: the School of Humanities & Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences. 69% of classes have fewer than twenty students, and 34% have a single-digit enrollment. Programs in engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, international relations, and economics are arguably the best anywhere. In terms of sheer volume, the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (17%), computer science (16%), engineering (15%), and interdisciplinary studies (13%).

Professional Outcomes: Stanford grads entering the working world flock to three major industries in equal distribution: business/finance/consulting/retail (19%); computer, IT (19%); and public policy and service, international affairs (19%). Among the companies employing the largest number of recent grads are Accenture, Apple, Bain, Cisco, Meta, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, Microsoft, and SpaceX. Other companies that employ hundreds of Cardinal alums include LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Airbnb. Starting salaries for Stanford grads are among the highest in the country.

Academic Highlights: A diverse array of academic programs includes 80 majors and 120 minors spread across the university’s seven schools/colleges. Classes are a bit larger at Cornell than at many other elite institutions. Still, 55% of sections have fewer than 20 students. Most degrees conferred in 2022 were in computer science (17%), engineering (13%), business (13%), and biology (13%). The SC Johnson College of Business houses two undergraduate schools, both of which have phenomenal reputations.

Professional Outcomes: Breaking down the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest school at Cornell, 68% entered the workforce, 28% entered graduate school, 1% pursued other endeavors such as travel or volunteer work, and the remaining 3% were still seeking employment six months after receiving their diplomas. The top sectors attracting campus-wide graduateswere financial services (18%), technology (17%), consulting (15%), and education (10%). Of the students from A&S going on to graduate school, 15% were pursuing JDs, 5% MDs, and 22% PhDs.

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 74 bachelor’s degree programs in a number of schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Arts & Sciences. 44% of classes have a student enrollment under 20. The social sciences (15%), biology (12%), media/journalism (9%), computer science (8%), and business (6%) are the areas in which the most degrees are conferred. The Kenan-Flager Business School is internationally renowned and requires separate admission. Other strong programs include those in chemistry, journalism, psychology, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Chapel Hill, 97% of 2022 grads had entered employment, military service, or graduate school. Among the for-profit companies that hire the most graduates are Wells Fargo, IBM, Cisco, Deloitte, EY, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs. In the nonprofit sector, a large number of alumni are employed by AmeriCorps, NIH, Teach for America, and the Peace Corps. The average starting salary is $70,619. 18% of 2022 grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school.

Academic Highlights: All freshmen enter the Undergraduate College, which offers 45 majors and 60 minors. Sporting a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, classes are kept on the small side with 59% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. 60% of students engage in hands-on research for academic credit. Wake Forest is strong across myriad disciplines, most notably chemistry, communication, accounting, finance, and international affairs. The most frequently conferred degrees are in business (22%), the social sciences (20%), journalism (8%), and biology (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 97% of the Class of 2022 had found their next destination, with 71% starting their first professional job and 26% matriculating into a graduate program. Management/consulting, investment banking, and healthcare were the top three industries. Employers landing the highest numbers of alumni included national and multinational corporations IBM, Siemens, Volvo, Goldman Sachs, Disney, Deloitte, Dell, Gucci, PepsiCo, EY, and Nike. By the start of mid-career, Wake Forest alumni earn the second-highest median salary of any school in North Carolina.

Academic Highlights: There are 90 undergraduate majors across three schools: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Engineering, and the College of Creative Studies. The social sciences are the most popular area of study, accounting for 27% of the total degrees conferred. Biology (10%), math (9%), and psychology (9%) are next in popularity. The school has highly regarded programs in communication, computer science, engineering, physics, environmental science, and the performing arts. More than half of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 72% enroll 29 or fewer.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of earning their diplomas, 84% of grads had found employment. The most popular industries were science/research (16%), engineering/computer programming (14%), business (13%), finance/accounting (11%), and sales (10%). Top employers of recent grads include Google, EY, KPMG, Oracle, Amazon, IBM, and Adobe. Many alumni also can be found at Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Two years after graduating, UCSB alumni make an average salary of $55k; more than half make $100k by mid-career.

Academic Highlights: UCLA offers 125 majors in 100+ academic departments, and more than 60 majors require a capstone experience that results in the creation of a tangible product under the mentorship of faculty members. The most commonly conferred degrees are in the social sciences (25%), biology (16%), psychology (11%), mathematics (8%), and engineering (7%). Departmental rankings are high across the board, especially in computer science, engineering, film, fine and performing arts, mathematics, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: UCLA grads flow most heavily into the research, finance, computer science, and engineering sectors. High numbers of recent grads can be found at Disney, Google, EY, Teach for America, Amazon, and Oracle. Hundreds also can be found at Bloomberg, Deloitte, Mattel, Oracle, and SpaceX. The average starting salary exceeds $55,000. 16% of recent grads enrolled directly in a graduate/professional school, with other CA-based institutions like Stanford, Pepperdine, USC, Berkeley, and Loyola Marymount being the most popular.

