2025 Best Colleges for Geography

Academic Highlights: Dartmouth sports 60+ majors and a stunning breadth of course selections for an institution of its size. The learning environment at Dartmouth is extraordinarily intimate. Not only do 62% of course sections have under twenty students, but 20% have single-digit enrollments. The student-to-faculty ratio is an outstanding 7:1. Undergraduate research opportunities abound with roughly 60% of students participating at some point. Further, close to 90% of those participants report having a satisfying experience working with a faculty member in that capacity. The rate of satisfaction is hardly surprising as Dartmouth’s faculty consistently rates at the top of rankings/surveys regarding quality of instruction. An extensive study abroad program offers 40+ Dartmouth faculty-led academic experiences around the world, and over 50% of all students partake.

Professional Outcomes: A great reputation, along with a passionate alumni network that is 80,000 strong, leads Dartmouth grads to successful transitions into graduate school and the world of work. Recent Dartmouth grads work for Amazon, Apple, Bain & Company, Deloitte, Epic, Google, the NIH, and the Smithsonian Institute. Right off the bat, 56% of graduates earn $90,000 or more in salary. Those pursuing graduate degrees often flock to the likes of Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton, with 32% of Big Green grads choosing to continue their education at Dartmouth.

Academic Highlights: A 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio means that classrooms remain very intimate, and face time with the renowned faculty is a reality. More than three-quarters of UChicago undergraduate sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students. Undergraduate research opportunities are ubiquitous as 80% of students end up working in a research capacity alongside a faculty member. A solid 60% of undergrads study abroad at one of the 77 programs offered in 31 cities around the world.

Professional Outcomes: On commencement day, 99% of the Class of 2023 were employed or continuing their education. The most popular employers for UChicago grads include Google, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Meta, JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. University of Chicago grads are highly sought after by elite graduate universities. The top destinations for recent graduates are Yale, Columbia, MIT, Stanford, and Harvard A fairly substantial 50% of graduates remain in the Midwest after finishing their degrees, 29% migrate to the Northeast, and 10% make the journey west.

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Academic Highlights: Middlebury offers over 50 majors and the school’s 9:1 student-faculty ratio allows 100% of courses to be taught by professors, not graduate assistants. Most classes are small; the mean class size is 16, and 15% of sections contain fewer than 10 students. The Summer Research at Middlebury program funds 130 students annually to work alongside faculty in a variety of disciplines. Each year, more than 50% of juniors take a semester abroad in one of 75 programs in 40 countries. The college’s robust international program includes Middlebury Schools Abroad in Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, China, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 74% of the Class of 2023 had landed jobs and 14% were in graduate school. Google and Meta are now two of the leading employers of alumni alongside Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, Amazon, and JP Morgan. More than 100 alumni work in the US State Department and more than two dozen presently work for Apple, Microsoft, McKinsey, and Credit Suisse. New York City, Boston, Washington, DC, and San Francisco claim the greatest numbers of Panther alumni.

Academic Highlights: Close to half of classrooms contain fewer than twenty Bruins, but those taking introductory courses will find themselves in a fair number of lecture halls with a hundred or more students. Professors are given impressively high marks for a research university of UCLA’s size. 93% of College of Letters and Science seniors rate their professors as being intellectually challenging. By the time they graduate, 45% of undergraduates have participated in a research experience. Every year, roughly one-quarter of the undergraduate population elects to study abroad, a sharp increase from only a few years ago. UCLA has 115 partner universities in 40+ countries around the globe.

Professional Outcomes: Thousands of alumni can be found working at Google, Amazon, and Apple. Companies that employ over 100 Bruins each include Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, TikTok, NVIDIA, and LinkedIn. Ultimately, one-third of UCLA grads go on to enroll in graduate/professional school, with many choosing to stay at their alma mater. Otherwise, the most attended grad schools are primarily other excellent California-based institutions including Stanford, USC, and Berkeley. For graduates early in their careers, the median salary is $78,600, with mid-career median earnings reaching over $149k. Many alumni remain in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area after graduating; other popular destinations include the San Francisco Bay area and New York City.

Academic Highlights: The quarter system allows students to take four courses at a time rather than the typical five. Even so, the academic demands are intense, and Northwestern students work hard for their grades. The university has a phenomenal 6:1 student-faculty ratio, and a spectacular 39% of class sections have nine or fewer students enrolled; 76% have fewer than twenty enrollees. Faculty receive generally favorable reviews from undergraduate students and are rated as being highly accessible outside of the classroom. Fifty-eight percent of recent grads had the chance to conduct research with a faculty member at some point during their undergraduate years.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 70% of the Class of 2023 had found employment and 25% were in graduate school. Employers include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Deloitte, McKinsey & Co., and Salesforce. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $77k. The vast majority of Northwestern graduates can be found in Illinois, with the next largest concentration of alums living in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.

