2022 Best Colleges for a Master’s Degree by Salary Score
Graduate school can be an expensive investment that many students end up paying off for years to come. According to NCES data from 2016, 60% of master's graduates took out student loans to pay for their degrees. Many of these students are borrowing on top of what they already owe for their undergraduate education.
Prospective students need to know how much they can expect to earn after graduation to make informed decisions about where they go to school and what degree they pursue. That's why we evaluate schools based on alumni salaries by major.
We evaluated graduate schools based on median earnings for master's alumni to find out which have the highest salary outcomes across programs. This list highlights schools whose graduates earn the highest starting salaries for their major, no matter what they studied.
Our other rankings offer insights on the best colleges and online schools for a bachelor's degree based on alumni starting salaries by major.
Jump to takeawaysKey Insights:
- More than half of the top 50 schools for a master's degree are public universities
- Only five Ivy Leagues make the top 50 graduate schools
- Non-profit schools overwhelmingly have the best salary outcomes for master's graduates
- New York and California schools dominate the list, due in part to higher costs of living and more universities per capita in these areas
#1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
No change from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$58,967
SALARY SCORE
99.62
For the second year in a row, MIT maintained its place as the top graduate school for salary by major. MIT's most popular master's programs include general business, electrical engineering, systems engineering, urban planning, and mechanical engineering.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#2
Stanford University
No change from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$55,011
SALARY SCORE
98.3
Stanford held its spot as the 2nd best university for a master's degree in 2022, with a Salary Score of 98.3. Alumni of its popular master's programs in business administration, education, civil engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering are among the top earners in their fields of study.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $164,734 | 99.87 | 0.0 |
| Civil Engineering | $78,911 | 88.71 | -3.77 |
| Computer Science | $159,729 | 99.62 | -0.03 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $128,556 | 99.38 | 0.43 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering | $108,457 | 96.44 | 7.64 |
#3
Cornell University
+1 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$30,006
SALARY SCORE
96.76
Coming in 3rd on this year's list of the top graduate schools, Cornell moved up one spot from its ranking in 2021 with a slight increase in Salary Score. The university's most popular master's programs include business administration, computer science, systems engineering, biomedical engineering, and mechanical engineering.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $150,786 | 99.87 | 0.0 |
| Systems Engineering | $95,847 | 35.12 | 12.55 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $105,672 | 80.07 | 8.78 |
| Operations Research | $101,067 | 23.98 | 0.0 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | -99.87 |
#4
University of Chicago
+6 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$63,936
SALARY SCORE
94.65
UChicago saw a big jump in its ranking this year, moving up from 10th last year to the 4th best school for a master's degree in 2022. It's the first university on our list not dominated by STEM degrees, with graduate students favoring business administration, social work, liberal arts and humanities, public policy analysis, and social sciences.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#5
CUNY Hunter College
+2 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$20,828
SALARY SCORE
94.43
CUNY Hunter College moved up two spots this year to rank 5th for Salary Score, replacing UC Berkeley as the top public university for a master's degree in 2022. True to its roots as a teaching college in the late 19th century, Hunter's most popular majors include teaching programs, special education, nursing, and social work.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#6
Northwestern University
No change from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$56,567
SALARY SCORE
94.07
Northwestern held its spot as the 6th best graduate school in the country with a Salary Score of 94. Popular master's programs at Northwestern include general business, management sciences, journalism, communications, and clinical psychology.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $77,466 | 96.23 | -0.3 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $39,767 | 23.12 | -10.49 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $120,709 | 99.15 | -0.72 |
| Public Administration | $66,011 | 86.28 | 1.74 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $59,798 | 80.4 | -15.38 |
#7
Harvard University
+2 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$52,170
SALARY SCORE
94.05