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) enrolls the majority of students. The Ross School of Business offers highly rated programs in entrepreneurship, management, accounting, and finance. The College of Engineering is also one of the best in the country. By degrees conferred, engineering (15%), computer science (14%), and the social sciences (11%) are most popular. A solid 56% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school, with healthcare, education, law, banking, research, nonprofit work, and consulting being the most popular sectors. Within three months, 99% of Ross grads are employed with a median salary of $90k. Top employers include Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, EY, Morgan Stanley, PwC, Deloitte, and Amazon.  Within six months, 96% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $84k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta employ the greatest number of alumni.

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can select from 100+ majors across twelve colleges. 18% of degrees are conferred in computer science, followed by the social sciences (13%), with  criminology, government and politics, and economics being the most popular majors.  Engineering (13%), business (11%), and biology (8%) are next in line. The School of Business, the School of Engineering, and the College of Journalism are all top-ranked, as are programs in computer science and criminology. 46% of sections enroll fewer than twenty students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 96% of Class of 2022 grads had positive outcomes. 67% found employment; the companies/organizations that hired the greatest number of grads included Northrop Grumman, Deloitte, Amazon, and EY. Meta, Apple, and Google employ more than 200 alumni each.  The mid-50% salary range for 2022 grads was $55k-$83k. 21% of the Class of 2022 headed directly to graduate and professional school; 11% entered doctoral programs, 5% entered medical school, and 5% entered law school.

Academic Highlights: The college offers roughly 60 majors across four schools that award undergraduate degrees. Approximately half of the college’s sections contain nineteen or fewer students. 95% of graduates reported learning how to think critically at BC, and 93% said they learned how to write clearly and effectively. BC offers highly respected programs in communications, psychology, and business through the renowned Carroll School of Management. Other popular and well-regarded majors include economics, biology, and chemistry.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 96% of the Class of 2022 had landed at their next destination. The most favored industries were financial services and real estate (26%), health care/science (20%), and business/consulting (16%). The median starting salary for a 2022 BC grad was $67,000. Eighteen percent of the Class of 2022 entered graduate schools including Brown, Columbia, the University of Chicago, and Yale. Examining the Class of 2022 data, 16% entered law school, and 14% pursued some other type of doctoral degree.

Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, including the top-ranked School of Business and College of Engineering as well as the College of Letters and Science, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Schools of Nursing, Education, Pharmacy, and Human Ecology. Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 44% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Business (18%), biology (12%), the social sciences (11%), and engineering (10%) are most popular.

Professional Outcomes: In a recent year, 46% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.  Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, Kohl’s, Oracle, Deloitte, and UW Health. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Target, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, PwC, Accenture, and Meta. 28% of recent grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school; the majority stayed at UW–Madison while others headed to Columbia, Northwestern, and Carnegie Mellon. The university is the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

Academic Highlights: Four of Vandy’s ten schools cater to undergrads: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Blair School of Music, the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and the School of Engineering. In the 2022-23 school year, 87% of course sections contained 19 or fewer students. Of the 70 undergraduate majors, economics, politics and government, and neuroscience are the most popular. The School of Engineering has a strong national reputation as do offerings in biology, economics, education, and music.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 96% of the Class of 2021 were employed or in graduate school. The most commonly entered industry was finance followed by technology, consulting, education, and engineering. Alumni can be found in droves at Capital One, Goldman Sachs, Bain & Company, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and Meta. Among 2022 alumni who directly pursued advanced degrees, the majority enrolled at Vanderbilt followed by Columbia, Harvard, Penn, NYU, and Northwestern.

Academic Highlights: There are 140+ undergraduate majors offered at UCSD, and all students join one of eight undergraduate colleges meant to forge flourishing communities within the larger university. Biology has the highest representation of all majors (19%) followed by engineering (12%), the social sciences (11%), and computer science (9%). UCSD’s computer science and engineering programs have stellar reputations in the corporate and tech communities, and programs in biology, economics, and political science are among the best anywhere.

Professional Outcomes: Employers of recent graduates included the Walt Disney Company, Tesla, NBC Universal, PwC, Northrop Grumman, and EY. More than 1,000 current Google employees are UC San Diego alumni, and Qualcomm, Amazon, and Apple all employ 500+ each. The median early career salary is $65,000 across all majors, placing the university in the top 10 public universities in the country. UCSD also fares well in measures of its return-on-investment potential.