Academic Highlights: The USAFA boasts an outstanding 8:1 cadet-to-faculty ratio, and classes are accordingly modest in size with 66% of sections containing fewer than 20 students, a number that would make most traditional liberal arts schools jealous. There are plenty of opportunities to participate in research, whether at one of the 24 research centers and institutes or through the Cadet Summer Research Program, which attracts 450 cadets. Undergraduates also have the chance to participate in an international exchange program such as the Cadet Summer Language Immersion Program or Cadet Semester Study Abroad Program.

Professional Outcomes: As with any service academy, the bulk of graduates spend a good portion of their careers within the armed forces. For USAFA grads, a minimum five-year commitment to the Air Force is mandatory. Many alumni spend time later in their careers working in the commercial airline industry at Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines. Many also work for Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Lockheed Martin. The USAFA Academic Success Center helped place 27% of the recent graduating class in graduate programs.

Academic Highlights: There are 36 majors at West Point, and students must conquer a minimum of 13 courses within their area of study as well as 24-27 courses in West Point’s core academic program. A 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio is also among the better figures you’ll see. This level of support and availability helps lead to an outstanding 97% first-year student retention rate. Almost 98% of class sections at West Point enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: West Point graduates must honor their eight-year military commitment (five years of active duty, three in the reserves), and many continue their military careers beyond those requirements. When they do enter the workforce, large numbers of alumni land at Amazon, Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Google, and Wells Fargo, enjoying a median mid-career salary of $174,100. With military duties to fulfill, only a small percentage of cadets matriculate directly into graduate programs.

Academic Highlights: The student-to-faculty ratio at UC Santa Barbara is a decent 17:1, and the school does an excellent job of keeping undergraduate class sizes on the small side. In fact, more than half of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 72% enroll 29 or fewer. Undergraduate research opportunities definitely exist for those willing to forge relationships with faculty outside the classroom. A solid 63% of graduates report engaging in some type of faculty-guided research. It’s not as easy to inspire Gauchos to leave their campus paradise for a semester in a foreign land—only around 20% of students participate in study abroad.

Professional Outcomes:  Over 500 UC Santa Barbara alumni currently work at Google, Apple, and Amazon, while Meta, Microsoft, Salesforce, AppFolio, and NVIDIA each employ 100+. Early in their career, UCSB alumni make a median salary of $75k; by mid-career, they earn a median income of $152k. Most graduates settle in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, followed by the San Francisco Bay area, and the San Diego metropolitan area.

Academic Highlights: 180+ undergraduate majors are offered across twelve colleges/schools. Twenty-six percent of sections contain 50 or more students compared to 29% of sections that contain fewer than 20. Still, there are opportunities for personal connections with professors as evidenced by the fact that 80% of graduates complete research during their four years at UW. The study abroad rate of participation has climbed steadily since the turn of the millennium; 3,000 students each year spend a semester in a foreign locale.

Professional Outcomes: Within months of graduation, 62% of Class of 2023 grads were employed and 24% were continuing their education. The most popular employers of the Class of 2023 included Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Seattle Children’s, and Deloitte. 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, most remain at UW itself. Large numbers of 2023 grads also headed to Columbia, UPenn, USC, and Johns Hopkins.

Academic Highlights: Being an undergraduate-only institution, Macalester students enjoy the full benefits of the school’s 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The average class size is only 17 students, and 16% of class sections have single-digit enrollments. That level of intimacy leads to plentiful chances to be part of faculty-led research, including through the Collaborative Summer Research Program that provides stipends for student-faculty research ventures. In total, 54% of students participate in some form of undergraduate research. Study abroad opportunities, typically twelve weeks in length, are taken advantage of by 60% of Macalester undergrads.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 95% of the Macalester Class of 2023 had found employment, graduate school, or a fellowship. Employers of recent grads include 3M, Bank of America, Bloomberg, Epic, JP Morgan Chase, Mayo Clinic, and the US Forest Service. Across all sectors, the average starting salary for recent grads was $57,000. Seventeen percent of Mac grads pursue an advanced degree, continuing their studies at Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Stanford, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: Vassar students have the choice of 50 majors and no general education requirements, which means that there is plenty of room to explore electives and intellectual passions. An 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to an average class size of 17 students, and 27% of all sections have an enrollment of nine or fewer. Professors are extremely available outside the classroom. Vassar’s Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) has been operational since 1986 and offers a plethora of ten-week research experiences. Study abroad programs are taken advantage of by 45% of students.

Professional Outcomes: 93% of alums enjoy positive outcomes within six months of graduation, with 21% enrolling directly in a graduate or professional degree program. A solid number land at competitive companies like Google, Deloitte, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. Elite universities such as NYU and Harvard are also among the top employers of former students, many of whom earn advanced degrees and enter academia.

