2021 Best Colleges in Vermont by Salary Score™
We ranked colleges in Vermont using our Salary Score for bachelor's degrees. This allows prospective students to compare how schools stack up in terms of alumni earnings. While future salary may not be the primary factor in every student's college search, Salary Score provides one meaningful metric that students can use alongside other considerations that are important to them. A Salary Score above 50 indicates that the median alumni salaries for majors at a college tend to be higher compared to alumni salaries for the same majors at other colleges. This score was calculated by comparing median alumni earnings in the first year after completing a given major at one school to earnings of graduates with the same major at other schools. We then compiled the major-specific scores to create an overall score. Middlebury College tops the list in Vermont with a Salary Score of 88.57.
To be considered for our state rankings, schools must offer and provide data for at least 8 bachelor's programs. This list includes all eligible schools in Vermont. You can click on a school's name to view individual program scores. Read our methodology to learn more about how schools were ranked.
| Rank | School | Annual Tuition | Salary Score™ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlebury College | $62,460 | 88.57 | |
| Saint Michael's College | $49,840 | 62.36 | |
| Champlain College | $44,220 | 59.68 | |
| Northern Vermont University | $12,804 | 47.01 | |
| Castleton University | $13,078 | 43.17 | |
| University of Vermont | $18,890 | 41.33 | |
| Vermont State University | $12,804 - $16,086 | 20.55 |
2021 Best Colleges in Vermont Highlights
Middlebury College offers two related undergraduate degree programs with a Salary Score of 100: international relations and national security studies, and political science and government. With a score of 99, the school’s economics major is also the highest earning program. Graduates report annual median earnings of $76,460. Middlebury also offers strong humanities degrees; both general psychology and English language and literature have a Salary Score of 96 or higher.
School Overview:
Middlebury College is a small, private institution located in Middlebury, Vermont. Undergraduate students interested in traveling can find unique study abroad opportunities such as the Middlebury Museum Studies in Oxford program and the six-week environmental studies program in China's Yunnan Province. Both programs are offered during the summer and may be partially funded by financial aid. Middlebury also hosts MiddCORE, an intensive student learning experience that incorporates mentorship, networking, and collaboration. It is available during the summer or winter term, and students in the program earn academic credit. The summer MiddCORE takes place at the Sierra Nevada College campus, while the winter MiddCORE is available to attend at either the Middlebury campus or the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
The top two undergraduate programs hosted by Saint Michael’s College are psychology with a Salary Score of 88, and accounting and related services with a Salary Score of 84. The biology program and the biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology program also rank high with a Salary Score of 81. The highest earning field is computer science, with graduates reporting an annual median salary of $64,000.
School Overview:
Saint Michael’s College is a private, Catholic institution that was established in 1904. The campus is located in Colchester, Vermont, outside the city of Burlington. With a small student body of approximately 1,700 undergraduate students, Saint Michael’s is a fully residential school; 97% of students live on campus, and housing is guaranteed to all students. Once accepted, students are considered for the merit-based Purple & Gold Scholarships, which don't require a separate application and range from $17,000 to $30,000 per year. While students of all backgrounds and faiths attend Saint Michael’s, Catholic students can participate in spiritual retreats and programs that take place both on and off-campus.
The liberal arts and sciences, general studies, and humanities program offered at Champlain College is tied for the top-scoring field with security science and technology. Both programs have a Salary Score of 100. With a score of 93, Champlain’s health and medical administrative services program also rates higher than similar programs at other institutions. Students who graduate from the school’s computer science program have the highest median salary of $62,510, followed closely by computer/information technology administration and management alumni with a median salary of $62,010.
School Overview:
Established in 1871, Champlain College is a private school that hosts approximately 3,700 undergraduate students. The main campus is in Burlington, Vermont, and branch campuses are located in Dublin, Ireland, and Montreal, Canada. Students can pursue study abroad opportunities at the branch campuses, as well as exchange programs in Morocco, New Zealand, Scotland, and the Netherlands. With support from career transition programs and the InSight preparedness series, 91% of Champlain College graduates are employed or pursuing further education within six months of graduation.