Academic Highlights: Northeastern offers 290 majors and 180 combined majors within nine colleges and programs. Experiential learning is had by virtually all graduates, thanks to the school’s illustrious and robust co-op program. The D’Amore-McKim School of Business is a top-ranked school and offers one of the best international business programs anywhere, and both the College of Engineering and College of Computer Science are highly respected as well. Criminal justice, architecture, and nursing are three other majors that rate near the top nationally.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after leaving Northeastern, 97% of students have landed at their next employment or graduate school destination. Huskies entering the job market are quickly rounded up by the likes of State Street, Fidelity Investments, IBM, and Amazon, all of whom employ 500+ Northeastern alums. Between 200 and 500 employees at Wayfair, Google, Amazon, Oracle, IBM, and Apple have an NU lineage. Starting salaries are above average (55% make more than $60k), in part due to the stellar co-op program.

Academic Highlights: There are 200+ undergraduate majors and 18 schools and colleges housed within OSU. Business sees the greatest percentage of degrees conferred at 18% followed by engineering (15%), health professions (10%), and the social sciences (9%). It makes sense that so many flock to the business and engineering schools as they are among the highest-rated undergraduate programs in their respective disciplines. 40% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and approximately 20% of students gain research experience.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their diplomas, 56% of Class of 2022 graduates were entering the world of employment while 17% were already accepted into graduate or professional school.  Hordes of Buckeyes can be found at many of the nation’s leading companies. More than 2,000 alumni work for JPMorgan Chase, more than 1,000 are employed by Amazon, and more than 600 work for Google and Microsoft. Of the grads who directly matriculate into graduate or professional school, many continue in one of OSU’s own programs.

Academic Highlights: Students can pursue 50 degrees offered by three undergraduate colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the highly respected School of Engineering, and the Leavey School of Business, which offers top-rated management information systems, accounting, and entrepreneurship degree programs. 44% of course sections contain fewer than 20 students, and undergraduate research is built into many academic programs. The most commonly conferred degrees are in business (31%), engineering (15%), and the social sciences (13%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of receiving their degrees, 91% of Broncos have landed jobs, started graduate school, or committed to a full-time service program. Of those employed, the most commonly entered industries are business development, engineering, education, entrepreneurship, and sales. The companies presently employing the greatest number of alumni are all tech giants including Cisco, Apple, Google, Oracle, Meta, and Adobe. The median starting salary is $67,000 with engineering majors enjoying the highest compensation ($83k).

Academic Highlights: Students can choose one of 55+ programs within four schools: the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, and the College of Nursing. The university sports a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and offers average undergraduate classes of twenty-three students. Business is the most popular major (30%) followed by the social sciences (13%), engineering (12%), and nursing (10%). Villanova’s business, accounting, and engineering programs are among the school’s top-rated programs.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, Class of 2022 graduates had a placement rate of 99% with 74% entering the workforce and 21% matriculating into graduate or professional school. The most popular employers are Vanguard, Verizon, PwC, JPMorgan Chase, Merck, Comcast, EY, Deloitte, and Morgan Stanley. The average starting salary was $71,363. Recent grads went on to study at graduate institutions like Dartmouth, Stanford, Notre Dame, Harvard, Tufts, Columbia, and Penn.

Academic Highlights: In total, 200+ majors and 100+ minors are spread across ten undergraduate schools/colleges. The School of Architecture, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and the Newhouse School of Public Communication are all revered names that carry a good deal of weight in their respective fields. The most popular majors include communication/journalism (15%), the social sciences (14%), and business (12%). Despite Syracuse’s size, class sizes are kept reasonably low; 63% contain 20 students or fewer.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after exiting the Carrier Dome for the final time in 2022, 59% of Orangemen and women found employment (92% related to their career goals) and 21% continued to graduate school. The companies employing the most ‘Cuse grads include major media/entertainment management companies like Conde Nast, Bloomberg, and Creative Artists Agency as well as big-name corporations like GE, KPMG, EY, Lockheed Martin, and Morgan Stanley. The average starting salary for 2022 grads was a solid $63k.

Academic Highlights: Tulane offers 75 majors within five colleges, with the A.B. Freeman School of Business and programs in architecture, biology, and neuroscience enjoying strong national reputations. The most degrees are conferred in business/marketing (22%), the social sciences (20%), psychology (9%), biology (8%), and health professions (8%). The average class size is 21 students and a solid 21% of courses have single-digit enrollments, providing a seminar-style environment. The majority of undergraduate courses are taught by full-time professors.