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 74 bachelor’s degree programs across several schools and colleges. 87% of classes have fewer than 50 students, while 39% of classes have a student enrollment under 20. UNC sends forty percent of graduates abroad to one of 70 countries at some point in their educational career. Research is required as part of the general education curriculum, and plenty of faculty-mentored opportunities and funded formal programs are also available. In 2024, over 600 students shared their research at the annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Chapel Hill, 94% of 2023 grads had entered employment, military service, or graduate school. Among the for-profit companies that hire the most graduates are Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, Amazon, Fidelity Investments, and Epic Games. 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 $74,292. Nine percent of 2023 grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school.

Academic Highlights: Aided by a favorable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, the school does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities. Each school/college has a course entitled Directed Research 490 in which students work closely with a faculty supervisor and earn between two and eight credits, countless other opportunities exist to get one’s hands dirty in academic research. Each department has its own slate of study abroad offerings and Maymester programs, which are short-term intensive courses held stateside and abroad.

Professional Outcomes: 93% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The median salary across all majors is an astounding $85k. Presently, between 500 and 2,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, NVIDIA, and Oracle. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2023 USC grads include Columbia, UCLA, Pepperdine, and Harvard, with most remaining at USC for their advanced studies.

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are fairly small with 21% containing fewer than 10 students and 61% having an enrollment of under 20. The average undergraduate class size is exactly 20 students. As a result, strong working relationships with faculty routinely develop. An impressive 67% of students participate in undergraduate research at some point in their four years of study. Opportunities exist to publish in the Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal (SURJ). Fifty study abroad programs are available in 20+ countries.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 97% of Cougars have clawed their way into gainful employment or full-time graduate programs. Sixty-three percent enter private industry, 32% enter the nonprofit/education world, and 5% are employed by government entities. Of the 44% of freshly minted alumni who enrolled in graduate school, a good number continued their education at nearby universities such as Boston College and Boston University. Others attended Brown University, NYU, Penn, and USC.

Academic Highlights: Fifty-six majors are on tap at Colgate, including all of the expected liberal arts concentrations. With a student-faculty ratio of 9:1 and an average class size of 17, Colgate undergraduates work intimately withtheir instructors. Undoubtedly, the resulting connections help to explain the school’s sterling 94-95% freshman retention rate. It is commonplace for Colgate students to research alongside professors. Each summer, the school funds over 200 undergraduates who assist with research projects, and, year-round, it maintains a useful database of professors who are seeking research across all disciplines. Raiders study abroad in overwhelming numbers with a 60-70% participation rate in one hundred programs that operate in 50 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after graduation, only a small number of Colgate alumni are still looking for work; in 2023, that group represented less than 3% of the graduating class. A substantial 77% had already landed full-time jobs. Employers hiring the most Colgate grads included Barclays, EY, Goldman Sachs, Massachusetts General Hospital, NIH, and True Search. Alums pursuing further education attended Boston College, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, and NYU.

Academic Highlights: There are 250+ undergraduate majors and 18 schools and colleges housed within OSU. A 17-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to fairly large classes as only 40% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, so expect a fair number of courses in a large lecture hall setting. Still, aggressive students can find opportunities to work closely with faculty. The Office of Undergraduate Research & Inquiry helps approximately 600 students per year participate in undergraduate research forums. All told, approximately 20% of students gain research experience. Last year, nearly 1,800 undergraduates elected to study abroad in one of 350+ short- and long-term programs spread across 70 countries; OSU has the third-highest study abroad enrollment numbers in the Big 10.

Professional Outcomes: Upon receiving their diplomas, 64% of Class of 2023 graduates entered the world of employment while 14% 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, and more than 500 work for Amazon, 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: UT Austin offers over 170 majors. Sn encouraging 36% of course sections enroll nineteen or fewer students. Opportunities for undergraduate research vary by school, and many student must compete for slots in programs such as Summer Research Scholars or use the Eureka database to find individual professors offering research assistantships. A robust study abroad program boasts 400 offerings in 100+ foreign countries; 4,600+ students participate each year, the third-largest number in the country.

Professional Outcomes:  Over 1000 alumni work in the offices of Dell, Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Deloitte; IBM, Meta, Oracle, and AMD employ over 500 each. Graduates early in their careers earn a median salary of $77,400, with median mid-career pay reaching $141,100. Roughly one-quarter of University of Texas at Austin undergraduates go on to pursue advanced degrees after completing their bachelor’s. Many pursue advanced study at UT Austin itself, which offers more than one hundred graduate programs. Many alumni stay in Texas after graduation, settling in Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth.

