Rankings / Admissions
Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage
- 50
- Schools
- $86,625
- Avg. Earnings
- 90%
- Avg. Graduation
- $29,739
- Avg. Net Price
- $18,374
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Graduate earnings span a wide band on this list, from $58,418 at the low end to $138,687 at the top. That 2.4× spread shows how much outcomes vary within a single category.
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Rice University offers the strongest payback. Graduates earn a median of $89,718 against $13,370 in annual net price, the best earnings-to-cost ratio in this ranking.
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Cost and quality are not at odds here. The most affordable school, Rice University at $13,370 a year in net price, delivers earnings of $89,718, matching or exceeding the list average.
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Completion rates separate this field: Duke University graduates 96% of its students, well above the 90% list average. Finishing what you start matters as much as where you start.
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Debt-to-earnings ratios favor Brown University: graduates owe only 0.12× their yearly income, the most manageable debt burden on the list.
Surprising Comparisons
- The top spot belongs to University of Virginia-Main Campus ($86,863 earnings), not the highest earner, Harvey Mudd College ($138,687). That is what weighting mobility and value over salary alone produces.
- Price and payoff diverge sharply here. Rice University ($13,370/yr) and Santa Clara University ($50,062/yr) produce graduates earning $89,718 and $109,183 respectively, a far narrower earnings gap than the $36,692 cost difference would suggest.
- On a cost-adjusted basis, Rice University outperforms Harvey Mudd College: similar career earnings at a much lower net price.
The Takeaway
The schools that win this ranking are not the priciest or the most selective. They turn students into earners without burying them in debt, which is exactly what our outcomes-first methodology is built to surface.
What This Means for Students
If you are choosing from this list, start with Rice University and Duke University. Pull each school's net price for your income band, weigh projected earnings against the debt you would take on, and let payoff rather than prestige drive your shortlist.
Why this ranking matters
These schools are ranked on outcomes that compound: graduate earnings, upward mobility, debt, and value, all drawn from federal tax records and Scorecard data rather than reputation surveys. The list rewards results over prestige, led by institutions whose graduates earn a median of about $86K ten years after enrollment.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-06-15
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 University of Virginia-Main Campus #1 overall | $86,863 ▲ +0% vs avg | $21,565 | 95% | 28 |
| 2 Northeastern University #2 overall | $92,538 ▲ +7% vs avg | $30,915 | 90% | 9 |
| 3 Kenyon College #3 overall | $71,830 ▼ -17% vs avg | $38,512 | 84% | 6 |
| $91,565 ▲ +6% vs avg | $15,846 | 93% | 5 | |
| $63,268 ▼ -27% vs avg | $39,949 | 88% | 4 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage
This analysis ranks 50 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $86,625 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 90% and an average net price of $29,739.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: Rice University — Net Price: $13,370 | Graduation Rate: 95%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: Duke University — 96% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Harvey Mudd College — Median alumni earnings: $138,687
Data Insight
The most expensive quartile of colleges costs 373% more than the most affordable — but their graduates earn just 34% more.
Opportunity & Mobility Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about opportunity, mobility, and the future of higher education in America?
$85,661
Median earnings (10yr)
91%
Median graduation rate
$29,566
Median net price
1.6%
Avg. mobility rate
This national ranking strips away reputation and looks at what colleges deliver: earnings, completion, mobility, and affordability. The schools at the top are not necessarily the most famous or the most selective. They are the ones producing strong outcomes for a broad cross-section of students, the truest measure of institutional effectiveness.
Across the 50 schools on this list, graduates earn a median of $85,661 ten years after they first enrolled, about $37,661 more than the roughly $48,000 a typical American worker takes home. The median graduation rate is 91%. Net price, what students pay after grants, runs a median of $29,566 a year, with about $18,500 in median federal debt at graduation. An average of 15% of students receive Pell grants, and the typical school moves low-income students into the top income quintile at a rate of 1.6%.
