Is 1300 a Good SAT Score? – 30 Best Colleges for a 1300 SAT

Academic Highlights: All students must complete a minimum of twenty-nine credits in General Studies courses.  They must also meet requirements in three “awareness areas”: Cultural Diversity in the United States, Global Awareness, and Historical Awareness. There are plenty of opportunities for experiential learning as close to half of undergrads engage in research, land an internship, or have a practicum experience as part of their academic program.

Professional Outcomes: A healthy 89% percent of ASU graduates looking for work are employed within six months of earning their degrees. The median salary for an ASU grad is roughly $55,000. Among the school’s top fifty employers are Starbucks, the U.S. Air Force, Amazon, and the Intel Corporation. Most graduates settle in the Greater Phoenix area, with Tempe, Phoenix, and Los Angeles rounding out the list of the top three cities where recent alumni can be found.

Academic Highlights: All undergraduates must complete Auburn’s core curriculum, the purpose of which is to “foster the knowledge, skills, and perspectives that are the hallmarks of an Auburn graduate.” This extensive undertaking includes English composition, humanities (including mandatory literature and fine arts), science (including lab), mathematics, and social sciences. Motivated students take advantage of the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program. About 20% of Auburn students study abroad, and over 130 programs are offered on every continent

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 58% of the Class of 2023 were employed full-time and 22% had entered graduate programs. 57% were pursuing master’s degrees, 28% professional degrees, and 5% doctorates. In 2023, the average starting salary was $59,216. Alumni pursuing further education can be found at institutions such as Samford University, Belmont University, and the University of Georgia.

Academic Highlights: Class sizes at Baylor generally range from small to medium, with 52% of sections containing fewer than 20 students and 77% enrolling fewer than 29. The Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement (URSA) office does a superb job connecting students with a research opportunity in their field of interest. The school also pushes overseas experiences in the form of an internship, academic semester, or mission trip. Baylor offers signature programs in Scotland, the Netherlands, and Ireland.

Professional Outcomes: At the 180-day post-graduation point, those who earned their diplomas from Baylor had entered the world of full-time employment at a 49% clip, and 28% had entered a graduate or professional degree program. Large numbers of recent grads were scooped up by many of the most desirable employers in the country including KPMG (25), Deloitte (24), and PricewaterhouseCoopers (24). The average starting salary was $62k. Among recent grads, the most commonly attended graduate school was Baylor itself (249), followed by Texas A&M (24).

Academic Highlights: Chapman offers 50+ majors in STEM, humanities, communication, the arts, and business. Overall, 43% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1. Students can engage in faculty-mentored projects, apply for funding via programs like the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), and present their work at the annual Student Scholar Symposium. The school regularly receives acclaim for its innovation and the quality of undergraduate teaching.

Professional Outcomes: The Walt Disney Company, Amazon, Deloitte, Microsoft, NBCUniversal, Netflix, and Circle Advertising are the most common employers of Chapman graduates. In 2023. 62% of that cohort had already secured employment by graduation day. Most graduates remain in the state of California, with Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Irvine attracting particularly high numbers of alumni.

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are mixed, and many sections are smaller than you would expect for such a large university where the student-to-faculty ratio is 16:1. Fourteen percent of classes have single-digit enrollments, and 57% contain fewer than 30 students; 17% of courses are larger, playing host to fifty or more undergraduates. More than half of Clemson students participate in some type of undergraduate research, a strong percentage given the size of the school. Each year over 1,400 students elect to study abroad in one of Clemson’s own programs or one offered by a third party.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 93% of 2023 grads had already entered the working world or were pursuing a graduate degree. The top employers of newly-minted diploma holders include Prisma Health, Boeing, Bank of America, and Epic Systems. Computing and Applied Sciences reported a median starting salary of $75,000. College of Business graduates enjoyed median earnings of $61,000. Of the 18% of recent graduates directly entering grad school, the largest number retained their Tiger stripes by continuing their studies at Clemson.

