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5. Colby College

courtesy Colby College

Waterville, Maine

Money rank: 85

Distance to nearest ski area: 18 miles (Eaton Mountain)

This small liberal arts school makes it easy for students to get out and enjoy winter. Under its “Jan-Plan,” students take just one class for the month of January. While some use the time to immerse themselves in a single subject, many students take advantage of the lighter load to hit the trails at nearby Sugarloaf, the largest ski area in the Northeast. Closer to campus, season passes are $125 at Eaton Mountain. Nordic skiers have ski-in, ski-out access to the school's own 8.5-mile network of trails. Not surprisingly, the Outing Club is the biggest student group on campus.

Average early career earnings: $49,200