by our College Data Analytics Team
[Urban Studies](/majors/social-sciences/urban-studies/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their urban studies graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the early-career earnings of their urban studies graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose urban studies graduates go on to earn the most.
Cuny Graduate School And University Center tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying urban studies schools in the United States. Located in the city of New York, Cuny Graduate School And University Center is a public institution. After graduating, urban studies degree recipients from Cuny Graduate School And University Center typically earn about $94,700 annually.
Cuny Hunter College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying urban studies schools. Located in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a public institution. Students who complete the urban studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $86,148.
Students chasing top earnings in urban studies will find them at University Of Maryland College Park, which ranked #3. University Of Maryland College Park is a public school located in the suburb of College Park. Urban Studies graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of about $76,569 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #4 makes University Of San Francisco one of the highest-paying schools for urban studies. Located in the city of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career urban studies graduates from University Of San Francisco make a median of around $74,045 per year.
A rank of #5 makes Virginia Commonwealth University one of the highest-paying schools for urban studies. Virginia Commonwealth University is a public school located in the city of Richmond. Urban Studies graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University earn a median of about $75,626 a year early in their careers.
Tufts University came in at #6 for urban studies graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Medford, Tufts University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career urban studies graduates from Tufts University make a median of around $72,585 per year.
Georgia State University earned the #7 position for urban studies graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Atlanta, Georgia State University is a public institution. Students who complete the urban studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $88,403.
Cuny Queens College landed the #8 spot for urban studies salaries this year. Set in the city of Queens, Cuny Queens College is a public institution. After graduating, urban studies degree recipients from Cuny Queens College typically earn about $72,009 annually.
Looking for a different degree level? Compare highest-paid Urban Studies rankings across degree levels:
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries urban studies graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 8 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.