California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

One of two polytechnical universities in California, Cal Poly Pomona has strong programs in engineering and business, as well as renowned programs in hospitality management, agriculture, and apparel merchandising and management. It was first designated a National Center of Academic Excellence by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency in 2005, and continues to carry that honor. The university's graduation rate of 71% is nearly 35% higher than expected based on schools with comparable student demographics, according to Money's analysis. Recent graduates report an average early career income of $55,500, according to PayScale, which also is higher than expected. Cal Poly Pomona's learn-by-doing approach provides a wealth of internships and research positions, but it also yields some unexpected opportunities. An on-campus brewery teaches students craft beer-making using barley and oranges grown on campus. And every year for the past seven decades, students have joined their peers from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to build a float for the Tournament of Roses parade. In fact, Cal Poly Pomona recently broke ground on a 14,000-square-foot float lab and design complex that is expected to become operational by 2021.