Forbes this week revealed its “America’s Top Colleges 2019” list, a ranking of 650 undergraduate institutions based on alumni salary, student satisfaction, debt, number of American leaders as alumni, on-time graduation rate and overall academic success.
The list includes just 15% of all 4,300 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the country, “so appearing here at all is an indication that a school meets a high standard.”
While no Georgia schools made it to the top 50 nationally, when it comes to regional rankings, two Georgia universities were deemed the best in the American South.
Emory University came in at No. 55 in America and ninth in the South, followed by Georgia Tech—65th overall and 11th in the region.
Forbes analysts report Emory, a private not-for-profit school in Atlanta, offers graduates an average early career salary of $62,000. Georgia Tech alumni get a bit more bang for their buck with a $72,700 average early career salary.
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Of the top schools in the South, Duke University topped the list, Rice University came in second, and Vanderbilt University rounded out the top three.
The University of Georgia, the only other Peach State school among the top 20 in the South, ranked 99th in the nation and 17th in the region.