WalletHub has released the 2027 U.S. college rankings, with graduates from Harvey Mudd College, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and Stanford University tying for the highest median salaries in the United States.
The personal finance website, WalletHub, unveiled this ranking in October, comparing nearly 740 higher education institutions across the U.S. and evaluating 30 key indicators. These indicators are divided into seven categories: student selectivity, cost and financing, faculty resources, campus safety, campus experience, educational outcomes, and career outcomes. In terms of return on investment, Harvey Mudd College ranked first, Caltech third, and Stanford fourth.
Located in Claremont, Southern California, Harvey Mudd College is known for its strength in STEM fields. The college ranked third in the category of undergraduate colleges with an acceptance rate of 13%. In the overall national ranking, the college came in at 26th place.
According to WalletHub’s data, Harvey Mudd College graduates earn nearly $1.426 million more on average over 20 years post-graduation compared to those with only a high school diploma, making it the college with the highest return on investment. The average annual income of Harvey Mudd’s graduates after 10 years of entering the workforce is close to $139,000. In terms of median post-graduation salaries, Harvey Mudd College ties with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Caltech, Stanford University, and Bentley University for the highest in the nation.
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Pomona College, also located in Claremont, outperformed Harvey Mudd College in the overall ranking. Pomona ranked second in the undergraduate college category for 2027, 21st overall, with an acceptance rate of only 7%. The student-faculty ratio at Pomona College is 1:7, ranking fourth best in the country.
However, in terms of return on investment, Pomona College ranked 91st nationwide. The average annual income of Pomona graduates 10 years after enrollment is around $78,000, with an average annual cost of attendance of about $39,000.
Two other research-oriented universities in California excelled in both the overall ranking and return on investment. Caltech scored 79.27, ranking fourth nationally (with the highest score being 80.76), while Stanford University scored 76.78, ranking ninth in the country. Both schools made it to the top five nationally in terms of lowest acceptance rates, highest educational return on investment, and highest post-graduation median salaries.
WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo mentioned that universities typically rank higher than colleges due to the presence of research programs and more opportunities on campus, leading to higher graduate incomes. He also pointed out that many top-ranking colleges have their own advantages, such as small class sizes, more personalized learning approaches, and generally safer campuses.
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Princeton University holds the top spot in the overall ranking, followed closely by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Yale University. The number one undergraduate college is Wellesley College in Massachusetts, ranking 20th overall.
The top ten in California, in order, include: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Stanford University, Pomona College, Harvey Mudd College, University of California, Berkeley, Claremont McKenna College, University of California, San Diego, University of Southern California, University of California, Irvine, and University of California, Los Angeles.