The schools winning this ranking combine strong outcomes with broad access. Columbia University in the City of New York leads on mobility, and list-wide median earnings reach $85,661. The institutions rising to the top are the ones leaving students measurably better off.
The podium
Build your ranking
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Tip: Check the box on any 2–4 schools below to compare them side by side.
Full rankings
Charlottesville, VA · 17% accepted · $21,565 net
Why it ranks #1
University of Virginia-Main Campus lands at #1 with a 28/100 composite, led by academic quality (95/100) and pulled down by social mobility (59/100). Graduates earn a median $86,863 a decade after enrolling, 0% above this list's average, and net price runs $21,565 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Northeastern University lands at #2 with a 9/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (81/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (64/100). Graduates earn a median $92,538 a decade after enrolling, 7% above this list's average, and net price runs $30,915 a year. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
Kenyon College lands at #3 with a 6/100 composite, led by academic quality (87/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (49/100). Graduates earn a median $71,830 a decade after enrolling, 17% below this list's average, and net price runs $38,512 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
Vanderbilt University lands at #4 with a 5/100 composite, led by academic quality (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (80/100). Graduates earn a median $91,565 a decade after enrolling, 6% above this list's average, and net price runs $15,846 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
Tulane University of Louisiana lands at #5 with a 4/100 composite, led by academic quality (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (49/100). Graduates earn a median $63,268 a decade after enrolling, 27% below this list's average, and net price runs $39,949 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Dartmouth College lands at #6 with a 4/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (72/100). Graduates earn a median $97,434 a decade after enrolling, 12% above this list's average, and net price runs $29,519 a year. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
New York, NY · 4% accepted · $21,590 net
Why it ranks #7
Columbia University in the City of New York lands at #7 with a 4/100 composite, led by academic quality (86/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (71/100). Graduates earn a median $102,491 a decade after enrolling, 18% above this list's average, and net price runs $21,590 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
Middlebury College lands at #8 with a 4/100 composite, led by academic quality (91/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (60/100). Graduates earn a median $76,310 a decade after enrolling, 12% below this list's average, and net price runs $31,483 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Amherst College lands at #9 with a 4/100 composite, led by academic quality (96/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (77/100). Graduates earn a median $77,644 a decade after enrolling, 10% below this list's average, and net price runs $23,367 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
Duke University lands at #10 with a 4/100 composite, led by academic quality (90/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (73/100). Graduates earn a median $97,800 a decade after enrolling, 13% above this list's average, and net price runs $29,612 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #11
Northwestern University lands at #11 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (87/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (71/100). Graduates earn a median $89,363 a decade after enrolling, 3% above this list's average, and net price runs $29,167 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #12
Williams College lands at #12 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (93/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (81/100). Graduates earn a median $88,665 a decade after enrolling, 2% above this list's average, and net price runs $17,716 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
Brown University lands at #13 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (86/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (78/100). Graduates earn a median $93,487 a decade after enrolling, 8% above this list's average, and net price runs $25,184 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #14
Boston University lands at #14 with a 3/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (63/100). Graduates earn a median $83,238 a decade after enrolling, 4% below this list's average, and net price runs $24,402 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #15
Haverford College lands at #15 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (90/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (71/100). Graduates earn a median $79,966 a decade after enrolling, 8% below this list's average, and net price runs $25,314 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #16
Grinnell College lands at #16 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (88/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (71/100). Graduates earn a median $62,830 a decade after enrolling, 27% below this list's average, and net price runs $17,648 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #17
Davidson College lands at #17 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (91/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (72/100). Graduates earn a median $81,400 a decade after enrolling, 6% below this list's average, and net price runs $17,379 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #18
Washington and Lee University lands at #18 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (89/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (74/100). Graduates earn a median $94,810 a decade after enrolling, 9% above this list's average, and net price runs $23,781 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #19
Emory University lands at #19 with a 3/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (70/100). Graduates earn a median $80,137 a decade after enrolling, 7% below this list's average, and net price runs $22,585 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #20