Academic Highlights: As one of only 28 Jesuit universities in the nation, Creighton University offers students more than 60 distinct majors across 22 fields of study within a values-driven learning environment. The university’s exceptional 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio ensures personalized attention, with half of all class sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Creighton’s commitment to hands-on learning shines through its robust experiential programs; an impressive 83% of undergraduates participate in internships, research projects, or other applied learning opportunities. This combination of intimate classroom settings and practical experience prepares students to think critically and engage meaningfully with complex real-world challenges.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2023 achieved outstanding post-graduation success, with 68% securing employment, 27% enrolling in graduate programs, and just 1% still seeking opportunities six months after commencement. Graduates reported a strong median starting salary of $61,000, with many joining prestigious organizations including CHI Health, KPMG, Deloitte, Mayo Clinic, and Nebraska Medicine. These outcomes reflect both the quality of Creighton’s academic programs and the strong professional network cultivated by the university’s career services and engaged alumni community.

Academic Highlights: There are over 100 undergraduate majors to choose from at Drexel.  The university offers a reasonable 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio with commensurately reasonable class sizes. Fifty-one percent of sections contain 19 or fewer students, and just 9% of sections contain 50 or more. Drexel students are encouraged to begin seeking undergraduate research opportunities “as early as the freshman year.” An array of research-oriented co-ops exist at local hospitals, museums, and pharmaceutical companies as well. With the emphasis on co-op education, it can be difficult to carve out time to study abroad while at Drexel. In a typical year, roughly 900 students manage to study internationally at one of 60 locations. Co-ops in foreign countries are another way to access the benefits of this type of experience.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduating, 97% of Dragons have arrived at their next destination; 94% of full-time graduates were satisfied with their position and 87% were working in professions related to their field of study. The largest employers of Drexel alumni are Children’s Hospital of Philadephia, Penn Medicine, Comcast, Lockheed Martin, and Vanguard. The average salary for Drexel grads with a full-time job was $68,650.

Academic Highlights: A 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio is fully felt in the classroom as courses average only 20 students per section. While 42% come in under that marker and only a smattering of sections contain 40+ students, the greatest number of courses have enrollments in the 20-29 range. Each year, 300+ faculty-directed undergraduate research projects are completed and shown off at the university’s Annual Research and Creative Accomplishments Symposium. Study abroad programs have a 30% participation rate, and opportunities are available to travel to 60+ programs across 40 countries on five continents.

Professional Outcomes: Fairfield’s Class of 2023 found its next destination within six months of graduating at a hard-to-beat 99% clip. Major employers include PwC, Deloitte, EY, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Fidelity Investments, with 25% of grads working in the finance industry. Thus, it’s no wonder that the average starting salary is a healthy $68,733. Twenty-nine percent of 2023 grads enrolled directly in graduate or professional school.

Academic Highlights: An enviable 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to an average class size of 21 students, and the school rates well in surveys of undergraduate instructional quality. Less than 1% of course sections enroll more than 50 students. The Center for Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry was launched last decade to facilitate an increased number of student-faculty collaborations. Opportunities for research exist not only in the natural sciences but also in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Sixty-three percent of Zags choose to study abroad during their college experience, including at the university’s flagship program in Florence, Italy.

Professional Outcomes: The 2023 cohort enjoyed a 94% success rate. Seventy-seven percent of those surveyed found full-time employment within six months, with a large number of grads getting hired by Providence Health & Services (40), Deloitte (16), and Boeing (9). The average starting salary for 2023 grads was $65,140. Of the 16% of 2023 grads who entered a graduate/professional degree program, the most popular institutions were Gonzaga (93), the University of Washington (14), Eastern Washington University (5), and Seattle University (3).

Academic Highlights: The offerings at Hobart & William Smith are wide with 47 majors and 62 minors. The average class size is just 16 students, and 100% of courses are taught by full-time faculty; the student-to-faculty ratio is an excellent 10:1. That ratio has a tremendous impact on faculty accessibility, as evidenced by the fact that 96% of students report having a discussion with a professor outside the classroom. Every student participates in at least one of the following: community service, service learning, or community-based research. Possessing one of the strongest study abroad programs you’ll find at any American college, 60% of HWS undergraduates take a semester of study in one of nearly 50 locations around the globe.

