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The 30 best colleges in America, based on how much they cost and how much you'll make after graduatinghttps://www.businessinsider.in/education/news/the-30-best-colleges-in-america-based-on-how-much-they-cost-and-how-much-youaposll-make-after-graduating/slidelist/77731247.cms2020-08-25T02:02:12+05:30

The 30 best colleges in America, based on how much they cost and how much you'll make after graduating

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Allana AkhtarAug 25, 2020, 02:02 IST

The 30 best colleges in America, based on how much they cost and how much you'll make after graduating — MIT and Harvard University topped the list of the best colleges to attend in 2021.Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Niche, a research firm that tracks K-12 and higher education, released its annual list of the best colleges to attend in 2021. The company assessed off 12 factors, including value for financial investment and academic rigor.
MIT, Harvard, and Stanford were the top three, in that order.
Below are the top 30 universities to attend in 2021.
Also listed is acceptance rate, average cost to attend, undergraduate enrollment, and how much students earn six years after graduating.
Niche reported each college's estimate of the average cost to attend after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid.

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30. Carleton College — Northfield, Minnesota

30. Carleton College — Northfield, Minnesota — tmphoto98/Shutterstock
Acceptance rate: 20%
Net cost to attend: $32,336
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,077
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $54,200

29. University of Virginia — Charlottesville, Virginia

29. University of Virginia — Charlottesville, Virginia — Jeff Zelenvansky/Getty Images
Acceptance rate: 26%
Net cost to attend: $17,845
Undergraduate enrollment: 15,990
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $61,200

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28. Harvey Mudd College — Claremont, California

28. Harvey Mudd College — Claremont, California — Students and others gather at Beckman Hall on the grounds of the Harvey Mudd College Campus in Pomona. Ted Soqui/Corbis/Getty Images
Acceptance rate: 14%
Net cost to attend: $38,768
Undergraduate enrollment: 887
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $88,800

27. Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, Georgia

27. Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, Georgia — Facebook/SchellerCollege
Acceptance rate: 22%
Net cost to attend: $16,950
Undergraduate enrollment: 14,318
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $79,100

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26. Bowdoin College — Brunswick, Maine

26. Bowdoin College — Brunswick, Maine — Bowdoin College/Facebook
Acceptance rate: 10%
Net cost to attend: $24,831
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,825
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $65,500

25. Georgetown University — Washington, DC

25. Georgetown University — Washington, DC — Sharkshock/Shutterstock
Acceptance rate: 15%
Net cost to attend: $28,509
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,990
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $93,500

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24. University of California, Los Angeles — Los Angeles, California

24. University of California, Los Angeles — Los Angeles, California — Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Acceptance rate: 14%
Net cost to attend: $15,002
Undergraduate enrollment: 31,009
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $60,700

23. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, Michigan

23. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, Michigan — Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Acceptance rate: 23%
Net cost to attend: $16,856
Undergraduate enrollment: 29,245
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $63,400

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22. Carnegie Mellon University — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

22. Carnegie Mellon University — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — Carnegie Mellon University/Facebook
Acceptance rate: 17%
Net cost to attend: $30,847
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,343
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $83,600

21. Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, Maryland

21. Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, Maryland — Facebook/Johns Hopkins University
Acceptance rate: 11%
Net cost to attend: $27,868
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,595
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $73,200

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20. Pomona College — Claremont, California

20. Pomona College — Claremont, California — Facebook/Pomona College of Admissions
Acceptance rate: 8%
Net cost to attend: $16,988
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,559
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $58,100

19. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, California

19. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, California — This March 12, 2019 file photo shows the University Village area of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Reed Saxon
Acceptance rate: 13%
Net cost to attend: $36,161
Undergraduate enrollment: 19,194
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $74,000

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18. Cornell University — Ithaca, New York

18. Cornell University — Ithaca, New York — Lewis Liu/Shutterstock
Acceptance rate: 11%
Net cost to attend: $28,890
Undergraduate enrollment: 15,175
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $77,200