Professional Outcomes: Over three-fifths of Tulane grads find employment within six months of graduation. The most popular occupations were financial analyst, management analyst, marketing specialist, and postsecondary teacher. Significant numbers of alumni can be found working in the Louisiana-based Ochsner Health System or at corporations such as Shell, EY, Google, PwC, IBM, Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, and Accenture. 35% of grads eventually enroll in graduate or professional school—the most common destinations are Tulane itself, Louisiana State University, Boston University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Academic Highlights: The university offers more than seventy majors, minors, and pre-professional programs. Fordham’s 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to an average class size of 23 students. Some classes will be on the smaller side as 52% of sections contain nineteen or fewer students. Gabelli is a top-rated business program with standout programs in international business and finance and serves as a pipeline to many large firms. Other popular areas of study include communications (10%), visual and performing arts (7%), psychology (6%), and biology (5%).

Professional Outcomes: Class of 2022 graduates found employment, graduate school, or other meaningful activities at a 96% clip within six months of receiving their degrees. Nearly two-thirds of this group landed employment and enjoyed an average salary of $70,000. Significant numbers of 2022 grads found homes at major companies including PwC (36), Ernst & Young (29), KMPG (24), Morgan Stanley (22), and Deloitte (21). The greatest number of recent graduates pursuing an advanced degree landed at Fordham, NYU, and Columbia.

Academic Highlights: UGA boasts seventeen distinct colleges and schools that offer 125+ majors. Business is the most commonly conferred undergrad degree, accounting for 29% of diplomas earned. It is followed by biology (10%), social sciences (8%), communication & journalism (8%), and psychology (7%). Top-ranked programs include animal science, business, communications, and public and international affairs. 49% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and no matter your major, UGA encourages you to conduct research with a member of the school’s faculty.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of the Class of 2022 was employed or continuing their education six months after graduation. Popular employers include Accenture, PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Walt Disney Company, and Deloitte. Salaries vary between colleges; engineering grads had a median starting salary of $65k while journalism and communication grads reported a $50k median. In 2022, 24% of graduates enrolled directly into a graduate/professional degree program, with the most commonly attended schools including Columbia, Duke, Emory, Georgia Tech, Penn, and UVA.

Academic Highlights: Penn State offers 275 majors and a number of top-ranked programs in a host of disciplines. The College of Engineering is rated exceptionally well on a national scale and is also the most popular field of study, accounting for 15% of the degrees conferred. The Smeal College of Business is equally well-regarded, earning high rankings in everything from supply chain management to accounting to marketing. It attracts 15% of total degree-seekers. 61% of classes have an enrollment below thirty students.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation, 70% of Nittany Lions have found their next employment or graduate school home. 98% of College of Business grads are successful within three months of exiting, flocking in large numbers to stellar finance, accounting, consulting, and technology firms. Hundreds of alumni work at Citi, Salesforce, and Meta, and more than 500 currently work at each of IBM, Deloitte, PwC, Amazon, EY, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Google, and Oracle. 75% of 2022 grads employed full-time earned starting salaries greater than $50k.

Academic Highlights: With 16 colleges and 100 undergraduate majors to choose from, educational experiences are exceptionally diverse. The Warrington College of Business and the Wertheim College of Engineering are highly respected, so it’s no surprise that those two programs confer the greatest percentage of degrees—12% and 14%, respectively. Biology (11%), the social sciences (11%), and health professions (8%) are next in popularity. 53% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and 33% of students partake in an undergraduate research experience.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation day, 66% of the Class of 2022 had already procured a first job. The top occupational areas were engineering (13%), health care (13%), computer science (5%), and marketing (4%). 200+ Gator alumni can be found at top corporations like Google, EY, Raymond James, Deloitte, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and PwC. The average salary for all 2022 grads was $69k, with a high of $100k for computer science majors. Of those pursuing advanced degrees, a master’s degree was the most popular pursuit (63%) followed by law school (11%).

Academic Highlights: 180+ undergraduate majors are offered across thirteen colleges/schools. Personal connections with professors abound as 55% of grads complete a faculty-mentored research project. The College of Engineering, which includes the College of Computer Science & Engineering, is one of the best in the nation; UW also boasts strong programs in everything from business to social work to environmental science. The most popular degrees are the social sciences (13%), biology (12%), computer science (11%), and business (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within months of graduation, 73% of Class of 2022 grads were employed and 17% were continuing their education. The most popular employers of the Class of 2022 included Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, and KPMG. Across all living alumni, 6,000+ work for Microsoft, and 4000+ work for each of Boeing and Amazon. Of those headed to graduate/professional school, just over half remain in state, mostly at UW itself. Large numbers of 2022 grads also headed to Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and USC.

