University of California-Irvine

Just over 50 years old, Irvine is one of the youngest campuses in the state's public university system, but it's already among the world's most respected research institutions -- three former faculty members have received Nobel Prizes. Undergraduates thrive: About 83% of freshmen go on to graduate within six years, which MONEY found is about 22% higher than expected based on its student body. From there, the typical Anteater's early career earnings come in at about $55,900, according to PayScale, which also is higher than comparable colleges. Irvine is one of the most diverse schools in the country -- 37% of the roughly 30,000 undergrads are Asian, and 25% are Hispanic. The school also has a sweet location in the sunny suburbs, just miles from the Pacific Ocean and Disneyland. UCI doesn't field a football team, but its baseball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball programs are strong. In one of the more quaint college cheers, the "Antourage," as fans are called, cheer "Zot! Zot! Zot!" to mimic the sound of an anteater sucking up ants.