At Caltech, undergraduates are able to take part in major research projects on everything from chemistry to space exploration.
Based in Pasadena, Calif., Caltech is home to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where the country's first satellite was created in the 1950s. It's now a leading U.S. center for robotic space exploration.
Engineering-focused schools like Caltech dominate PayScale's list of colleges with the most valuable degrees. Engineering school graduates typically outearn high school grads by $1.2 million over 30 years, according to PayScale's report. In comparison, alumni of liberal arts colleges can expect to earn $458,405 more.