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can select from 100+ majors across twelve colleges and schools. 47% of class sections enroll fewer than twenty students. Undergraduate research opportunities are within reach as 21% of recent graduates completed one. The Office of Undergraduate Research facilitates numerous opportunities throughout the year, and hosts an annual Undergraduate Research Day and Summer Undergraduate Research Conference at which 550+ students make presentations. Fourteen percent of students also pursue a study abroad experience at one of 300+ destinations in 60 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 94% of Class of 2023 grads had positive outcomes. 71% found employment; the companies/organizations that hired the greatest number of grads included Northrop Grumman, Deloitte, Capital One, and Montgomery County Public Schools. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft employ more than 900 alumni each.  The salary range for 2023 grads was between $60k and $86k. 21% of the Class of 2023 headed directly to graduate and professional school.

Academic Highlights: Penn State offers 275 majors and a number of top-ranked programs in a host of disciplines. Unlike some public research universities that can have student-to-faculty ratios greater than 20:1, PSU boasts a solid 15:1 ratio. That level of support allows 61% of classes to have an enrollment below thirty students.  Even at such a large institution, it is possible to get involved in undergraduate research. Eberly College of Science professors are running upwards of 3,000 research projects per year, and the school has a well-maintained and up-to-date database of undergraduate research positions. All told, 16% of graduates report having engaged in undergraduate research. 22% of a recent graduating class availed themselves of study abroad opportunities in one of 300+ programs in 50+ countries each year.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation, 79% of Nittany Lions have found their next employment or graduate school home. Over a hundred alumni work at Tesla; Deloitte, Amazon, Google, JP Morgan Chase, Microsoft, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and Accenture each employ over 500 alumni. Three-quarters of recent graduates employed full-time earned starting salaries of greater than $50k. Penn State graduates mostly settle in the Greater Philadelphia area, with New York City and the Washington DC-Baltimore area also proving popular with alumni.

Academic Highlights: There are over sixty undergraduate majors at UR. The student- to-faculty ratio is 7:1, the average class size is sixteen students. Thirty-five percent of Richmond students participate in an intensive research experience with a faculty member prior to graduation, and students can have those summer opportunities funded through the Richmond Guarantee, which sees the university fund research apprenticeships as well as internships. Nearly 500 students receive such funding every summer. Going abroad is the norm at UR—65% take a semester or full year of study in one of seventy-five programs in 60 countries.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduation, 92% of Richmond grads who were seeking employment had found jobs, with an average salary range of $60,000-$64,999. Companies where you can find at least 50 Richmond alumni employed include Capital One, Deloitte, PwC, EY, Amazon, Google, and Morgan Stanley.  20% of recent alumni chose to enroll directly in a graduate or professional degree program. Large pockets of alumni can be found in New York City, DC, Philadelphia, and Boston.

Academic Highlights: Getting well-acquainted with your professors is easy with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, and class sizes are reasonably small. Slightly more than half of courses at Bucknell unfold in a classroom of no more than nineteen students, and approximately 90% of all sections enroll fewer than twenty-nine students. All of Bucknell’s full-time professors spend some of their time teaching undergraduates. More than 500 take advantage of research opportunities on campus

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after graduation, 93% of Bucknell’s most recent graduating class had launched their careers or entered graduate school. Across all disciplines, the average salary for a  grad was $72,735,  which is well above average when compared to other liberal arts colleges. Geographically, most Bucknell grads remain concentrated in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and the DC metro area.

Academic Highlights: The school’s 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio translates to a mix of small, medium, and large undergraduate sections. Seven percent of courses have single-digit enrollments, 11% have over 50 students, and the majority fall in the 10 to 29 range. In recent years, the university has invested in increasing the number of undergraduate research experiences available to its students through the GW Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships. The efforts are paying off as 400 undergrads now present at the GW Research Days, a two-day event held in April. Close to half of Revolutionaries study abroad for one semester in Europe (65%), Asia (10%), Latin America (8%), Africa (7%), or Australia (6%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving GW, 93% of the Class of 2023 had found their way to gainful employment or graduate school while 6% were still job hunting. Of the 64% of grads already in the workplace, 64% were in a for-profit industry, 26% had entered a nonprofit position, and 10% were working in government. A healthy 26% of those earning their diplomas in 2023 immediately turned their attention to earning an advanced degree. Fifty-three percent of grads earned a starting salary in excess of $60k, while an additional 30% earned between $40k and $60k Just under three-quarters of recent grads remained in the Mid-Atlantic region with the West and Mountain regions a distant second.