Academic Highlights: GW undergraduates choose from 75+ majors spread across nine colleges. The school’s 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio translates to a mix of small, medium, and large undergraduate sections. Twelve percent of courses have single-digit enrollments, 10% have over 50 students, and the majority fall in the 10 to 29 range. The social sciences (31%) are the area in which the greatest number of degrees are awarded followed by health professions (17%), business (15%), biology (5%), and computer science (5%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving GW, 96% of the Class of 2022 had found their way to gainful employment or graduate school while 4% were still job hunting. Of the 68% of grads already in the workplace, 68% were in a for-profit industry, 25% had entered a nonprofit position, and 8% were working in government. A healthy 27% of those earning their diplomas in 2022 immediately turned their attention to earning an advanced degree. Among that group were 76% seeking master’s degrees, 11% entering law school, 5% pursuing a medical degree, and 3% entering a doctoral program.

Academic Highlights: This highly regarded state institution boasts over 200 programs—undergraduate, graduate, and professional—across 17 degree-granting colleges. A 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio rates in the average range for public universities of MSU’s size and scope. Class sizes are a genuine mix of small seminars and giant lecture halls. 16% of the degrees conferred in 2022 were in the business/marketing category. The next most common degrees were earned in communication/journalism (12%), engineering (11%), and the social sciences (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within months of strutting across the graduation stage, 56% of Class of 2022 members had landed full-time employment, 27% were pursuing advanced degrees, and 6% were still looking for a job. The top employers of this group included big names like General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Deloitte, Epic Systems, Target, PepsiCo, and Microsoft. The median starting salary earned was $60,000. Among the grads schools favored by recent alumni are the University of Michigan, New York University, Columbia University, and Boston University.

Academic Highlights: IU offers 200+ majors. The university’s 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio is not bad for a school of Indiana’s size, and it does make an effort to keep undergraduate classes on the small side. While there are a number of introductory courses that transpire in giant lecture halls, 37% of all sections contain no more than 19 students. Business/marketing is the most popular major accounting for 30% of the total degrees conferred and biology is second at 9%. IU’s computer science degree program is the school’s third most frequently conferred degree at 8%.

Professional Outcomes: Class of 2022 grads reached their next employment or graduate school destination at a 94% rate within six months of receiving their degrees. The median starting salary for A&S grads was $41,000. In the Kelley School of Business, 97% were placed successfully within six months, and the median starting salary was $67,000. Among the most frequently attended graduate schools by recent grads are Indiana Bloomington (including its own law and medical schools), Purdue, Loyola Chicago, Northwestern, and Columbia.

Academic Highlights: Eight of UIUC’s fifteen schools cater to undergraduate students. There are 150 academic programs offered, including those at the acclaimed Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business. In sheer volume of degrees conferred, engineering and business/marketing are tied at 19%, followed by the social sciences (9%) and psychology (6%). 39% of sections are capped at 19 students. 29% of undergraduates work with a faculty member on a research project; another 22% have some type of fieldwork, practicum, or clinical experience.

Professional Outcomes: 95% of the members of the Class of 2022 landed at their next destination within six months of graduation, with 38% matriculating directly into an advanced degree program. 57% were employed full-time; the most popular sectors were finance, consulting, healthcare, electronics, and education. Corporations landing the most recent Illini grads were KPMG, Deloitte, Epic Systems, EY, PwC, and Amazon. The average salary across all Class of 2022 majors was an extremely solid $75,000.

Academic Highlights: There are 60+ undergraduate degrees for students to choose from at AU across six colleges. A low 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio allows 58% of offered courses to be capped at nineteen students; the average undergraduate class size is 23. American’s School of International Service (SIS) is one of the top-ranked programs in the country—its Public Affairs program also receives universally high marks. In terms of sheer popularity, the most commonly conferred degrees are in the social sciences (35%), 17% (business), and journalism (11%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 90% of AU grads have found employment, are enrolled in grad school, or both. Across all graduating years, more than 100 alumni presently work for the US House of Representatives, the US Department of State, Booz Allen Hamilton, Google, EY, IBM, PwC, and Accenture.  Many of the most popular grad school destinations are only a Metro stop away. George Washington, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, and American itself head the list.

Academic Highlights: With its small size, the impressive part of the college is the exceptional quality of its offerings, not the breadth of them, as only 37 majors are available. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, which allows the college to ensure that 62% have fewer than twenty students and 24% have enrollments you can count on two hands. Overall, the average number of students per class is only 18. Top programs at Davidson include psychology, political science, chemistry, and English; biology is also quite popular, accounting for 12% of degrees conferred in 2022.