Professional Outcomes: In a typical year, approximately two-thirds of HWS grads immediately enter the world of full-time employment while 15% jump right into pursuing a graduate or professional degree. Looking at all living alumni, companies employing the greatest number of grads include Morgan Stanley, Fidelity Investments, Merrill Lynch, Bozzuto, JP Morgan, Google, UBS, JPMorgan Chase, and Citi. The greatest concentration of alumni can be found in New York City; Boston; Rochester; Washington, DC; Philadelphia; and San Francisco.

Academic Highlights: IU offers 200+ majors The university’s 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio is strong 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, 35% of all sections contain no more than 19 students. Experiential learning opportunities are available to those who seize them; over one-quarter of arts and sciences students completed research with a faculty member. On the study abroad front, roughly the same percentage of A&S graduates spent a semester in a foreign country. In total, the school offers 380 programs in 70 countries and 20 languages.

Professional Outcomes: Class of 2023 grads reached their next employment or graduate school destination at a 92% rate within six months of receiving their degrees. The median starting salary for IU grads ranged between $54,000 and $60,000. Among the largest employers of Hoosier alumni are local pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, EY, Amazon, PwC, Salesforce, Deloitte, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Accenture, and Google. Indianapolis, Chicago, Bloomington, and New York City are the locales where you can find the greatest concentration of Indiana graduates.

Academic Highlights: Twenty-three percent of sections enroll fewer than 10 students, a reality made possible by an enviable 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students consistently rate professors as being of high quality and committed to undergraduate instruction and Ithaca rates very well nationally according to these qualities. The college is committed to facilitating undergraduate research in all disciplines, and hosts the National Conference on Undergraduate Research which is attended by 3,000 students and their mentors from around the country.

Professional Outcomes: Within nine months of graduating, 52% of one recent graduating cohort had already found their first post-college job and 22% were still seeking employment. Media companies like NBCUniversal Media and Netflix are among the largest employers of Ithaca alumni along with corporations like Fidelity Investments, Deloitte, Amazon, and Apple. More than five recent grads enrolled at nearby Cornell University and multiple grads traveled to Syracuse University, Columbia University, and Northwestern University. The Greater New York City Area houses the highest number of Ithaca diploma-holders followed by Boston, Ithaca itself, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.

Academic Highlights: A freshman retention rate of 90% is excellent for a public university, and the strength of undergraduate teaching gets high marks. In part, this is made possible by a reasonable 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Each year, more than 2,800 undergrads work with professors on research, and some become coauthors of academic papers and/or find themselves presenting at academic conferences. The school also ranks in the top five among public institutions for the percent of students who elect to study abroad; a phenomenal 55% of undergrads elect to study away from Oxford.

Professional Outcomes: The overall success rate for the Class of 2023 was 99%, roughly the same as for the previous two cohorts. Fifty-five percent of recent Miami grads were employed and by mid-career, alumni enjoy a median salary of $132k. Staying in Ohio is a common postgraduate choice with 46% of grads doing so, but Chicago; New York City; Washington, DC; and Denver are also popular landing spots. The companies attracting the greatest number of RedHawk alumni are Procter & Gamble, EY, Fifth Third Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte, PNC, PwC, and Amazon.

Academic Highlights: NJIT offers students 51 undergraduate majors with a strong emphasis on hands-on learning, supported by a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio and optimally sized classes—68% with fewer than 30 students and only 3% exceeding 50. The university’s research ecosystem is exceptionally robust, featuring 140+ specialized institutes, centers, and labs where undergraduates can engage in meaningful projects. Through initiatives like the Student Seed Program, students receive up to $500 for preliminary research and can secure additional funding up to $3,000 to advance their work. NJIT’s faculty are leaders in their fields, with 99% holding terminal degrees, ensuring cutting-edge mentorship.

Professional Outcomes: NJIT graduates achieve outstanding career outcomes, with 85% employed within six months of graduation and another 10% pursuing advanced degrees at elite institutions like MIT, Columbia, and Yale School of Medicine. The university’s strong industry connections place alumni at top employers such as Lockheed Martin, Johnson & Johnson, and Amazon, with graduates commanding an impressive average starting salary of $76,249. These results underscore NJIT’s success in preparing students for high-impact careers in fields where its rigorous, research-driven education delivers exceptional value.

