State Rankings

Best Colleges in Connecticut

Top colleges in Connecticut ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 28

Avg grad earnings: $67,120

Public / Private: 12 / 16

Top Colleges in Connecticut

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	Yale University New Haven#10 national	Private	$100,533	4.5%	1,534	96.3%	$64,700
2	Connecticut College New London#113 national	Private	$75,001	38.3%	1,412	83.8%	$64,812
3	University of Connecticut Storrs#129 national	Public	$73,997	53.9%	1,338	83.8%	$43,034
4	Wesleyan University Middletown#140 national	Private	$73,897	17.1%	1,513	91.6%	$67,316
5	Trinity College Hartford#175 national	Private	$90,779	33.5%	1,396	82.8%	$67,420
6	Quinnipiac University Hamden#196 national	Private	$83,759	77.0%	1,212	77.3%	$53,090
7	Fairfield University Fairfield#197 national	Private	$88,794	45.0%	1,323	83.8%	$56,360
8	Sacred Heart University Fairfield#228 national	Private	$75,059	67.7%	N/A	74.5%	$48,460
9	United States Coast Guard Academy New London#259 national	Public	N/A	24.3%	1,290	87.9%	N/A
10	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford#266 national	Public	$73,997	86.5%	1,081	65.4%	$40,120
11	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury#294 national	Public	$73,997	87.0%	1,070	59.5%	$40,130
12	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford#337 national	Public	$73,997	80.2%	1,080	56.9%	$40,140
13	Charter Oak State College New Britain#383 national	Public	$64,209	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,506
14	University of Saint Joseph West Hartford#406 national	Private	$59,908	79.6%	1,100	69.7%	$45,908
15	Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic#544 national	Public	$56,469	80.5%	1,200	58.1%	$16,624
16	Central Connecticut State University New Britain#633 national	Public	$58,562	75.5%	1,091	49.3%	$25,736
17	University of New Haven West Haven#655 national	Private	$60,126	80.5%	1,190	59.3%	$45,730
18	University of Hartford West Hartford#681 national	Private	$60,823	83.0%	1,207	58.3%	$47,647
19	Western Connecticut State University Danbury#820 national	Public	$59,115	81.4%	1,044	50.2%	$16,095
20	Albertus Magnus College New Haven#983 national	Private	$60,144	64.4%	N/A	46.1%	$39,924
21	Southern Connecticut State University New Haven#1003 national	Public	$55,043	81.1%	N/A	47.8%	$26,104
22	Connecticut State Community College New Britain#1185 national	Public	$41,344	N/A	N/A	N/A	$14,840
23	Goodwin University East Hartford#1611 national	Private	$43,596	N/A	N/A	58.3%	$21,198
24	University of Bridgeport Bridgeport#1617 national	Private	$50,323	64.3%	985	48.1%	$35,760
25	Rensselaer at Hartford Hartford	Private	$102,051	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
26	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton	Public	$73,997	86.5%	1,130	56.7%	$40,130
27	Goodwin University - Bridgeport Campus Bridgeport	Private	$43,596	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
28	Mitchell College New London	Private	$39,115	73.4%	N/A	44.1%	$39,050

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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