Claremont McKenna College lands at #20 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (95/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (60/100). Graduates earn a median $104,736 a decade after enrolling, 21% above this list's average, and net price runs $28,849 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #21
University of Miami lands at #21 with a 3/100 composite, led by social mobility (79/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (51/100). Graduates earn a median $75,328 a decade after enrolling, 13% below this list's average, and net price runs $37,244 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #22
Wesleyan University lands at #22 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (91/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (67/100). Graduates earn a median $73,897 a decade after enrolling, 15% below this list's average, and net price runs $30,177 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #23
Bates College lands at #23 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (89/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (71/100). Graduates earn a median $69,498 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $29,351 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #24
Washington University in St Louis lands at #24 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (76/100). Graduates earn a median $86,182 a decade after enrolling, 1% below this list's average, and net price runs $21,786 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #25
Bowdoin College lands at #25 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (93/100) and pulled down by economic outcomes (79/100). Graduates earn a median $82,735 a decade after enrolling, 4% below this list's average, and net price runs $14,398 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #26
Fairfield University lands at #26 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (26/100). Graduates earn a median $88,794 a decade after enrolling, 3% above this list's average, and net price runs $48,095 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #27
Boston College lands at #27 with a 3/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (87/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (57/100). Graduates earn a median $103,937 a decade after enrolling, 20% above this list's average, and net price runs $41,704 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #28
Rice University lands at #28 with a 3/100 composite, led by academic quality (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (81/100). Graduates earn a median $89,718 a decade after enrolling, 4% above this list's average, and net price runs $13,370 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #29
Villanova University lands at #29 with a 2/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (41/100). Graduates earn a median $100,423 a decade after enrolling, 16% above this list's average, and net price runs $43,756 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #30
Wellesley College lands at #30 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (92/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (75/100). Graduates earn a median $84,803 a decade after enrolling, 2% below this list's average, and net price runs $25,496 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #31
Johns Hopkins University lands at #31 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (93/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (82/100). Graduates earn a median $87,555 a decade after enrolling, 1% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,809 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #32
Colorado College lands at #32 with a 2/100 composite, led by social mobility (84/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (59/100). Graduates earn a median $65,222 a decade after enrolling, 25% below this list's average, and net price runs $33,375 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #33
Bucknell University lands at #33 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (86/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (40/100). Graduates earn a median $93,807 a decade after enrolling, 8% above this list's average, and net price runs $40,766 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #34
Skidmore College lands at #34 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (57/100). Graduates earn a median $69,363 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $32,297 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #35
Lehigh University lands at #35 with a 2/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (86/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (47/100). Graduates earn a median $105,584 a decade after enrolling, 22% above this list's average, and net price runs $36,931 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #36
Carnegie Mellon University lands at #36 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (90/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (57/100). Graduates earn a median $114,862 a decade after enrolling, 33% above this list's average, and net price runs $31,944 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #37
Pitzer College lands at #37 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (87/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (56/100). Graduates earn a median $69,512 a decade after enrolling, 20% below this list's average, and net price runs $34,191 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #38
Vassar College lands at #38 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (89/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (47/100). Graduates earn a median $71,366 a decade after enrolling, 18% below this list's average, and net price runs $39,343 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #39
Babson College lands at #39 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (96/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (42/100). Graduates earn a median $123,938 a decade after enrolling, 43% above this list's average, and net price runs $40,514 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #40
Colgate University lands at #40 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (89/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (69/100). Graduates earn a median $85,139 a decade after enrolling, 2% below this list's average, and net price runs $28,786 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #41
Santa Clara University lands at #41 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (87/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (35/100). Graduates earn a median $109,183 a decade after enrolling, 26% above this list's average, and net price runs $50,062 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #42