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: Purdue offers over 200 majors at ten discipline-specific colleges, and 37% of course sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer. Undergraduates conduct more than 2,000 research projects per year; they can connect with professors during the academic year or apply to participate in a Summer Research Fellowship. Discipline-specific research programs, a research pitch competition, research conferences & symposiums, and publishing opportunities abound. 1,300 students per year elect to study abroad at one of 400 programs in 50 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after receiving their diplomas, 65% of 2023 grads headed to the world of employment while 25% headed to graduate/professional school. Companies employing the greatest number of recent alumni were Eli Lilly & Company, Amazon, Deloitte, JP Morgan Chase, PepsiCo, and Cummins, Inc. The average starting salary was $71k across all degree programs. The majority of alumni remain in Indiana with Illinois, California, Texas, New York, and Wisconsin rounding out the five next most common destinations.

Academic Highlights: Offering 37 majors and 42 minors, Sewanee exposes undergrads to a wide scope of liberal arts study. Undergraduate teaching is the primary focus; the average class size is 16 students, and 66% of course sections have an enrollment under 20. Nearly one-quarter of undergrads were involved in research last year, and over 200 research projects in disciplines from physics to English were presented at 2024’s Scholarship Sewanee. Study abroad options that are a summer, a semester, or a full year in length are embarked upon by roughly half of all Sewanee students. 100+ programs are available on all seven continents.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 95% of last year’s grads found some form of employment or begun their graduate studies. The largest number of total alumni can be found at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Raymond James, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Deloitte, and Wells Fargo. Sewanee graduates pursuing further education had stellar acceptance rates, attending institutions such as Oxford, the University of Edinburgh, Yale, Georgetown, and the University of Chicago.

Academic Highlights: Close faculty relationships are a true possibility at a school with an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and 69% of course sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Only 1% of sections enroll more than 40 students. The average class size is just 16 students. An exceptional 82% of students participate in an undergraduate research experience. 31 study abroad programs in over 20 countries were taken advantage of by 61% of students.

Professional Outcomes: A solid 96% of the Class of 2023 found their way to the world of employment or a graduate/professional program within 7-9 months of leaving the university. More than 20 alumni can be found in the offices of Fidelity Investments, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Northwestern Mutual, and UBS. 21% of recent grads immediately entered graduate school, enrolling in programs at Clarkson University, Boston University, Northeastern University, and the University of Vermont.

Academic Highlights: Temple offers 160+ undergraduate programs. Forty-four percent of classes have an enrollment of 19 or fewer students, and 72% of courses contain no more than 29 undergraduates. Undergraduate research positions are available across all 12 undergraduate schools and colleges, including a seven-month-long funded research experience called the Diamond Research Scholars program. The school offers plenty of study abroad opportunities, including its own programs in Spain, Japan, and Italy. A touch over 10% of undergrads take a semester in a foreign country.

Professional Outcomes: Fifty-one percent of recent grads quickly secured employment and another 18% were enrolled in graduate school. Top employers included the School District of Philadelphia, Vanguard, SEI, Amazon, and Lockheed Martin. Hundreds of Owl alumni can be found at Merck, Comcast, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, and Bristol Myers Squibb. The highest percentage of grads reside in Philadelphia, with New York City and Washington, DC, next in popularity.

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: TCU offers 117 undergraduate majors. With a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, classes at TCU are not all tiny, but the school manages to keep enrollment below 20 students in 41% of its class sections, and only 5% of courses seat more than 50. Of equal importance, 98% of faculty members teach undergraduate students, so you will have access to the best and brightest professors the school has to offer. The study abroad program makes international study readily accessible, and two-fifths of undergrads enjoy a semester overseas.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduating, 81% of recent diploma-earners were employed or had their graduate school placement lined up. Deloitte, American Airlines, JPMorgan Chase, and Goldman Sachs employ the greatest number of alumni. Other companies hiring recent TCU grads include Microsoft, IBM, Fidelity Investments, Bank of America, Cerner, PWC, and AT&T. The most recent median starting salary was $65,000.