Academic Highlights: There are 150 majors available across eight freshman-admitting undergraduate colleges. A 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio is deployed effectively so that 65% of sections enroll 29 or fewer students. No matter your field of study, you can utilize UM’s well-maintained database of upcoming faculty research projects as a way to connect directly with the professor of your choice; more than 2,000 undergraduates participate in a research or creative project every year. An outstanding 30% of UMTC students study abroad during their academic career with the most popular destinations being Spain, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Professional Outcomes: Over 1000 alumni work at Target, Medtronic, 3M, and U.S. Bank; Amazon, Google, Cargill, and Microsoft employ 500+ UMN graduates each. The average starting salary across all majors is approximately 60k and recent employers include Boeing, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Abbott, IBM, EcoLab, Boston Scientific, Wells Fargo, Google, Apple, and Microsoft and Epic. With 130 graduate programs, the University of Minnesota retains many of its graduates as they pursue their next degrees.

Academic Highlights: The student-to-faculty ratio is on the high side at 18:1, but class sizes are reasonably small with 48% of sections containing fewer than twenty students. Research opportunities abound, with the Freshman Research Immersion program being one shining example. This program welcomes students to college with a year-long authentic research experience in the sciences and engineering.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2023 saw 84% of job-seeking graduates land their first professional job and 92% of grad school applicants accepted within six months of commencement. The average starting salary procured was $76,523, well above the national average for college grads. Graduates were successful in finding employment at firms like Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Citi. Binghamton grads pursued further education at institutions including American University, Boston University, Columbia University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Academic Highlights: Students can choose one of 55+ programs within four schools. The university sports a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 88% of faculty hold the highest degree in their fields. The Villanova Match Research Program for First Year Students allows second-semester freshmen to work as research assistants alongside distinguished faculty, and the Villanova Undergraduate Research Fellows Summer Program is taken advantage of by many upperclassmen. In total, 87% of recent grads who sought out a research experience were able to find one. Wildcats study abroad in impressive numbers; over 800 students travel to a foreign country each year

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, Class of 2023 graduates had a placement rate of 96% with 71% entering the workforce and 22% matriculating into graduate or professional school. The most popular employers are Boeing, Merck, Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase, Comcast, Amazon, Microsoft, and Goldman Sachs. The average starting salary was $77,833. Recent grads went on to study at graduate institutions like Boston University, Columbia, Drexel, Duke, George Washington, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Temple, and UPenn.

Academic Highlights: With 16 colleges and 100 undergraduate majors to choose from, educational experiences are exceptionally diverse. UF impressively offers 50% of sections with an enrollment of fewer than 20 students. The Center for Undergraduate Research offers a University Research Scholars program as well as summer opportunities, hosts its own Undergraduate Research Symposium, and publishes its own UF Journal of Undergraduate Research. Forty percent of all undergrads have such an experience. The school has connections to 1,100 study abroad programs that are taken advantage of by more than 2,900 undergrads each year.

Professional Outcomes: The University of Florida demonstrates exceptional career preparation, with 83% of the Class of 2024 securing employment by graduation day. Gator alumni have established a strong presence at leading tech giants, with 200+ graduates currently working at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, and Oracle. The class achieved an impressive average starting salary of $68,000. For those continuing their education, popular graduate destinations include the University of South Florida, Nova Southeastern University, and Georgia Tech, showcasing UF’s strong pipeline to both immediate employment and advanced academic opportunities.

Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 43% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Undergraduate research opportunities exist, but the onus is on the student to show initiative and procure the placement. Still, 44% of recent grads engaged in research, and the school hosts an annual Undergraduate Symposium where 600 students presented in 2024. Participation is much higher when it comes to study abroad programs; 25% of students take advantage each year and there are 325 programs in 80 countries to choose from.

Professional Outcomes: In 2023, 72% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.  Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, UW Health, the State of Wisconsin, Kohl’s, and Deloitte. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Target, Apple, Meta, and Salesforce. Class of 2023 grads enrolled in graduate/professional programs at a rate of 28%; volunteering is also a popular path post-graduation for UW-Madison alumni as the university is the #1 producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

Academic Highlights: Eight of UIUC’s fifteen schools cater to undergraduate students. Illinois’ student-to-faculty ratio of 20:1 is high even for a public institution, but the school still manages to keep 39% of sections capped at 19 students. Further, 40% of undergraduates participate in research; over 800 students each year present at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Unique opportunities for experiential learning abound at Research Park, an on-campus technology hub and business incubator that hosts more than 120 major corporations and 800 student interns.

Professional Outcomes: 91% of recent UIUC grads landed at their next destination within six months of graduation, with 35% matriculating directly into an advanced degree program. 56% were employed full-time. Corporations landing the most recent Illinois grads were Amazon, Deloitte, Epic, KPMG, and PwC. The average salary across all majors was an extremely solid $76,000. Two-thirds of graduates remained in the Land of Lincoln; California and New York commandeer the next greatest percentages of migrating alumni.

