Colleges with the highest-paid grads

Tufts University is located just outside Boston in Medford, Mass.

Starting salary: $51,900
Mid-career salary: $123,600
% who think their job is meaningful: 59%

This "Little Ivy" enrolls just 5,100 students. Nevertheless, its alumni network is still extensive and powerful.

It also has a strong reputation -- especially in the Northeast -- that helps its grads stick out from other recruits, said Payscale economist Katie Bardaro.

Also helping to boost grads salaries: With strong academic programs in engineering and medicine many of Tufts alumni go on to pursue careers in high-paying fields.

First published March 5, 2015: 1:12 PM ET

Source: Source: PayScale.com. Data used in the College Salary Report came from surveys completed by roughly 1.4 million college graduates of 1,002 colleges and universities, which represent 75% of all bachelor's degree recipients in the U.S. Graduates with advanced degrees were excluded from the results. Only full-time, civilian workers based in the 50 states and District of Columbia were counted. The ranking is based on mid-career results, which comes from median salaries of graduates with 10 years of work experience. Whether a job is meaningful is based on the percentage of graduates who answered "Very much so" and "Yes" to the question: "Does your work make the world a better place?"

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