DEEPCOLLEGES · OPS · v3.3 SCHOOLS·INDEXED 120 SOURCES IPEDS · CDS · SCORECARD LAST·SYNC 2026.04.29
MAJOR GUIDE · 2026

Best Colleges for Education: Ranked by Graduate Salary, Not Prestige
— ranked by salary, not prestige.

We rank by what graduates actually earn — not by reputation surveys.

01

The ranking

sortable · by salary outcomes
Rank School Salary Accept ROI Verdict
① Amherst College $58,900 9.8%
REACH
② Barnard College $58,900 8.0%
REACH
③ Brown University $58,900 5.2%
REACH
04 Colby College $58,900 6.8%
REACH
05 Duke University $58,900 6.8%
REACH
06 New York University (NYU) $58,900 9.4%
REACH
07 Northwestern University $58,900 7.1%
REACH
08 Swarthmore College $58,900 6.9%
REACH
09 UCLA $58,900 9.0%
REACH
10 Vanderbilt University $58,900 6.3%
REACH
11 Boston University $55,100 10.8%
REACH
12 Colgate University $55,100 11.9%
REACH
13 Davidson College $55,100 14.5%
REACH
14 Tulane University $55,100 14.6%
REACH
15 Washington University in St. Louis $55,100 12.0%
REACH
16 Wellesley College $55,100 13.9%
REACH
17 Boston College $51,300 15.7%
MATCH
18 Smith College $51,300 19.7%
MATCH
19 University of Miami $51,300 18.5%
MATCH
20 University of Michigan $51,300 17.9%
MATCH
21 University of North Carolina $51,300 18.7%
MATCH
22 University of Virginia $51,300 16.9%
MATCH
23 Vassar College $51,300 17.7%
MATCH
24 Wesleyan University $51,300 17.1%
MATCH
25 Florida State University $47,500 25.4%
MATCH
26 UC Irvine $47,500 25.6%
MATCH
27 UC San Diego $47,500 24.5%
MATCH
28 University of Florida $47,500 24.0%
MATCH
29 Villanova University $47,500 25.1%
MATCH
30 Wake Forest University $47,500 21.6%
MATCH

Education Major FAQs

Which college has the highest Education salary?
Amherst College Education graduates earn the highest median 4-year-out salary on this list, at $58,900. Salary by program is the most reliable signal for ROI on major choice.
What is the most competitive Education program?
Brown University is the most selective school on this list with a 5.2% overall acceptance rate. Top programs in Education often admit at significantly lower rates than the school-wide average.
Which colleges have an easier path to study Education?
Among schools on this list, UC Irvine is the most accessible at a 25.6% acceptance rate. Less selective schools can still produce strong Education grads — what matters is fit, faculty, and your own work.
What GPA do I need for Education programs?
GPA requirements vary widely. Reach schools (acceptance < 20%) typically expect 3.8+ unweighted GPAs with rigorous coursework. Match schools (20-50%) expect 3.3-3.7. Less selective schools may admit at 3.0+. Major-specific admission (engineering, CS, business) is often tougher than the school average.
Should I pick a school based on Education ranking or overall prestige?
Major-specific salary outcomes beat overall school prestige for most career paths. A top program in Education at a less famous school often outperforms a mid-tier program at a brand-name school. The salary table on this page ranks programs by what graduates actually earn, not by reputation surveys.
▎FROM THE DATA TO YOUR LIST

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Data source: IPEDS, College Scorecard.