Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT is one of the world's most respected science schools, and for good reason. For starters, consider its notoriously competitive selection process – only about 7% of applicants were accepted last year. Then there's the grueling workload, which includes physics, biology, chemistry and calculus as required courses. And, of course, MIT's professors are world class, with 11 Nobel laureates currently on the faculty. Students can count on a lot of individual attention from their professors, given that MIT is tied for having the lowest student-faculty ratio in Money's universe. All that hard work reaps rewards, as most of the 94% of Techies who graduate within six years tend to do well. The median salary a decade after enrolling tops $111,000, impressive even for similarly tech-focused colleges. While the school isn't exactly a bargain, it awards need-based scholarships to about 60% of undergrads, and the average scholarship is more than $45,000. MIT has a diverse student body, and the 166-acre campus in Cambridge gives students access to nightlife as well as the cultural activities of nearby Boston. MIT alone has a dozen galleries and museums on campus. When not appreciating the arts, Techies are known for creative, nerdy fun, like playing Quidditch or experimenting in the Laboratory for Chocolate Science.