25 Most Underrated Colleges In America

Future income isn't the only factor that should determine college choice, but it may be the most important one.
So how good are the famous college rankings from U.S. News & World Report at predicting future income? It turns out there are some majorly underrated and overrated schools.

We plotted U.S. News' ranking of the best colleges against PayScale's mid-career salary rank to identify the outliers (read the full methodology here).

University of Massachusetts Lowell emerged as the most underrated school, heading a list of state schools and lesser-known tech schools.

The 25 Most Underrated Colleges In America

#25 Widener University

Widener University

Ranked #378 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #319 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

(As you can see, Widener ranks much better on salary than it does in the standard college ranking.)

Widener is a private school with 6,000 students on a 108-acre campus just outside of Philadelphia. Almost 30% of the students major in business and 22% major in health professions, which may explain why graduated have such high mid-career salaries at an average of $78,200.

#24 Northern Illinois University

 Northern Illinois University

Ranked #378 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #314 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Located in DeKalb, IL, Northern Illinois is a large public school that's comprised of seven colleges offering degrees in a variety of subjects, including speech, psychology, nursing, and accounting. The average mid-career salary is $78,300

#23 University of San Francisco

University of San Francisco

Ranked #212 in Composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #82 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

The University of San Francisco is a private Jesuit university that was founded in 1855. Even though it's not ranked very high at #106 on US News' list, students are drawn here for its great location right near the Golden Gate Bridge and for its small class sizes. The average mid-career salary is high at $92,400.

#22 Michigan Technological University

Michigan Technological University

Ranked #240 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #120 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Michigan Tech was founded in 1885 to train mining engineers in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Today the public university trains students in engineering, business, and computer science, leading to lucrative careers. It's ranked low at #120 on US News' list, but students earn high salaries.

#21 University of the Pacific

University of the Pacific

Ranked #212 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #72 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Located in Stockton, Pacific is the oldest chartered university in California.

Even though it's ranked low on US News at #106, the private school has a large endowment of over $212 million and a strong alumni network, which may help graduates get high-paying jobs. (In 2007, it received a $100 million gift from a California couple.) The average mid-career salary is a high $94,900.

#20 Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney College

Ranked #216 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #77 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Hampden-Sydney College, in Virginia, is a private all-men's liberal arts college that was founded before the American Revolution, making it the oldest private college in the Southern U.S. Though there are only a little over 1,000 students enrolled, the school has a strong alumni network, which may explain why graduates earn a high mid-career salary of $93,400.

#19 Catholic University of America

Catholic University of America

Ranked #240 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #110 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

The Catholic University of America is the only institution of higher education institution in the U.S. that was founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops. Two reigning Popes have visited the Washington, D.C., campus: John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

The private school, which has about 6,000 students enrolled, is home to more than 20 research facilities, including the Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies, and it has its own Theological College. Yet it ranks low on US News' list at #120.

#18 Adelphi University

Adelphi University

Ranked #310 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #195 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Adelphi is the oldest higher education institution located on Long Island, in New York State. It has been named a "best buy" by the Fiske Guide to Colleges, but still ranks low on US News' list at #155. 

Most students major in health professions (23%), business (13%), and social sciences (12%), and graduates go on to earn an average mid-career salary of $83,500.

#17 Oregon State University

Ranked #278 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #148 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Oregon State receives more funding for research than all other public institutions for higher education in Oregon combined. The school has about 26,000 students enrolled, and specializes in marine sciences, forestry, and sustainable food systems studies, to name a few, but still ranks low on US News' list at #139.

#16 George Mason University

George Mason University

Ranked #278 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #134 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

George Mason is a public university in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside Washington, D.C. The school is only ranked at #139 on US News' list, but it has a strong faculty. Recently, faculty members won two Nobel Prizes in Economics.

#15 University of Houston

University of Houston

Ranked #368 in our composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #257 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Houston is the third largest university in Texas, with over 31,000 students, 400 student organizations, and 40 research centers. Many graduates go on to work in Texas in a variety of lucrative fields, earning an average mid-career salary of $80,600.

#14 Illinois Institute of Technology

Illinois Institute of Technology

Ranked #226 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #57 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

IIT was formed in 1940 when the Armour Institute of Technology and the Lewis Institute merged—a result of the great depression.

Located in Chicago, the small private tech school isn't very well-known or well-ranked (it's #113 on US News' list), but its graduates go on to earn a lot of money in a variety of tech fields. The most popular majors are architecture, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, and electrical engineering, leaving graduates to go on to earn a high mid-career salary of $98,200.

#13 University of Colorado–​Denver

University of Colorado–​Denver

Ranked #378 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #266 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Denver receives more in research grants than any other public school in Colorado.

