by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a general education degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find where general education graduates earn the most.
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If you want to know which schools send general education graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
For graduate earnings in general education, no school beat University Of Missouri St Louis this year. University Of Missouri St Louis is a public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students who complete the general education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $74,796.
A rank of #2 makes Lindenwood University one of the highest-paying schools for general education. Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Charles. After graduating, general education degree recipients from Lindenwood University typically earn about $39,372 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in general education will find them at Saint Louis University Main Campus, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a private not-for-profit institution. General Education graduates of Saint Louis University Main Campus earn a median of about $42,866 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Rockhurst University earned it the #4 place for general education. Set in the city of Kansas City, Rockhurst University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career general education graduates from Rockhurst University make a median of around $52,716 per year.
Webster University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying general education schools. Webster University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Early-career general education graduates from Webster University make a median of around $42,401 per year.
Harris Stowe State University placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for general education. Harris Stowe State University is a public school located in the city of Saint Louis. Early-career general education graduates from Harris Stowe State University make a median of around $38,610 per year.
Southwest Baptist University came in at #7 for general education graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Bolivar, Southwest Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution. General Education graduates of Southwest Baptist University earn a median of about $47,788 a year early in their careers.
Fontbonne University came in at #8 for general education graduate earnings this year. Fontbonne University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students who complete the general education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $48,053.
Central Methodist University College Of Graduate And Extended Studies ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying general education schools. Central Methodist University College Of Graduate And Extended Studies is a private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Fayette. General Education graduates of Central Methodist University College Of Graduate And Extended Studies earn a median of about $50,305 a year early in their careers.
Hannibal Lagrange College placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for general education. Hannibal Lagrange College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Hannibal. Students who complete the general education program here go on to a median salary of roughly $37,941.
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 · 10 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.