Best colleges in Connecticut

While the best colleges in Connecticut tend to revolve around the iconic Yale University, it would be remiss to overlook the University of Connecticut, celebrated for its academic prowess, cutting-edge research, and exceptional athletic programs. Its proximity to New York City also affords students with extensive internship opportunities and avenues for professional growth. Alternatively, institutions like Trinity College and the University of New Haven draw in students with their exciting urban settings and vibrant social scenes.

Read more

Studying in Connecticut

Filters
  • Connecticut
  • Clear all filters

The best colleges in Connecticut

Sort By
Cost
Earnings
Rankings
Ranking methodology

18 Results

#1 in Connecticut | #7 in National Universities

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

Economic score 0.74

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $18,535

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $100,533

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 97%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#2 in Connecticut | #19 in Liberal Arts

Wesleyan University

Middletown, Connecticut

Economic score 2.36

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $28,340

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $73,897

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 92%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#3 in Connecticut | #118 in National Universities

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut

Economic score 2.79

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $23,512

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $73,997

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 83%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#4 in Connecticut | #32 in Liberal Arts

Trinity College

Hartford, Connecticut

Economic score 2.80

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $37,118

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $90,779

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 83%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#5 in Connecticut | #127 in National Universities

Fairfield University

Fairfield, Connecticut

Economic score 2.90

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $45,701

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $88,794

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 80%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#6 in Connecticut | #157 in National Universities

Quinnipiac University

Hamden, Connecticut

Economic score 3.26

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $39,682

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $83,759

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 76%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#7 in Connecticut | #45 in Liberal Arts

Connecticut College

New London, Connecticut

Economic score 3.28

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $32,664

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $75,001

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 82%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#8 in Connecticut
Economic score 4.56

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $16,707

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $59,115

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 55%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#9 in Connecticut | #271 in National Universities

Sacred Heart University

Fairfield, Connecticut

Economic score 4.70

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $44,554

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $75,059

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 72%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#10 in Connecticut
Economic score 4.76

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $16,210

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $58,562

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 60%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#11 in Connecticut
Economic score 5.60

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $18,092

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $56,469

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 60%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#12 in Connecticut

University of Saint Joseph

West Hartford, Connecticut

Economic score 5.74

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $25,127

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $59,908

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 65%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#13 in Connecticut

Albertus Magnus College

New Haven, Connecticut

Economic score 5.87

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $26,735

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $60,144

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 58%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#14 in Connecticut | #334 in National Universities

University of Hartford

West Hartford, Connecticut

Economic score 6.27

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $30,886

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $60,823

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 59%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#15 in Connecticut

University of New Haven

West Haven, Connecticut

Economic score 6.61

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $33,170

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $60,126

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 66%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#16 in Connecticut
Economic score 7.08

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $19,291

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $55,043

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 54%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

#17 in Connecticut

Goodwin University

East Hartford, Connecticut

Economic score 39.62

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $23,983

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $43,596

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 53%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

University of Bridgeport

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Economic score 10.43

Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.

Cost $26,331

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Earnings $50,323

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

Graduation rate 48%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not  displayed.

www.degreechoices.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Average income based on education level

The following figures are the average salaries in Connecticut for each level of education.

Average Income

The average income of people in this state with a high-school diploma, certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, 10 years after enrollment, based on 2021-2022 CSC data.

HS Diploma $41,610
Certificate $52,521
Associate $67,760
Bachelor $62,598
Master $72,185

Cost of attending college in Connecticut

In-state-tuition $32,130

The average in-state tuition, before financial aid, of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.

Out-of-state-tuition $37,974

The average tuition for out-of-state students, before financial aid of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.

Most popular degrees in Connecticut

In Connecticut the most popular degrees are Business Administration, Registered Nursing, and General Psychology. To create this list, we complied and analyzed data from IPEDS and College Scorecard. 

They both provide information on how many graduates each program has annually. The list below is both undergraduate- and graduate-level programs.  

Fastest growing careers

Connecticut job growth 12%

Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
81.3%
Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
50%
Nurse Practitioners
47.9%
Epidemiologists
46.2%
Massage Therapists
40.7%
Dental Hygienists
35%
Dental Assistants
34.5%
Marriage and Family Therapists
31.9%
Physician Assistants
30.6%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
30%

Best bachelor’s degrees in Connecticut

These majors are most likely to pay off economically after graduation.

Best colleges for social mobility in Connecticut

Higher education is supposed to act as an economic elevator that lifts students from low-income households into the middle class. But not all colleges do this: unfortunately, many of the nation’s most “prestigious” schools accept very few students from low-income backgrounds. 

To determine what colleges are doing the best job at lifting students out of poverty, we have devised a Social Mobility Index (SMI).  

The best colleges for social mobility in Connecticut are shown below.

Explore other states