One of the most well-known universities globally, Harvard moved up two spots in the rankings to hold the #7 spot for best graduate schools by Salary Score. Harvard graduates tend to favor master's programs in areas that serve their communities. Its most popular majors are general education, public health, public policy analysis, public administration, and architectural sciences.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#8
California State University - East Bay
+8 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$17,933
SALARY SCORE
93.72
Cal State's East Bay campus jumped up to 8th in this year's rankings, up from #16 in 2021. It's one of the top public universities in the country for master's degree starting salaries. Cal State East Bay's most popular graduate programs are largely in administration, including business administration, public administration, health and medical administration, social work, and general education.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $82,891 | 72.14 | 8.16 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $72,131 | 61.18 | 16.07 |
| Education, General | $60,582 | 89.69 | 0.42 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $84,466 | 98.91 | -0.44 |
#9
CUNY City College
+12 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$20,832
SALARY SCORE
93.57
CUNY City College also saw a big jump, rising 12 spots thanks in part to an increase of more than 2 points in Salary Score since 2021. City College is popular for degrees in teacher education, special education, bilingual and TESOL programs, and sustainability studies.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#10
CUNY Lehman College
+8 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$21,000
SALARY SCORE
93.46
Lehman College, part of the CUNY system, is the last public school to round out the top 10. The Bronx campus bumped up 8 spots from last year's rankings with more than a full point increase in Salary Score. Popular master's programs include teacher education, social work, special education, nursing, and communication disorders sciences. Lehman College, part of the CUNY system, is the last public school to round out the top 10. The Bronx campus bumped up 8 spots from last year's rankings with more than a full point increase in Salary Score. Popular master's programs include teacher education, social work, special education, nursing, and communication disorders sciences.
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $69,315 | 99.0 | -0.45 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $60,373 | 96.73 | 3.54 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $55,979 | 24.45 | 0.63 |
| Public Health | $49,446 | 38.29 | -4.72 |
#11
Golden Gate University
+3 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$19,875
SALARY SCORE
93.33
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxation | $93,862 | 86.56 | 0.37 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $117,549 | 98.73 | 1.14 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $70,847 | 97.16 | -0.67 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $76,511 | 82.43 | -2.79 |
| Public Administration | $84,062 | 99.72 | -0.15 |
#12
California State University - Dominguez Hills
+3 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$17,998
SALARY SCORE
93.32
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $120,577 | 83.82 | 8.27 |
| Public Administration | $69,850 | 92.66 | 7.6 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $73,572 | 55.72 | 18.39 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | $68,021 | 94.65 | -2.93 |
#13
Georgia Institute of Technology
+11 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$31,334
SALARY SCORE
92.51
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $121,610 | 98.4 | 5.6 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $122,073 | 99.29 | -0.22 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,001 | 54.3 | -10.65 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $94,709 | 52.03 | -17.92 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering | $90,098 | 50.84 | -14.07 |
#14
San Jose State University
+6 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$18,790
SALARY SCORE
91.85
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Library Science and Administration | $48,739 | 85.27 | 2.5 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,934 | 90.35 | 0.99 |
| Public Health | $66,700 | 82.54 | 20.06 |
#15
Touro College
+7 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$13,258
SALARY SCORE
91.73
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Education and Teaching | $60,927 | 91.13 | -2.2 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | $69,329 | 92.23 | -2.33 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $68,501 | 98.72 | -0.32 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $105,380 | 99.87 | 0.0 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $122,818 | 89.16 | 9.74 |
#16
Carnegie Mellon University
-4 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$47,347
SALARY SCORE
91.59
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $139,390 | 99.87 | 0.02 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $109,615 | 93.16 | -1.34 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | $91,653 | 74.12 | -7.61 |
#17
University of California - Los Angeles
-6 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$28,138
SALARY SCORE
91.57
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | $71,729 | 55.05 | 11.21 |