Professional Outcomes: Looking at the outcomes data for 2022 grads, 70% landed jobs within six months of graduation, 26% were enrolled in a graduate program, and 3% were still seeking employment. Of those who attended grad school, the highest number were in healthcare-related programs (including MDs), law school, and laboratory sciences. Significant numbers of students pursue advanced degrees at other Southern gems including Vanderbilt, Emory, Duke, Wake Forest, and UNC.

Academic Highlights: Boasting a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, face time with your professors is never hard to come by. In fact, 67% of sections contain fewer than 20 students and all students have the opportunity to engage in undergraduate research. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (21%), business (9%), biology (9%), and communication (9%). You won’t find business or engineering among the most popular majors for a very solid reason—the school doesn’t offer them.

Professional Outcomes: After graduating 99% of alumni are currently employed or in graduate school. Ninety-two percent of grads achieve this successful result within six months of leaving the university. More than 25 alums have held jobs at companies such as JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, UBS, PNC, Deloitte, Wells Fargo, IBM, and Microsoft. Within five years of receiving their bachelor’s degree, over three-fifths of Denison alumni have already earned an advanced degree or are presently in a graduate program.

Academic Highlights: Over 100 undergrad programs are offered across nine schools, with the greatest number of degrees conferred in business/marketing (21%), health professions (13%), biology (11%), the social sciences (9%), communication (9%), and engineering (8%). The Miami Business School and the College of Engineering enjoy solid national reputations, and programs in music, marine science, communications, and architecture are also highly ranked. 52% of all course sections contain fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 98% of the Class of 2022 had positive outcomes, with 64% employed full-time and 34% in graduate school. Companies employing 2022 grads included Deloitte, Citrix, NBCUniversal, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Citi, and Morgan Stanley. Across all majors, the median starting salary was an impressive $63k. 100+ Canes also can be found in the offices of Google, IBM, PwC, Apple, and Microsoft. The most frequently attended graduate school is typically Miami itself.

Academic Highlights: UConn is home to fourteen schools and colleges as well as 115+ undergraduate majors. The four most commonly conferred undergraduate degrees are in business (15%), engineering (12%), the social sciences (12%), and health professions/nursing (12%). In terms of prestige and national reputation, programs in business, pharmacy, and nursing carry a good deal of weight. The school also does a nice job of creating a balance of classroom experiences—53% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students and only 18% contain more than fifty.

Professional Outcomes: 90% of the Class of 2022 experienced a positive outcome (job, grad school, military, volunteer position) within six months of earning their degrees. Among the 59% who found employment, the largest numbers landed at Aetna, Cigna, PwC, The Hartford, Travelers, and Raytheon Technologies; the median starting salary was $62,400. Massive numbers of alumni are employed by Pratt & Whitney, Pfizer, IBM, and Deloitte. 30% of 2022 graduates immediately entered a graduate or professional program, with many choosing to stay at UConn.

Academic Highlights: LMU’s 55 majors and 58 minors are taught by faculty heralded for their warmth and accessibility, a sentiment backed by an 11:1 faculty-to-student ratio. Fifty-seven percent of courses enroll 19 or fewer students, and 99% enroll fewer than 39 individuals. The greatest number of degrees conferred in 2022 were in the area of business/marketing (25%), followed by the visual and performing arts (15%), the social sciences (14%), journalism (9%), and psychology (9%).

Professional Outcomes: Just 2% of LMU graduates in 2022 were still looking for work six months after completing their degrees. Seventy-four percent had procured employment, 23% were in graduate school, and 2% were engaged in some type of service program. Companies employing graduates include Northrop Grumman, Google, Netflix, Amazon, NBCUniversal Media, Apple, PwC, Sony Pictures Entertainment, EY, and Salesforce. Recent alumni have gone on to further their education in a range of disciplines at Brown University, Stanford University, NYU, and Georgetown University.

Academic Highlights: At Furman, undergrads have the choice of 70+ academic programs, all in the liberal arts and sciences realm.  A 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and very few graduate students lead to an average class size of just 14 students. One-fifth of sections have only a single-digit enrollment, and 99% of courses enroll fewer than 29. The social sciences are the area in which most degrees are conferred (13%) followed by business (10%), communication/journalism (9%), and biology (8%).

Professional Outcomes: 95% of grads quickly achieved positive outcomes with 49% employed, 35% continuing their education, 4% working and attending graduate school, 3% engaged in volunteer work or joining the military, and only 5% still seeking employment. Companies that employ a large number alums include Wells Fargo, EY, Deloitte, Bank of America, Michelin, and PwC. Among those headed to grad school, 27% were studying in a health-related field, 14% were pursuing a business degree, 13% were in a science and engineering program, and 7% were in law school.