17. University of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois

17. University of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois — Jannis Tobias Werner/Shutterstock
Acceptance rate: 7%
Net cost to attend: $33,003
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,600
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $68,100

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16. University of Notre Dame — Notre Dame, Indiana

16. University of Notre Dame — Notre Dame, Indiana — Facebook/notredame
Acceptance rate: 18%
Net cost to attend: $30,229
Undergraduate enrollment: 8,607
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $78,400

15. Washington University in St. Louis — Saint Louis, Missouri

15. Washington University in St. Louis — Saint Louis, Missouri — AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
Acceptance rate: 15%
Net cost to attend: $27,931
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,146
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $70,100

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14. Northwestern University — Evanston, Illinois

14. Northwestern University — Evanston, Illinois — Northwestern University/Facebook
Acceptance rate: 8%
Net cost to attend: $27,540
Undergraduate enrollment: 8,161
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $69,000

13. Dartmouth College — Hanover, New Hampshire

13. Dartmouth College — Hanover, New Hampshire — Students at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire in June 2019. Sarah Rice for The Washington Post via Getty Images
Acceptance rate: 9%
Net cost to attend: $23,394
Undergraduate enrollment: 4,357
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $75,500

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12. Columbia University — New York, New York

12. Columbia University — New York, New York — The Columbia University campus is seen on May 21, 2020. Rob Kim/Getty
Acceptance rate: 6%
Net cost to attend: $21,220
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,666
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $83,300

11. Vanderbilt University — Nashville, Tennessee

11. Vanderbilt University — Nashville, Tennessee — FILE PHOTO: Hannah Carlile, a masters student, relaxes on the steps of the Faye and Joe Wyatt Center for Education on the campus of Peabody College at Vanderbilt University Reuters
Acceptance rate: 10%
Net cost to attend: $23,596
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,789
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $69,000

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10. University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

10. University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — University of Pennsylvania/Facebook
Acceptance rate: 8%
Net cost to attend: $26,266
Undergraduate enrollment: 10,605
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $85,900

9. Brown University — Providence, Rhode Island

9. Brown University — Providence, Rhode Island — Facebook/Brown University
Acceptance rate: 8%
Net cost to attend: $27,238
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,735
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $67,500

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8. California Institute of Technology — Pasadena, California

8. California Institute of Technology — Pasadena, California — Facebook/California Institute of Technology - Caltech
Acceptance rate: 7%
Net cost to attend: $26,361
Undergraduate enrollment: 948
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $85,900

7. Rice University — Houston, Texas

7. Rice University — Houston, Texas — Facebook/RiceUniversity
Acceptance rate: 11%
Net cost to attend: $23,202
Undergraduate enrollment: 3,899
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $65,400

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6. Princeton University — Princeton, New Jersey

6. Princeton University — Princeton, New Jersey — John Greim / Getty Images
Acceptance rate: 5%
Net cost to attend: $16,192
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,321
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $74,700

5. Duke University — Durham, North Carolina

5. Duke University — Durham, North Carolina — AP Photo/Michael Perez
Acceptance rate: 9%
Net cost to attend: $19,785
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,659
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $84,400

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4. Yale University — New Haven, Connecticut

4. Yale University — New Haven, Connecticut — Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Acceptance rate: 6%
Net cost to attend: $18,748
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,939
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $83,200

3. Stanford University — Stanford, California

3. Stanford University — Stanford, California — Linda A Cicero/Stanford University/Facebook
Acceptance rate: 4%
Net cost to attend: $17,271
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,087
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $94,000

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2. Harvard University — Cambridge, Massachusetts

2. Harvard University — Cambridge, Massachusetts — The John Harvard statue at Harvard University adorned with a face mask. Collin Binkley/AP Photo
Acceptance rate: 5%
Net cost to attend: $17,590
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,210
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $89,700

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, Massachusetts

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, Massachusetts — AP Photo/Elise Amendola
Acceptance rate: 7%
Net cost to attend: $18,971
Undergraduate enrollment: 4,557
Median earnings 6 years after graduating: $104,700

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