Which College Graduates are Making Bank?

College isn't just about getting a job or starting a career after graduation. But in this economy, knowing that you can have a good salary waiting for you at the other end of your four years is important. To help you figure out which graduates are the best paid (salary only, not including bonuses), PayScale has ranked colleges and universities based on their graduates' reported starting salaries and mid-career salaries. Salaries of alumni who received a graduate or professional degree were not included in the ranking.

What's interesting about the rankings is that non-Ivy League schools that specialize in engineering and pre-professional programs place higher in the starting salary category, but not in the mid-career salaries. The Ivy Leaguers catch up significantly by mid-career, enough to win the top spots.

Top 10 Graduate Salaries Mid-Career

Top 10 Graduate Salaries Starting

But now that you've seen these rankings, forget them. Earning a well-paying job after graduation and beyond depends more on what you do during your undergraduate years, and less about where you spend them. So work hard and be active in your job search and you'll find a job with a great salary.