Academic Highlights: The University of Delaware offers 150 bachelor’s degree programs. Nearly one-third of students pursue a degree in either business (21%) or engineering (9%), two of the school’s highest-ranked departments. Nursing is popular, with 11% of degrees conferred being in the health professions. Other frequently pursued majors include the social sciences (10%), biology (7%), and education (5%). 62% of courses enroll fewer than 30 students. The university also has the oldest study abroad program in the nation, with 30% of undergrads participating.

Professional Outcomes: 94% of Class of 2022 grads quickly found their next destination. 66% were employed, with 74% taking jobs at for-profit companies, 16% at nonprofits, 7% in K-12 education, and 4% with a government entity. The greatest number of newly minted alums were hired by JPMorgan Chase & Co., KPMG, EY, ChristianaCare, and Deloitte. The median starting salary for this cohort was $62,000. 28% immediately pursued an advanced degree, with 62% entering master’s programs, 20% entering a professional program, and 9% beginning a PhD.

Academic Highlights: There are 200 total degree programs at the University of Denver, with small class sizes being the norm as 55% of sections contain no more than 19 students, and 80% enroll a maximum of 29 individuals. The Daniels College of Business is highly respected by employers and attracts the greatest number of undergraduates. 32% of the degrees conferred in 2022 were in business/marketing, 16% were in the social sciences, 9% in biology, 9% in psychology, 8% in communication/journalism, and 7% in the visual and performing arts.

Professional Outcomes: 90% of 2022 Pioneer grads successfully entered the world of employment or graduate school within six months of earning their bachelor’s degree. 59% were employed full-time with a mean starting salary of $62k. Top employers included KPMG, Brown Brothers Harriman, Lockheed Martin, Epic, and Oracle. Other corporations employing 70 or more DU alums include CenturyLink, Charles Schwab, Comcast, Deloitte, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. 27% of 2022 graduates elected to continue their education in a graduate program.

Academic Highlights: JMU offers 75+ undergraduate degrees to a very happy student population; surveyed undergrads report a stunning 93% satisfaction rate. A 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio does not fully capture how generally modest class sizes tend to be at the university. Thirty-seven percent of sections enroll fewer than 19 students and the average class size is 25 students. 19% of all degrees awarded are in nursing. Next in popularity are business/marketing (15%), communication/journalism (9%), and the social sciences (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 75% of 2022 grads had obtained full-time employment, 22% were continuing their education, and 4% were still figuring out their next step. More than 25 recent grads were hired by each of KPMG and Deloitte. Dukes found employment at 1,610 organizations around the world and the average starting salary was $57,615. Among the almost one-quarter of recent grads who matriculated directly into a graduate school program, the most popular location was JMU itself.

Academic Highlights: No matter which of the 40+ majors you pursue at DePauw, you will enjoy the benefits of small class sizes and face time with faculty. A 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and the fact that only four class sections in the whole university enroll more than 29 students assures that. The greatest number of DePauw undergrads earn degrees in the social sciences (17%), biology (10%), the visual/performing arts (9%), communication/journalism (8%), and computer science (6%).

Professional Outcomes: The university’s “Gold Commitment” guarantees that all grads will land at their next destination within six months, or they will be provided with an entry-level professional opportunity or an additional tuition-free semester. Top employers of DePauw grads include Eli Lilly and Company, IBM, Northern Trust Corporation, AT&T, and Procter & Gamble. Tigers applying to graduate and professional schools experience high levels of success. Of medical school applicants who earned a 3.6 GPA and scored in the 80th percentile on the MCAT, 90% are accepted to at least one institution.

Academic Highlights: 110 majors are offered across eight undergraduate colleges, including the highly ranked Isenberg School of Management. Programs in sports management, architecture, computer science, and nursing are top-rated. Of all degrees conferred in 2022, business/marketing diplomas accounted for 14%, followed by biology (11%), social sciences (10%), psychology (8%), health professions (7%), engineering (7%), and computer science (7%). 47% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students, and 30% engage in undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 65% of newly minted 2022 grads were employed full-time and 26% were attending graduate school part-time. The most populated industries are health/medical professions (13%), internet & software (10%), biotech & life sciences (4%), and higher education (4%). Companies presently employing 100+ Minutemen and Minutewomen include Oracle, Mass Mutual, Amazon, IBM, Google, Intel, Microsoft, PwC, Wayfair, and Apple. Boston is the most popular landing spot for graduates.

