Best Colleges in Connecticut (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges in Connecticut lists 19 four-year institutions. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Connecticut, highest first.
The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. Yale University ranks 1st on this list and reports $112,971 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing.
Yale University ranks 57th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
The list includes 5 public and 14 private nonprofit schools. Holy Apostles College and Seminary posts the lowest average net price at $10,117. University of Hartford has the highest admission rate, admitting 96% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yale University · New Haven, CT | $112,971 | $23,777 | $17,633 | 3.9% |
| Yale University reports median earnings of $112,971 for its graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. | |||||
| 2 | University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT | $78,925 | $25,097 | $15,193 | 52.4% |
| University of Connecticut admits 52% of applicants and posts a six-year completion rate of 83%. | |||||
| 3 | Central Connecticut State University · New Britain, CT | $67,245 | $16,857 | $13,589 | 73.3% |
| Central Connecticut State University ranks 3rd on this list, with an average net price of $16,857. | |||||
| 4 | Southern Connecticut State University · New Haven, CT | $59,787 | $20,857 | $17,736 | 91.5% |
| Southern Connecticut State University graduates 50% of its students within six years and reports median earnings of $59,787 four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Wesleyan University · Middletown, CT | $72,119 | $30,177 | $4,871 | 16.5% |
| Wesleyan University carries an average net price of $4,871 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 6 | Western Connecticut State University · Danbury, CT | $60,346 | $17,604 | $13,507 | 87.0% |
| Western Connecticut State University ranks 494th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 7 | Trinity College · Hartford, CT | $83,645 | $34,832 | $11,054 | 29.3% |
| Trinity College reports median earnings of $83,645 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 29%. | |||||
| 8 | University of Bridgeport · Bridgeport, CT | $60,311 | $27,807 | $27,238 | 83.0% |
| University of Bridgeport admits 83% of applicants and carries an average net price of $27,807. | |||||
| 9 | Eastern Connecticut State University · Willimantic, CT | $57,759 | $21,067 | $17,654 | 83.0% |
| Eastern Connecticut State University posts a six-year completion rate of 58% and ranks 9th on this list. | |||||
| 10 | Fairfield University · Fairfield, CT | $91,378 | $48,095 | $33,302 | 33.3% |
| Fairfield University reports median earnings of $91,378 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | University of Saint Joseph · West Hartford, CT | $73,035 | $27,989 | $24,563 | 78.6% |
| University of Saint Joseph carries an average net price of $24,563 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 12 | Quinnipiac University · Hamden, CT | $84,363 | $40,675 | $33,649 | 72.2% |
| Quinnipiac University admits 72% of applicants and reports median earnings of $84,363 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | University of Hartford · West Hartford, CT | $69,078 | $30,282 | $25,925 | 95.8% |
| University of Hartford admits 96% of applicants and reports median earnings of $69,078 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 14 | Albertus Magnus College · New Haven, CT | $63,088 | $34,028 | $35,343 | 59.3% |
| Graduates of Albertus Magnus College earn a median of $63,088 four years after completing, and the school's six-year completion rate stands at 51%. | |||||
| 15 | Holy Apostles College and Seminary · Cromwell, CT | $39,168 | $10,117 | $10,117 | Not reported |
| With an average net price of $10,117, Holy Apostles College and Seminary ranks 15th on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 79%. | |||||
| 16 | University of New Haven · West Haven, CT | $65,164 | $34,192 | $27,837 | 60.4% |
| University of New Haven reports median earnings of $65,164 for its graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $34,192. | |||||
| 17 | Connecticut College · New London, CT | $67,540 | $36,175 | $13,341 | 37.0% |
| Connecticut College admits 37% of applicants, and its graduates earn a median of $67,540 four years after completing. | |||||
| 18 | Sacred Heart University · Fairfield, CT | $79,431 | $46,174 | $38,691 | 65.4% |
| Graduates of Sacred Heart University earn a median of $79,431 four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 73%. | |||||
| 19 | Mitchell College · New London, CT | $44,062 | $30,260 | $26,485 | 94.7% |
| Mitchell College ranks 19th on this list, with an admission rate of 95% and a six-year completion rate of 42%. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Connecticut, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The earnings figures cited for each school are the median earnings of its federally aided completers across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those who were working and not enrolled. The list does not measure fit or teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 19 schools with a reported completion median. The list includes 5 public and 14 private nonprofit institutions.