Academic Highlights: Alabama manages to keep classes on the smaller side, with 48% enrolling under 20 students and 64% enrolling under 30. Each year, more UA students choose to pursue research opportunities; participation in the annual Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity conference has increased by over 30% since 2022. Historically, only a small percentage of undergrads study abroad—about 5% each year—but hundreds of options are available, and the university directly partners with nearly 30 programs in 13 countries.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 92% of alumni have already achieved a positive result; 58% go into the working world and one-third enter graduate/professional school. Top employers include Amazon, AT&T, Capital One, Dell Technologies, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing. The average salary for a Class of 2023 grad was $61,738. For grad school, the highest number of students stay at Alabama while many others enroll at Vanderbilt, LSU, and the University of Mississippi.

Academic Highlights: UArizona undergrads can choose from over 150 majors. A 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to a mix of smaller and larger course sections with 32% of classes having an enrollment of under 20 and 16% possessing 50 or more students. Through the Undergraduate Research & Inquiry Collaborative, students can access dozens of research-related resources and opportunities. Over ninety opportunities to study abroad during the year or in the summer are available, including 14 Arizona Abroad program at locations as varied as Madrid, Tokyo, and Bangkok.

Professional Outcomes: In recent years, some of the top employers hiring Arizona grads have been Raytheon, Banner Health, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Northrop Grumman, Deloitte, and ADP. An astonishing 92% of employers rate Wildcats as coming to their first job with the skills needed to succeed; One in three students stay in Tuscon post-graduation, with Phoenix and Los Angeles also proving popular with Wildcat alumni.

Academic Highlights: The University of Cincinnati—a global leader in experiential education—offers students an unparalleled 285 bachelor’s programs within a vibrant, internationally diverse community representing all 50 states and 121 countries. While maintaining an accessible 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio, UC strikes an ideal balance in class sizes: 34% of courses feature intimate cohorts of 19 or fewer students, while 19% deliver the dynamic energy of larger lectures (50+ students). As the birthplace of cooperative education, UC guarantees 100% student participation in transformative experiences—from traditional co-ops and service spring breaks to innovative virtual internships. This hands-on philosophy builds on UC’s legacy of groundbreaking research that brought the world revolutionary innovations like the oral polio vaccine and the heart-lung machine.

Professional Outcomes: UC’s career outcomes showcase its strength as an economic engine for Ohio and beyond: 81% of 2023 graduates secured employment, notably with regional powerhouses like Cincinnati Children’s, Procter & Gamble, and Kroger, while 13% pursued advanced degrees. The university’s deep industry partnerships yield strong financial returns, with alumni earning an average of $60,397 within three years of graduation. Many Bearcats choose to build their careers in the thriving Cincinnati metro area, contributing to the local economy—a testament to UC’s enduring impact on regional workforce development.

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: 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: 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: 200+ undergraduate majors, minors, and certificate programs are available across eight colleges. The 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio is not suggestive of an intimate learning environment, yet the University of Iowa still manages to keep over half of its undergraduate sections at an enrollment of 19 or fewer students. Just 13% of sections enroll 50 or more undergrads. Increasing the number of undergraduate research opportunities available is part of the university’s strategic plan. At present, about one-third of UI undergrads conduct or assist research. In a given year, more than 1,000 University of Iowa students study abroad.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of recent grads found their first job or advanced degree program within six months of receiving their diploma. Companies that employ hundreds of alumni include John Deere, Collins Aerospace, Amazon, Deloitte, AbbVie, Microsoft, and Google. Five years after graduating, alumni report a salary increase of 55% and 95% are satisfied with their job. The median salary for recent grads was $50,000. 21% went directly into graduate school; 75% remained at the University of Iowa.

Academic Highlights: There are 152 degree plans across seven schools at UT Dallas which sports a 27:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Classes are on the large side – 29% of course sections contain 50 or more students. The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) and the Short-Term Working Group (SWG) provide hands-on research experiences and professional development. Students can also explore available research positions through the university’s Undergraduate Research Portal.

Professional Outcomes: The most commonly entered industries are internet/software, healthcare, accounting, IT, and higher education. Recent employers include Accenture, Amazon, American Airlines, Citi, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, and Raytheon Technologies. Graduates early in their career earn a median salary of $74,400, with median income increasing to $120,700 mid-career. Most Comets remain in Texas after graduation, settling in Dallas, Richardson, and Plano.

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.