Public colleges cost significantly less than private colleges — but that doesn't mean you can't go on to earn a high salary after attending one.
To round up a list of the public schools that produce the highest-earning alumni, we used the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. The tool provides a variety of data on thousands of colleges, including the median earnings of federally aided students 10 years after enrolling and the average annual cost of attending.
For our ranking, we restricted the list to bachelor's degree-granting institutions and excluded special focus institutions.
Scroll down to see the 15 public colleges where students go on to earn the most money and the average annual cost of each school, which the U.S. Department of Education defines as "the average annual net price for federal aid recipients, after aid from the school, state or federal government. For public schools, this is only the average cost for in-state students."
15. University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Average annual cost: $13,399
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $59,600
14. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Average annual cost: $17,863
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $60,100
13. University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, Maryland
Average annual cost: $15,817
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $60,500
12. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Average annual cost: $13,707
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $60,800
11. Michigan Technological University
Houghton, Michigan
Average annual cost: $14,336
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $61,400
10. California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, California
Average annual cost: $18,047
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $61,800
9. Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, Missouri
Average annual cost: $14,874
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $64,100
8. New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, New Jersey
Average annual cost: $18,205
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $64,500
7. Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
Average annual cost: $15,785
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $69,000
5. SUNY Maritime College (TIE)
Throggs Neck, New York
Average annual cost: $18,431
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $74,500
5. Georgia Institute of Technology (TIE)
Atlanta, Georgia
Average annual cost: $10,994
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $74,500
4. Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado
Average annual cost: $25,777
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $75,700
3. Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, Maine
Average annual cost: $20,861
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $78,800
2. California Maritime Academy
Vallejo, California
Average annual cost: $15,472
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $79,400
1. United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, New York
Average annual cost: $5,538
Median annual earnings 10 years after enrolling: $82,000