Academic Highlights: With sixteen schools and colleges and 140+ undergraduate degree programs, Texas A&M is a massive operation. Class sizes trend large, but 25% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students and personal connections with professors are entirely possible, particularly through the research-oriented LAUNCH program. A&M excels in facilitating study abroad experiences, sending over 5,600 students to 110+ countries in a typical year, the most of any public university in the United States.

Professional Outcomes: On graduation day, 79% of students had already received at least one job offer or were heading to graduate/professional school. Many Aggies go on to work at major oil, tech, and consulting firms; Amazon, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, Apple, Halliburton, and Google each employ more than 500 alumni. Starting salaries were strong—on average grads netted around $65k. The vast majority of graduates remain in Texas with Houston, Dallas, College Station, Austin, and San Antonio top in popularity.

Academic Highlights: UGA boasts seventeen distinct colleges and schools that offer 125+ majors. 49% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students compared with 12% of sections that enroll 50 or more. No matter your major, UGA encourages you to conduct research with a member of the school’s faculty. The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) awards grants to 500 students per year, and in 2024, a robust 620+ students presented at the CURO Symposium. Meanwhile, the Office of Global Engagement helps 3,000 students annually find which of the 100+ study abroad programs (many of which are led by UGA faculty) is right for them

Professional Outcomes: 95% of the Class of 2023 was employed or continuing their education six months after graduation. Popular employers include Accenture, the CDC, Deloitte, KPMG, Lockheed Martin, PwC, and Bank of America. Salaries vary between colleges; however, the median hovers around 60k. In 2023, 23% of graduates enrolled directly into a graduate/professional degree program, with the most commonly attended schools including Duke, Emory, Georgetown, UNC Chapel Hill, and Vanderbilt.

Academic Highlights: With 48 departmental and interdepartmental majors as well as the option to design your own major, MHC students are free to follow their academic passions. 74% of sections contain fewer than twenty students; 11% are single-digit seminar classes. Opportunities to research and publish alongside faculty are definitely available, and many 200- and 300-level courses have independent research baked-in as a requirement. Across all disciplines, more ambitious students can arrange summer research internships with professors. More than one hundred study abroad options are on the table.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after commencement, 61% of 2023 grads had found employment, 25% had entered graduate/professional school, and 4% had landed fellowships/internships. The top Lyon employers of recent grads included Bank of America, BlackRock, Citigroup, the National Institutes of Health, and Boston Children’s Hospital. Microsoft, IBM, Harvard University, and Amazon also employ a healthy number of Lyons. Given the number of grads entering the public sector or pursuing graduate degrees, it isn’t shocking that average salary statistics for alumni tend to be on the low side—the average starting salary in 2023 was $50k. Plenty of alumni can be found in New York, California, or international locales.

Academic Highlights: Eight undergraduate colleges that offer 150+ distinct majors are housed within Virginia Tech. 34% of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1. Overall, 19% of recent graduates report participating in some type of undergraduate research experience, but landing such opportunities is much easier for members of the Honors College. Each year, more than 1,200 students avail themselves of the chance to study abroad in locations such as Switzerland, New Zealand, France, and Scotland.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 37% of the Class of 2023 were employed and 14% were in graduate school. Graduates work at major corporations including Deloitte, EY, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Kimley-Horn, Northrop Grumman, and Accenture. The median salary for 2023 graduates was $70,000. Among recent grads who decided to pursue an advanced degree, the greatest number stayed at VT, while others enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, George Washington University, UVA, UNC Chapel Hill, and Johns Hopkins.

Academic Highlights: Forty percent of classes actually have fewer than 20 students, while 19% of courses enroll 50 or more students. Opportunities to connect with faculty for research opportunities span all majors and fields of study. The school also offers the Discovery Learning Apprenticeship Program, which enables engineering students to conduct paid faculty-mentored research. Over 2,200 students per year participate in the credit- bearing Education Abroad program that offers hundreds of destinations within 60 countries around the world.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving CU Boulder, 83% of recent grads were working or in graduate school. 47% of graduates earned between $50k and $75k, with the greatest number working at Lockheed Martin, Charles Schwab, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, and RS&H. More than 100 alumni can also be found at Google, Amazon, Apple, Oracle, and Microsoft. 25% of new grads immediately jumped into an advanced degree program, and 93% were accepted into their first-choice school.

Academic Highlights: Required coursework for BYU undergraduates includes a number of courses in the Mormon faith as well as an extensive core curriculum that supports BYU’s larger mission “to provide an education that is (1) spiritually strengthening, (2) intellectually enlarging, and (3) character building, leading to (4) lifelong learning and service.”  A 21:1 student-to-faculty ratio translates to some undergraduate sections being a bit large. However, those lecture hall courses are balanced with classes of more modest size; 46% of courses have nineteen or fewer students. The school does an excellent job getting undergraduate students involved in hands-on research.

