College is an increasingly expensive proposition, which makes it all the more critical that students paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for their education are able to recoup that cost once they enter the workplace.
CNBC took a look at which colleges and universities have the best return on investment. They analyzed the overall cost and the average salaries of recent graduates to come up with a list of the top 50 U.S. colleges that provide students with the highest average salaries for their tuition dollars.
Not surprisingly, New England colleges were heavily represented on the list, with 11 local institutions featured among the top 50. Here's a quick look at the local schools that made the list:
TOP PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES:
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Average net cost (income $48,001-$75,000): $6,577
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Salary average, early and mid-career: $107,600
6. Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
Average net cost: $6,551
Salary average, early and mid-career: $101,850
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Average net cost: $8,633
Salary average, early and mid-career: $117,000
13. Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire
Average net cost: $10,048
Salary average, early and mid-career: $103,200
14. Olin College of Engineering
Needham, Massachusetts
Average net cost: $10,706
Salary average, early and mid-career: $108,050
16. Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Average net cost: $10,448
Salary average, early and mid-career: $99,750
18. Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine
Average net cost: $11,057
Salary average, early and mid-career: $87,850
20. Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
Average net cost: $12,697
Salary average, early and mid-career: $98,500
24. Bates College
Lewiston, Maine
Average net cost: $12,108
Salary average, early and mid-career: $88,900
25. Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut
Average net cost: $11,996
Salary average, early and mid-career: $87,000
TOP PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES:
3. Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Average net cost: $10,235
Salary average, early and mid-career: $90,900