The school, which ranks at #189 on US News' list, has a strong health program which is linked to the nearby Anschutz Medical Campus. There's also a Scholarship Resource Office, which helps students track down scholarships, perfect their résumés, and edit essays.

#12 Hofstra University

Ranked #278 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #103 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Located in Long Island, Hofstra attracts students who want to intern or work in nearby New York City after graduation. The private school isn't ranked that high on US News' list at #139, but its graduates earn a lot of money, with a mid-career salary of over $90,000.

The university runs a variety of academic institutes, including the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, the National Center for Suburban Studies, and the Long Island Studies Institute. It also hosted one of the Presidential Debates from the most recent election.

#11 Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech University

Ranked #398 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #279 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Located in Ruston, LA, Louisiana Tech is a public tech school that's known for its engineering programs, with the majority of students majoring in business, engineering, and health professions. Graduates go on to earn an average mid-career salary of $79,800.

#10 Missouri University of Science & Technology

Ranked #250 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #70 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Missouri S&T is known for its engineering programs, with majors like aerospace engineering, mining engineering, petroleum engineering, and engineering management. But students can also major in the humanities, social sciences, arts, sciences, or business.

The school has done well in several national engineering design competitions and many graduates go on to work in lucrative engineering fields, earning an average mid-career salary of $95,100.

#9 San Diego State University

San Diego State University

Ranked #330 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #180 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

San Diego State University offers 189 different Bachelor's degrees in everything from Asian Studies and Religious Studies to Naval Science and Real Estate to its 31,000 students. It's ranked low on US News' list at #165, but graduates go on to earn an average mid-career salary of $84,700.

The school has obtained over $150 million for research, allowing students to get real hands-on experience that will help them succeed in the real world.

#8 Clarkson University

Clarkson University

Ranked #230 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #34 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Clarkson ranks #11 on PayScale's College Salary Report among engineering programs with the highest salary potential. The small private school produces the highest percentage of graduates with internship experience, who then go on to earn a lot of money in various engineering fields. Graduates earn a very high average mid-career salary of $102,000.

#7 University of Maryland–​Baltimore County

University of Maryland–​Baltimore County

Ranked #320 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #148 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

UMBC is a public school in Catonsville, MD, that focuses mainly on the natural sciences, engineering, and public policy fields. With over 10,000 students, the college bills itself as an honors university, but it still ranks low on US News' list at #160.

#6 Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University

Ranked #330 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #146 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Texas Tech is a large public research institution with 32,000 students in Lubbock, TX, that offers degrees in over 150 courses of study. The engineering school is particularly strong, and graduates go on to earn an average mid-career salary of $86,700.

It also has strong athletics: The football team has appeared in 34 bowl games.

#5 Pace University

Pace University

Ranked #348 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #160 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Pace began in 1906 as a school for accountancy and business, but today it's much more varied with schools focusing on health professions, education, computer science, and general arts and sciences. Pace has campuses in both New York City and Westchester, providing students with access to great internships and opportunities in the city.

The schools ranks low on US News' list at #174, but it made Forbes' list of Colleges That Will Make You Rich, with graduates earning an average mid-career salary of $85,600.

#4 Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Institute of Technology

Ranked #320 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #119 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

FIT has a 130-acre primary campus situated near the Kennedy Space Center on Florida's Space Coast. The private school was founded in 1958 as a training ground for people working in the space industry, but today it offers majors in science, engineering, humanities, psychology, and more to its 5,000 students.

About half of the student body enrolls in the school’s College of Business, according to US News, and graduates go on to earn an average mid-career salary of $88,600.

#3 New Jersey Institute of Technology

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Ranked #278 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #46 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Located outside New York City in Newark, NJ, NJIT is a public research institution with about 10,000 students and more than $100 million in research funding. The school offers strong programs in architecture, business, engineering, medical, legal, science, and technological fields, but most students major in engineering. Graduates go on to earn a high average mid-career salary of $101,000.

#2 Polytechnic Institute of New York University

Polytechnic Institute of New York University

Ranked #278 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #8 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Located in Brooklyn, the Polytechnic Institute is part of New York University and is the second-oldest private engineering and technology institute in the country. The school ranks low on US News' list at #139, but graduates go on to earn a very high average mid-career salary of  $117,000.

NYU—Poly emphasizes research and innovation, and the most popular majors are electrical engineering (21%), civil engineering (19%), and engineering/industrial management (10%)—all of which can lead to lucrative careers.

#1 University of Massachusetts–​Lowell

University of Massachusetts–​Lowell

Ranked #680 in composite of U.S. News's college and university lists.

Ranked #82 in PayScale's mid-career salary list.

Located in Lowell, MA, UMass Lowell earned the top spot in our ranking this year. The public school ranked low on US News' list at #170, but its graduates earned a high average mid-career salary of over $92,000. 

Most of the 14,000 students major in business and engineering, which can lead to well-paying careers.