The University of Washington Bothell and the main UW campus in Seattle take two out of the three top spots in CNBC Make It’s latest “50 Colleges that Pay Off the Most” ranking of public universities.
UW Bothell is No. 1 on the list, which spotlights 25 public universities and 25 private institutions. Stanford University topped the latter list. Bothell moved up from No. 2 last year to eclipse the main UW campus, which fell from the top spot to No. 3.
According to CNBC, UW Bothell, located north of Seattle, offers roughly 55 degree programs and enrolls 5,364 undergraduate students. The average annual net cost for in-state students (income $48,001-$75,000) is $6,812. The median salary for alumni with more than 10 years of experience is $108,000.
“We are pleased by the recognition because we believe in the power of a UW Bothell degree to transform lives and uplift communities,” Sharon A. Jones, UW Bothell’s vice chancellor for academic affairs, said in a school news release. “The coronavirus pandemic has shifted our focus to remote instruction and allowed us to reflect on what we do well now and how we can further improve our student support infrastructure. We are making those investments that will allow us to continue our mission to increase access to an excellent education.”
CNBC Make It findings were calculated using data from Tuition Tracker, a tool created by education-focused nonprofit news organization The Hechinger Report. Average earnings were calculated using data from the top 250 schools included in PayScale’s College Salary Report, specifically considering the average earnings that college graduates report 10 years after graduating.
The report also found the true net cost of each college for the typical American student — including tuition, fees, books, supplies and other expenses — after subtracting scholarships and grants.
