Lafayette College

Lafayette College, one of the nation's oldest liberal arts schools, also has prominent engineering and science programs; graduates with good GPAs get accepted to medical schools at a rate of 74%. At this close-knit school of about 2,600 students, several programs connect liberal arts majors with engineering, science, or technology students to tackle real-world problems. Such cross-disciplinary and practical experience may be one reason that alumni do well in the workforce, reporting early career salaries averaging $63,000 according to PayScale data, about 14% more than the average reported by graduates of institutions with similar student demographics, according to Money's analysis. The Pennsylvania school also has an 87% graduation rate. Lafayette may not come to mind as a sports powerhouse, but the college does have a rich football history. In 1894, a Lafayette player helped spur the invention of the football helmet by wearing leather straps around his head. The college participates in one of collegiate football's oldest rivalries -- it's had 155 match-ups (and counting) with nearby Lehigh University. A climbing wall, six-lane pool, intramural sports, and a daily schedule of yoga and fitness classes are available for students interested in their own exercise.