by our College Data Analytics Team
[Engineering Science](/majors/engineering/engineering-science/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a engineering science degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 18 schools to find where engineering science graduates earn the most.
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The right engineering science school can pay off in your paycheck for years to come. That is why we developed our Highest Paid Engineering Science Graduates ranking. It looks at the median early-career salaries graduates earn, so you can find the schools whose engineering science degrees pay off the most.
Learn more about our methodology
We offer a number of rankings, including this Highest Paid Engineering Science Graduates list, to help you decide. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
Below are the schools whose engineering science graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Dartmouth College, our #1 for engineering science graduate salaries in the United States. Set in the town of Hanover, Dartmouth College is a private not-for-profit institution. Engineering Science graduates of Dartmouth College earn a median of about $99,468 a year early in their careers.
Middlesex County College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in engineering science, landing the #2 spot this year. Middlesex County College is a public school located in the suburb of Edison. Engineering Science graduates of Middlesex County College earn a median of about $83,642 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in engineering science will find them at Vanderbilt University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit institution. Engineering Science graduates of Vanderbilt University earn a median of about $109,116 a year early in their careers.
The College Of New Jersey came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying engineering science schools. Set in the suburb of Ewing, The College Of New Jersey is a public institution. Students who complete the engineering science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $88,486.
A rank of #5 makes Camden County College one of the highest-paying schools for engineering science. Camden County College is a public school located in the suburb of Blackwood. After graduating, engineering science degree recipients from Camden County College typically earn about $76,433 annually.
California State University Bakersfield came in at #6 for engineering science graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Bakersfield, California State University Bakersfield is a public institution. After graduating, engineering science degree recipients from California State University Bakersfield typically earn about $88,102 annually.
Hudson County Community College earned the #7 position for engineering science graduate earnings this year. Hudson County Community College is a public school located in the city of Jersey City. Early-career engineering science graduates from Hudson County Community College make a median of around $74,764 per year.
Raritan Valley Community College landed the #8 spot for engineering science salaries this year. Raritan Valley Community College is a public school located in the rural area of Branchburg. Engineering Science graduates of Raritan Valley Community College earn a median of about $74,430 a year early in their careers.
Rutgers University New Brunswick landed the #9 spot for engineering science salaries this year. Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public institution. After graduating, engineering science degree recipients from Rutgers University New Brunswick typically earn about $113,516 annually.
Greenfield Community College earned the #10 position for engineering science graduate earnings this year. Located in the town of Greenfield, Greenfield Community College is a public institution. Students who complete the engineering science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $73,465.
Harvard University landed the #11 spot for engineering science salaries this year. Harvard University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Engineering Science graduates of Harvard University earn a median of about $86,477 a year early in their careers.
Nassau Community College ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying engineering science schools. Nassau Community College is a public school located in the suburb of Garden City. Early-career engineering science graduates from Nassau Community College make a median of around $69,014 per year.
Hofstra University earned the #13 position for engineering science graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a private not-for-profit institution. Engineering Science graduates of Hofstra University earn a median of about $95,740 a year early in their careers.
Capital Community College came in at #14 for engineering science graduate earnings this year. Capital Community College is a public school located in the city of New Britain. Students who complete the engineering science program here go on to a median salary of roughly $68,209.
Trinity University ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying engineering science schools. Located in the city of San Antonio, Trinity University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career engineering science graduates from Trinity University make a median of around $74,063 per year.
Houston Community College placed #16 among the highest-paying schools for engineering science. Houston Community College is a public school located in the city of Houston. Engineering Science graduates of Houston Community College earn a median of about $73,244 a year early in their careers.
Yale University earned the #17 position for engineering science graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of New Haven, Yale University is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, engineering science degree recipients from Yale University typically earn about $73,378 annually.
University Of New Mexico Main Campus landed the #18 spot for engineering science salaries this year. University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a public school located in the city of Albuquerque. Engineering Science graduates of University Of New Mexico Main Campus earn a median of about $64,405 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 engineering science graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 18 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.