Forbes ranks top small U.S. universities with high alumni earnings

Forbes has released its 2027 list of the top 50 small private non-profit universities in the United States. These institutions are defined by having fewer than 4,000 undergraduate students. The ranking prioritizes student outcomes, including graduation rates, alumni income, debt burden, and leadership achievements, rather than relying solely on prestige or selectivity.

All ten schools at the top of this small-scale list also appear in Forbes’ overall top 50 best colleges in the U.S. The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) leads the small university category and ranks 7th among all 500 evaluated U.S. institutions. Williams College in Massachusetts is also highlighted for its community-focused environment.

While these schools offer advantages such as personalized learning and increased research opportunities, they come with high costs, sometimes reaching nearly $100,000 per year. However, Forbes reports that alumni from all ten top-ranked small schools earn a median salary exceeding $100,000 after ten years of experience.