by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find where general education graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send general education graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is Saint Josephs College Of Maine, our #1 for general education graduate salaries in Maine. Located in the rural area of Standish, Saint Josephs College Of Maine is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career general education graduates from Saint Josephs College Of Maine make a median of around $58,894 per year.
University Of New England produces some of the highest-paid graduates in general education, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of New England is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Biddeford. Early-career general education graduates from University Of New England make a median of around $57,478 per year.
A rank of #3 makes Thomas College one of the highest-paying schools for general education. Thomas College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Waterville. General Education graduates of Thomas College earn a median of about $50,554 a year early in their careers.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their general education graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.