10 State Universities with the Top Earning Graduates

1. State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College

• Starting median salary: $57,300
• Mid-career median salary: $109,000

SUNY Maritime is located in Throggs Neck, part of Bronx County, NY. This public university offers undergraduate and master's degrees in science and engineering with a maritime focus. Students can also earn licensure as a third officer for the Merchant Marine, which qualifies graduates for a variety of off-shore and on-shore jobs in the maritime industry. SUNY Maritime students also graduate with the ability to sail on ocean-going vessels.

2. Colorado School of Mines

• Starting median salary: $63,400
• Mid-career median salary: $106,000

The Colorado School of Mines is a public research university located in Golden, CO outside of Denver. Mines offers degrees in applied science and engineering with a focus on energy, the environment and responsible methods for extracting and utilizing resources from the earth. It is also one of the most competitive public colleges in the country.

3. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

• Starting median salary: $55,700
• Mid-career median salary: $103,000

The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, or New Mexico Tech (NMT), can be found in Socorro, NM. It offers science and engineering degrees at the associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels in programs ranging from earth science to explosives engineering (an undergraduate minor). The school also offers elective courses in fields such as music and poetry in order to round out students' education.

4. New Jersey Institute of Technology

• Starting median salary: $53,400
• Mid-career median salary: $103,000

The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is a public research university in Newark, NJ. Although its primary focus is on technological research and education, including engineering and computing science, it also offers programs in such fields as liberal arts, architecture and business. NJIT confers degrees at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.

5. University of California, Berkeley

• Starting median salary: $51,400
• Mid-career median salary: $102,000

One of the flagship universities of the public University of California system, UC Berkeley is located on east side of the San Francisco Bay. It confers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in 14 different colleges and schools, ranging from the famous Haas School of Business to the College of Letters and Science, School of Information and beyond.

6. Georgia Institute of Technology

• Starting median salary: $57,500
• Mid-career median salary: $102,000

Situated in the thriving metropolis of Atlanta, GA, Georgia Tech is consistently ranked among the top ten public universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report. It serves over 20,000 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Although Georgia Tech's primary focus is on science and technology, with schools in such subjects as engineering, computing and science, it also offers liberal arts studies in areas like literature, economics and international affairs.

7. Massachusetts Maritime Academy

• Starting median salary: $54,300
• Mid-career median salary: $98,000

Nestled in Buzzards Bay, MA, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) combines a highly disciplined environment with strong academic and leadership training. Students can earn a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in a variety of maritime industry fields, including international maritime business, marine engineering and emergency management, as well as an optional merchant marine officer's license or naval officer's commission.

8. University of California, San Diego

• Starting median salary: $48,200
• Mid-Career Median Salary: $96,700

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is another major institution in the University of California system. Located in southern California, UCSD also consistently ranks in the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News & World Report. It confers hundreds of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in ten different schools and divisions, including international relations, oceanography, pharmaceutical sciences and engineering.

9. The College of William and Mary

• Starting median salary: $45,000
• Mid-career median salary: $96,500

The College of William and Mary (WM), located in Williamsburg, VA, is one of the oldest universities in the country and is known as one of eight American 'public Ivies.' The only college on this list with a specific liberal arts focus, William and Mary offers a wide range of traditional programs in arts, sciences, business and education. Students can also design their own educational paths, and popular interdisciplinary majors include environmental studies, global studies and medieval and renaissance studies.

10. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

• Starting median salary: $56,700
• Mid-career median salary: $96,300

Located in Rapid City, SD, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has been ranked among America's best college buys for over ten years running. It offers over 30 acclaimed degree programs in engineering, computer technology and the sciences at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. Students at Mines also have many opportunities to study research and development in their fields alongside faculty.

Source: Salary figures are from PayScale.com, which bases its data on annual pay from graduates with only a bachelor's degree. Starting graduates typically have around two years of experience, whereas mid-career graduates typically have around 15.