25 Great Colleges for Good Science Students
By:
Kim Clark
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Students at Maine Maritime Academy learn aboard training vessels .
Everybody knows that techies who go to MIT or Stanford have a great leg up in the job market. But what if you love math but didn't get a 5 on AP Calculus?
Money has scoured the data to find 25 great, accessible colleges for aspiring scientists and engineers. All of these schools accept more than two-thirds of their applicants and have good graduation rates. And, according to PayScale.com, recent alumni who majored in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) earn, on average, more than $50,000 a year.
| College | PayScale.com early-career median salary for STEM majors | Admissions rate | Money ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Maritime Academy | $70,700 | 79% | 8 |
| Texas A&M University– College Station | $62,000 | 71% | 20 |
| University of Washington– Bothell Campus | $64,100 | 79% | 36 |
| Manhattan College | $60,900 | 67% | 41 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $61,900 | 73% | 48 |
| Fairfield University | $56,700 | 72% | 56 |
| James Madison University | $57,000 | 66% | 59 |
| University of Delaware | $58,000 | 68% | 65 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | $57,400 | 76% | 67 |
| Bryant University | $63,200 | 75% | 68 |
| Grove City College | $55,600 | 88% | 89 |
| John Carroll University | $52,000 | 83% | 93 |
| Washington State University | $55,800 | 82% | 96 |
| Michigan State University | $57,100 | 66% | 109 |
| Gonzaga University | $58,200 | 68% | 109 |
| University of New Hampshire–Main Campus | $51,700 | 80% | 116 |
| University of Mary Washington | $51,100 | 77% | 119 |
| CUNY College of Staten Island | $69,100 | 94% | 123 |
| George Mason University | $58,600 | 67% | 127 |
| University of Utah | $59,100 | 81% | 127 |
| Michigan Technological University | $62,800 | 76% | 127 |
| Wheaton College | $50,800 | 69% | 134 |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | $62,100 | 86% | 134 |
| Lawrence University | $51,500 | 73% | 141 |
| University of Arizona | $60,200 | 75% | 147 |
Sources: PayScale.com and U.S. Department of Education