| Engineering, General | $116,282 | 97.91 | 7.29 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering | $98,817 | 63.61 | -3.5 |
#18
Columbia University in the City of New York
-5 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$52,924
SALARY SCORE
91.42
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $162,427 | 99.87 | 0.0 |
| Social Work | $51,895 | 87.45 | -2.97 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $86,682 | 85.01 | 5.88 |
| Sustainability Studies | $73,816 | 96.34 | 8.36 |
| Public Health | $74,805 | 93.52 | -6.28 |
#19
San Francisco State University
+10 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$18,242
SALARY SCORE
91.05
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#20
California State University-Los Angeles
+12 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$17,723
SALARY SCORE
90.57
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#21
CUNY Queens College
-4 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$21,042
SALARY SCORE
90.54
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#22
CUNY Brooklyn College
+8 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$20,952
SALARY SCORE
90.39
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#23
University of California-Irvine
No change from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$28,458
SALARY SCORE
90.23
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminology | $56,448 | 97.54 | -1.86 |
#24
Georgetown University
+1 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$55,128
SALARY SCORE
89.87
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $131,589 | 99.81 | 0.06 |
| Health and Physical Education/Fitness | $45,817 | 76.49 | -11.11 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $76,798 | 99.71 | 1.08 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | $109,015 | 97.31 | -0.08 |
| Real Estate | $103,021 | 76.88 | 8.62 |
#25
California State University - Northridge
+6 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$17,981
SALARY SCORE
89.01
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Administration | $70,792 | 93.81 | 1.04 |
| Social Work | $54,216 | 93.89 | 0.48 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $67,866 | 97.99 | 0.33 |
| Public Health | $52,438 | 46.65 | 0.32 |
| Music | $32,317 | 74.05 | 17.3 |
#26
California State University-Long Beach
+2 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$17,784
SALARY SCORE
88.95
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Administration | $55,813 | 55.69 | -10.18 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $77,447 | 62.85 | 7.05 |
#27
Brigham Young University
New to List
ANNUAL TUITION
$7,700
SALARY SCORE
88.8
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#28
California State University-Fresno
-9 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$17,591
SALARY SCORE
88.63
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $83,988 | 73.86 | 1.09 |
| Education, General | $63,145 | 94.27 | -3.85 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $65,881 | 99.55 | 0.29 |
#29
Villanova University
+6 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$21,199
SALARY SCORE
88.57
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $106,590 | 95.67 | 0.09 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $84,583 | 92.99 | 0.32 |
| Taxation | $124,137 | 99.87 | 0.0 |
| Public Administration | $63,051 | 79.3 | 7.56 |
| Civil Engineering | $79,452 | 90.18 | 9.56 |
#30
New York University
-3 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$38,206
SALARY SCORE
88.42
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $148,198 | 99.87 | 0.0 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | $46,814 | 66.79 | -13.99 |
| Public Health | $54,870 | 53.59 | 1.84 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $45,590 | 45.26 | -10.46 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | $58,137 | 67.94 | 2.99 |
#31
University of Pennsylvania
-5 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$42,932
SALARY SCORE
88.38
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $169,238 | 99.87 | 0.0 |
| Public Health | $56,228 | 57.42 | -8.82 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $117,143 | 97.12 | 2.37 |
#32
Duke University
+2 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$59,141
SALARY SCORE
87.33
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $143,622 | 99.87 | 0.0 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $95,695 | 43.49 | 0.36 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $62,431 | 90.47 | 5.69 |
| Public Health | $46,377 | 30.22 | 9.06 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | $105,456 | 99.5 | 4.45 |
#33
Seattle University
New to List
ANNUAL TUITION
$14,310
SALARY SCORE
86.76
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $92,622 | 85.31 | 2.98 |
#34
Yale University
+2 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$45,700
SALARY SCORE
86.13
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|
#35
University of San Francisco
+13 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$27,250
SALARY SCORE
85.95
| PROGRAM | MEDIAN SALARY | SALARY SCORE | CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $117,274 | 79.79 | 1.59 |
| Public Health | $63,672 | 76.42 | -1.1 |
#36
University of Washington - Seattle
+3 from previous year
ANNUAL TUITION
$30,912
SALARY SCORE