CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College

Baruch College was named after financier Bernard M. Baruch in 1953, and it still has a money-related focus decades later. Accounting, finance, and marketing are the most popular undergraduate programs. Three-quarters of its 15,000 undergrads study in the college's well-known Zicklin School of Business. And it's located just a few miles from Wall Street -- which is also close to the headquarters of many major corporations. Baruch's New York City campus also helps make it one of the most ethnically diverse colleges in the country. People at Baruch speak over 110 different languages, and more than a third are first-generation college students. About 45% of undergraduates are considered low-income. Another impressive statistic: Roughly 69% of Baruch students graduate within six years -- a rate that is nearly 19% higher than at schools with students from similar academic and economic backgrounds. While the Manhattan campus is dominated by commuters, Baruch still offers more than 110 traditional student activities, including a campus newspaper, active student government, and 13 Division III sports teams. On the less traditional front, there are clubs for calligraphy and roller hockey, and an e-sports association. Alumni earn an average of $55,600 in their early careers, which is about 14% higher than graduates from similar universities. Those strong salaries, along with the students it admits, help Baruch claim one of the country's highest socioeconomic mobility rates.