2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut
28
Colleges
$54,092
Avg Salary*
54%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
There are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Connecticut Colleges ranking.
After analyzing 28 schools in Connecticut, we came up with our list of those that offered the highest quality education. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Top Colleges in Connecticut
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Yale University to be the best school for overall quality in Connecticut in this year’s ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and it awarded 4,383 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 88%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Yale go into careers with an average salary of $88,655 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Yale University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Connecticut. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut list. This large public school is located in Storrs, Connecticut, and it awarded 9,327 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. During the early years of their career, graduates from UCONN make an average of $72,460 a year.
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The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Trinity College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Connecticut. Located in Hartford, Connecticut, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 670 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Trinity Bantams is $68,317 during the early years of their career.
Full Trinity College Report
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Fairfield University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Connecticut.Fairfield, Connecticut is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,517 students in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 80%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $86,060 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Fairfield University
Out of the 28 schools in Connecticut that were part of this year’s ranking, Connecticut College landed the #5 spot on the list. Conn College is located in New London, Connecticut and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 489 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Conn College is $71,239 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Connecticut College
Quinnipiac University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking. Quinnipiac is located in Hamden, Connecticut and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,178 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Quinnipiac go into careers with an average salary of $75,575 during the early years of their career.
Full Quinnipiac University Report
Central Connecticut State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges in Connecticut list. Located in New Britain, Connecticut, the medium-sized public school awarded 2,627 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from CCSU go into careers with an average salary of $52,515 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Central Connecticut State University
University of New Haven ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges in Connecticut list. University of New Haven is located in West Haven, Connecticut and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,123 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from University of New Haven make an average of $52,610 per year during the early years of their career.
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Sacred Heart University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking, coming in at #9. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Fairfield, Connecticut, and it awarded 2,730 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $72,191 during the early years of their career..
Full Sacred Heart University Report
University of Saint Joseph ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges in Connecticut list. USJ is located in West Hartford, Connecticut and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 839 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. During the early years of their career, graduates from USJ make an average of $46,100 a year.
Full University of Saint Joseph Report
University of Hartford did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking, coming in at #11. University of Hartford is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in West Hartford, Connecticut that handed out 2,017 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. During the early years of their career, graduates from UHart make an average of $58,087 a year.
Full University of Hartford Report
Southern Connecticut State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking, coming in at #12. Located in New Haven, Connecticut, the medium-sized public school awarded 2,288 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SCSU go into careers with an average salary of $51,551 during the early years of their career.
Full Southern Connecticut State University Report
With a ranking of #13, Capital Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut list. This small public school is located in Hartford, Connecticut, and it awarded 360 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $34,530 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Capital Community College
With a ranking of #14, Post University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut list. This fairly large private for-profit school is located in Waterbury, Connecticut, and it awarded 2,210 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Post University go into careers with an average salary of $36,121 during the early years of their career.
Full Post University Report
Gateway Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges in Connecticut list. Gateway Community College is a medium-sized public school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 726 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Gateway Community College make an average of $39,520 a year.
Read More…
Eastern Connecticut State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges in Connecticut list. This small public school is located in Willimantic, Connecticut, and it awarded 1,120 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from ECSU make an average of $49,907 a year.
Full Eastern Connecticut State University Report
Charter Oak State College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking, coming in at #17.New Britain, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 639 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Charter Oak State College go into careers with an average salary of $54,604 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Charter Oak State College
Norwalk Community College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking.Norwalk, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 605 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from NCC make an average of $37,246 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Norwalk Community College Report
Manchester Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking. This small public school is located in Manchester, Connecticut, and it awarded 708 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from MCC make an average of $39,762 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Manchester Community College
Three Rivers Community College landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking.Norwich, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 450 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Three Rivers Community College make an average of $37,203 a year.
Read full report on Three Rivers Community College
Naugatuck Valley Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking, coming in at #21. Naugatuck Valley Community College is a small public school situated in Waterbury, Connecticut. It awarded 896 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,277 during the early years of their career..
Full Naugatuck Valley Community College Report
Western Connecticut State University landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking. Located in Danbury, Connecticut, the small public school awarded 1,209 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from WestConn make an average of $53,289 a year.
Read full report on Western Connecticut State University
Middlesex Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking. MxCC is located in Middletown, Connecticut and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 376 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from MxCC is $30,216 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Middlesex Community College
University of Bridgeport landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking.Bridgeport, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,372 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UBridgeport make an average of $50,003 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Bridgeport
Albertus Magnus College landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Connecticut ranking. Albertus Magnus is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 371 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Albertus Magnus make an average of $55,262 a year.
Read full report on Albertus Magnus College
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