Academic Highlights: Rutgers is divided into 17 schools and colleges, collectively offering 100+ undergraduate majors. 41% of class sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in business (20%), computer science (12%), engineering (10%), health professions (10%), biology (9%), and social sciences (7%). Rutgers Business School sends many majors to top Wall Street investment banks, and programs in computer science, public health, and criminal justice have a terrific national reputation.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduation, 82% of Class of 2022 grads had secured a first job or were heading to an advanced degree program. 67% headed directly to the world of employment, where the companies hiring the largest number of grads included Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, and JP Morgan Chase. Investment banks like Goldman Sachs and Citi also employ hundreds of alumni, as do companies like Verizon, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Novartis, Pfizer, and Google. The median starting salary across all majors was $70,000.

Academic Highlights: Marist offers 47 distinct bachelor’s programs but is ultimately a true liberal arts institution that requires its undergrads to complete a core curriculum. Marist has a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio—few sections are single-digit seminars or large lectures but 51% of sections are under 20 students. The School of Management and the School of Communication are quite popular as business (33%) and communication (15%) are, by far, Marist’s two most commonly conferred degrees. They are also among Marist’s strongest.

Professional Outcomes: Red Foxes strutting across the graduation stage from 2018-2022 went on to find employment or a graduate school home at a terrific 95% rate by the time they filled out their first-destination survey. Major employers of Marist alums include IBM, which presently employs close to 700 individuals, as well as JP Morgan Chase, EY, Macy’s, Citi, Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, and NBC Universal Media. Turning to grad school results, recent students have gone on to attend a wide range of institutions including elite universities Cornell, Penn, Harvard, Columbia, and Oxford.

Academic Highlights: USF has an astounding 200 undergraduate majors and concentration areas available and despite a fairly high 22:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is able to enroll fewer than 20 students in 42% of their course sections. The most popular major is health professions (19%) followed by business (17%), biology (13%), the social sciences (11%), and psychology (8%). An increasingly competitive university, USF’s nursing and psychology programs are top notch and the business, engineering, and computer science majors are great values.

Professional Outcomes: Employers that gobble up significant numbers of University of South Florida alumni include Citi, Moffitt Cancer Center, BayCare Health System, Tampa General Hospital, Raymond James, Centene Corporation, Deloitte, Microsoft, AWS, and Kforce. Therefore it’s little surprise that a study by the Florida Board of Governors revealed that USF is a highly-rated contributor to the local economy, represents excellent value, and facilitates social mobility.

Academic Highlights: With a very high 29:1 student-to-faculty ratio, classes at UCF are fairly large as 23% contain 50 or more students. There are 100+ undergraduate majors at this institution. The most popular majors are business (17%), health professions (15%), psychology (10%), engineering (9%), and the visual and performing arts (7%). The school ranks well for facilitating social mobility and overall value and the engineering, computer science, and nursing programs all rank well on a national level.

Professional Outcomes: Over two-thirds of recent graduates obtained employment immediately after earning their bachelor’s degree; one-quarter head right to graduate school. The median starting salary is $47,000 and the most commonly entered industries are hospital/healthcare, education, hospitality services, engineering, technology, financial, accounting, and marketing. The most popular graduate degrees pursued were in the sciences, health professions, education, and medicine.

Academic Highlights: Students are free to explore 60+ majors and minors and are free to carve out a more personalized path. Thanks to an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 58% of course sections are able to enroll 19 or fewer students. The greatest number of students elect to study business/marketing (32%) and many others choose to major in the social sciences (13%), journalism (11%), the visual and performing arts (9%), and psychology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Twelve months after earning their degree at Rollins, 94% of alumni are employed or in graduate school. Even better, 93 of surveyed graduates feel that the school was helpful in preparing them for a productive career. Companies employing large numbers of graduates include the Walt Disney Company, AdventHealth, Deloitte, Amazon, Truist, Microsoft, and the Orange County Government. Those who leave Florida most often settle in NYC, DC, Atlanta, or Boston.

Academic Highlights: UArizona undergrads can choose from over 150 majors, and business/marketing (15%) is the most popular choice with more degrees conferred than any other discipline. Other common pursuits include biology (9%), health professions (9%), and engineering (7%). Majors within business, engineering, and the geosciences all have excellent national reputations. A 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to a mix of class sizes with 33% of classes having an enrollment of under 20 and only 15% possessing 50 or more students.

Professional Outcomes: In recent years, some of the top employers hiring Arizona grads have been Raytheon, Vanguard, PepsiCo, Amazon, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Nordstrom, and Texas Instruments, and an astonishing 92% of employers rate Wildcats as coming to their first job with the skills needed to succeed. Recent College of Management grads enjoy a starting salary in excess of $60k, while College of Engineering grads have an average starting salary of $74,000. Many who go on to pursue advanced degrees ultimately do so at UArizona itself.