Professional Outcomes: By a wide margin, the two largest employers of BYU alums are the university itself and Intermountain Healthcare. However, there are hundreds of Cougars working at major corporations including Deloitte, Raytheon Technologies, Goldman Sachs, and Amazon. The median salary of a 2023 grad was $64,000. Brigham Young is in the same league with Berkeley, Cornell, the University of Michigan, and the University of Wisconsin in terms of producing future PhDs. Over the past decade, more than 3,000 alumni have gone on to earn doctoral degrees.

Academic Highlights: JMU offers 75+ undergraduate degrees to a very happy student population; surveyed undergrads report a stunning 96% 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-six percent of sections enroll fewer than 19 students and the average class size is 25 students. JMU has also been a leader in study abroad participation, with some of the highest numbers of participants of any college in the country. In fact, it presently ranks first among all master’s-granting institutions with almost 1,500 participants annually.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 75% of 2023 grads had obtained full-time employment, 21% were continuing their education, and 4% were still figuring out their next step. KPMG and Deloitte each hired at least 17 JMU grads. Dukes found employment at 1,481 organizations around the world and the average starting salary was $59,686. 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: Over 300 degree programs are offered at UO. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1, which leads to a mix of class sizes. The median class size is 20 students. 28% of a recent graduating class engaged in research, and the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program excels at connecting students to mentor professors on campus as well as external research opportunities. Over 500 students present at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Ducks study abroad in 60 countries, and roughly one-fifth of students do so at some point during their undergraduate years.

Professional Outcomes: Members of the Class of 2023 already had their next destination lined up at graduation with 85% already employed or entering graduate school. Nike, KPMG, Deloitte, Amazon, and Thermo Fisher Scientific employed recent grads. Hundreds of others occupy offices at Intel, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Adidas, and Salesforce. Of the 19% that pursued further education, 93% of the Class of 2023 remained at the University of Oregon.

Academic Highlights: Gustavus Adolphus College offers students a comprehensive liberal arts education through 73 majors, all supported by an excellent 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. This personalized learning environment shines in the classroom—67% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students—while the innovative Gustavus Signature Experience (SigX) ensures every student completes meaningful experiential learning through internships, research, study away, or community engagement. The college’s global perspective is enriched by students from 40 states and 34 countries, with 83% of the Class of 2023 participating in internships, research, or study abroad.

Professional Outcomes: Gustavus graduates achieve impressive career success, with 71% employed and 19% enrolled in graduate programs shortly after graduation. Alumni lead at top employers, including the Mayo Clinic, 3M, and Deloitte, while others pursue advanced degrees at elite institutions like Northwestern, Duke, and Yale. These outstanding outcomes demonstrate the power of Gustavus’s combination of rigorous academics, hands-on learning through SigX, and global engagement in preparing graduates for both immediate career impact and long-term professional growth.

Academic Highlights: The student-to-faculty is a 17:1, which translates into somewhat larger class sizes. Ten percent of sections contain more than fifty students, and 4% have more than 100. However, that is balanced by the 66% of sections that contain fewer than twenty students. Undergraduate research is taken advantage of by one-quarter of students, and the school plans to greatly expand such offerings in the coming years. An abundance of study abroad choices include special summer programs in Panama, Florence, London, and Valencia, Spain. FSU has 60 academic programs available in 20 locations throughout the world; 2,500+ students per year participate.

Professional Outcomes: Eighty-three percent of job-seeking Seminole grads receive at least one offer of employment within three months of graduation. Thirty percent of seniors found employment through Career Center services at FSU. Employers hiring the greatest number of FSU alumni include Apple, Northrop Grumman, EY, General Motors, and Deloitte. Roughly one-third of recent Florida State grads elected to immediately pursue admission into an advanced degree program; 84% of those who apply receive at least one acceptance. Geographically, the greatest number of alumni remain in Florida but large numbers also relocate to Massachusetts, Georgia, Texas, New York, and California.

Academic Highlights: UConn is home to fourteen schools and colleges as well as 115+ undergraduate majors. Overall, the school does a nice job creating a balance of classroom experiences with 51% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students and only 18% containing more than fifty. To help forge even deeper connections with faculty, the Office of Undergraduate Research encourages students to schedule advising sessions to apply for both internal and external research posts. Hundreds of study abroad options are on the table, and the university has taken steps to increase the rate of participation, which currently sits around 18%.

Professional Outcomes: 91% of the Class of 2023 experienced a positive outcome (job, grad school, military, volunteer position) within six months of earning their degrees. Among the 58% who found employment, the largest numbers landed at Travelers, Hartford Healthcare, The Hartford, General Dynamics, PwC, and Lockheed Martin; the median starting salary was $60,000. Massive numbers of alumni are employed by Pfizer, CVS Health, Deloitte, and Amazon. 33% of 2023 graduates immediately entered a graduate or professional program, with many choosing to stay at UConn.