Harvey Mudd College lands at #42 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (95/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (38/100). Graduates earn a median $138,687 a decade after enrolling, 60% above this list's average, and net price runs $35,924 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #43
University of Richmond lands at #43 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (55/100). Graduates earn a median $76,178 a decade after enrolling, 12% below this list's average, and net price runs $31,309 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #44
William & Mary lands at #44 with a 2/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (73/100). Graduates earn a median $73,490 a decade after enrolling, 15% below this list's average, and net price runs $19,096 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #45
Texas Christian University lands at #45 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (89/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (48/100). Graduates earn a median $68,424 a decade after enrolling, 21% below this list's average, and net price runs $36,660 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #46
Lafayette College lands at #46 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (85/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (58/100). Graduates earn a median $91,410 a decade after enrolling, 6% above this list's average, and net price runs $34,433 a year, above the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #47
Bentley University lands at #47 with a 2/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (90/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (41/100). Graduates earn a median $120,959 a decade after enrolling, 40% above this list's average, and net price runs $37,930 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #48
Mount Holyoke College lands at #48 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (87/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (56/100). Graduates earn a median $58,418 a decade after enrolling, 33% below this list's average, and net price runs $26,441 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #49
Dickinson College lands at #49 with a 2/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (36/100). Graduates earn a median $70,204 a decade after enrolling, 19% below this list's average, and net price runs $37,607 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #50
Centre College lands at #50 with a 2/100 composite, led by academic quality (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (56/100). Graduates earn a median $66,240 a decade after enrolling, 24% below this list's average, and net price runs $20,781 a year, well under the field. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 50 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs are
This ranking scores 50 institutions on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt burdens, and social mobility data from Opportunity Insights. Every data point comes from federal sources. No surveys, no opinions.
Social mobility carries the heaviest weight in our algorithm. We use Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card — built on 30 million anonymized tax records — to measure whether a college changes a family's economic trajectory across generations. Schools that take low-income students and launch them into higher earnings rank higher than schools that admit wealthy students and take credit for their success.
The transparency penalty matters here. Schools that don't report their data get scored lower than schools that do. If an institution won't show you its numbers, we think you should know that before you write them a tuition check.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
The backbone of this ranking is social-mobility data from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, which draws on more than 30 million tax records. A school's mobility rate is the share of its students who move from the bottom income quintile to the top. Among the 47 schools on this list with available data, that rate averages 1.6%. Columbia University in the City of New York leads the group at 3.1%, with Claremont McKenna College (3%) and Bentley University (2.9%) close behind.
Who gets in matters as much as what happens after. Across these schools, an average of 3.5% of students start in the bottom income quintile. Brown University leads at 11.5%, which signals an admissions door that is actually open to low-income students. Schools that pair high access with high mobility are the ones driving generational change.
Once low-income students enroll, their odds of reaching the top income quintile average 47.9% across this list. Harvey Mudd College posts the highest success rate at 74.4%. Access without completion and career momentum is an incomplete picture, and this is the number that completes it.
Social capital, measured by economic connectedness, captures the degree of cross-class friendship on campus, another dimension Opportunity Insights ties to long-run outcomes. Across these schools it averages 1.82 against a national benchmark of 1.0. Claremont McKenna College reaches 1.90, the highest on the list.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
Where These Schools Are Located
Frequently Asked Questions
Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage ranking? +
University of Virginia-Main Campus in Charlottesville, VA ranks #1 in our 2026 Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $86,863 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 95% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Harvey Mudd College posts the highest median earnings on this list: $138,687 ten years after enrollment, well above the $86,625 average across the 50 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, Rice University leads: graduates earn a median $89,718 against net price of about $13,370 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
Duke University has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 96%, compared with a 90% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $29,739 a year across the 50 ranked schools with cost data. Rice University is among the most affordable at roughly $13,370. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Colleges With the Biggest Early Decision Advantage ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 50 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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