Academic Highlights: Despite a high number of graduate students also studying at SU, class sizes are kept reasonably low; 61% contain 20 students or fewer. The Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research & Creative Engagement (The SOURCE) supports student participation in faculty-guided research via a number of short- and long-term opportunities, many of which are funded. As a result, 250 students engaged in research last summer alone. The university’s office of study abroad programs arranges for 46% of undergrads to spend a semester in a foreign land.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after exiting the Carrier Dome for the final time in 2023, 63% of Orangemen and women found employment (93% related to their career goals) and 26% continued to graduate school. The companies employing the most ‘Cuse grads include major companies like ESPN, 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 2023 grads was a solid $63k.

Academic Highlights: Over 100 majors are offered across eight undergraduate colleges. You will encounter a number of smaller sections during your time at UMass as 47% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students; a stunning 96% of graduates report being satisfied with their academic experience. Further, a substantial and encouraging 30% report engaging in some type of undergraduate research. For a large university, UMass also enjoys fairly wide participation in its study abroad program. Every year, 1,200 students spend a semester in one of 56 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 62% of newly minted 2023 grads were employed full-time and 24% were attending graduate school part-time. Companies presently employing 100+ Minutemen and Minutewomen include Fidelity, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, Meta, and Salesforce. Boston is the most popular landing spot for graduates. Boston is the most popular landing spot for graduates; it’s followed by Springfield, Massachusetts, and New York City.

Academic Highlights: The University of Mary Washington offers students a robust liberal arts education through 51 majors and 48 minors, all supported by an excellent 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. This personalized learning environment shines in the classroom—58% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students—while fostering strong undergraduate research opportunities and hands-on learning experiences. The university attracts a geographically diverse student body from 33 states and 15 countries, creating dynamic academic exchanges on campus.

Professional Outcomes: Mary Washington graduates achieve strong career outcomes, with 66% employed and 20% pursuing advanced degrees shortly after graduation. Alumni contribute to prominent organizations, including Northrop Grumman, KPMG, and The Walt Disney Company. Most alumni build their careers in the Washington DC-Baltimore corridor, with median earnings of $61,000 after ten years, demonstrating the lasting value of UMW’s blend of liberal arts foundation and professional preparation.

Academic Highlights: Only 41% of course sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and 19% of courses contain fifty or more students. The Experiential Learning Network can help make a huge university feel a bit smaller by connecting students with faculty mentors for research endeavors; their newly launched Project Portal enables students to find and join projects while earning skill-based “digital badges.” For those interested in spending a semester at a foreign university, UB offers 700 study abroad programs across all seven continents (Antarctica, anyone?).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 95% of Class of 2023 School of Management degree-holders had found employment or were enrolled in a graduate program. The median base salary for those who found jobs was $61,000 (business grads only). UB graduates are well-represented in the corporate offices of many top companies, with more than one hundred alumni currently employed at the likes of M&T Bank, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, Tesla, Goldman Sachs, and Salesforce.

Academic Highlights: There are over 100 undergraduate majors, minors, and concentrations offered at the University of Denver, with small class sizes being the norm as 54% of sections contain no more than 19 students, and 79% enroll a maximum of 29 individuals. The Undergraduate Research Center helps facilitate connections between intellectually curious undergrads and faculty mentors, and 85% of students participate in research or complete an internship during their time at the university. You won’t find many schools more committed to encouraging their undergraduates to study abroad. An astonishing 70% of DU students spend a semester or summer in a foreign country.

Professional Outcomes: 91% of Pioneer grads successfully entered the world of employment or graduate school within six months of earning their bachelor’s degree. 72% were employed full-time with a mean starting salary of $62k. Top employers included Deloitte, KPMG, The Walt Disney Company, Comcast, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and RMHS. Other corporations employing 50 or more DU alums include Amazon, EY, Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce. 14% of recent graduates elected to continue their education in a graduate program.

Academic Highlights: Rutgers is divided into 19 schools and colleges, collectively offering 120+ undergraduate majors. Forty percent of class sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students compared to only 19% of sections that contain more than 50 undergrads. The Aresty Research Center facilitates several programs that match 300+ undergraduates per year with faculty members conducting research in an area of interest. An annual Undergraduate Research Symposium—one of the largest in the country—has showcased thousands of student projects in its 20 years of existence.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduation, 89% of Class of 2023 grads had secured a first job or were heading to an advanced degree program. 71% headed directly to the world of employment, where the companies hiring the largest number of grads included RWJBarnabas Health, Amazon, and Lockheed Martin. Investment banks like JP Morgan Chase employ hundreds of alumni, as do companies like Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Merck, Johnson & Johnson, and CVS Pharmacy. The median starting salary across all majors was $70,000.