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Strengthening the college to career progression has become increasingly "mission critical" work at top institutions across the country. At the core of this work is leveraging data to understand outcomes and then pivoting resources in an equitable approach to student success.
In "The State of the Gender Pay Gap in 2021," PayScale reports that the pay gap widens as women progress in their careers. In an uncontrolled group of executives, women made $0.70 to every dollar made by men. They attribute this, in part, to the opportunity gap, explained as the tendency for women to climb the corporate ladder slower than men. In theory, if women accelerate their pace of upward mobility, they'll decrease their deficit in potential lifetime earnings.
Universities producing high-earning female alumni under 40 are working toward better outcomes for their students, recent grads and alumni. We looked specifically at R2 universities by region to learn who is making the biggest strides in gender and pay.
R2 Universities in the West
1. San Francisco State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,013
Top Employers: Kaiser Permanente, Amazon, Facebook
Top Majors: Psychology, Marketing, Business Administration
2. California State University, Fullerton
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $125,876
Top Employers: Kaiser Permanente, Amazon, EY
Top Majors: Communications, Psychology, Accounting
3. California State University, Long Beach
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $124,931
Top Employers: Northrop Grumman, Amazon, CVS Health
Top Majors: Nursing, Psychology, Healthcare
4. Brigham Young University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $128,493
Top Employers: Adobe, Goldman Sachs, EY
Top Majors: Law, Accounting, Communications
5. Portland State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,049
Top Employers: Intel, Nike, Amazon
Top Majors: Psychology, Science, Accounting
6. University of San Diego
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $131,450
Top Employers: KPMG, Deloitte, Family Health Centers of San Diego
Top Majors: Law, Political Science, Nursing
7. Northern Arizona University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $125,412
Top Employers: Banner Health, Arizona State University, Mayo Clinic
Top Majors: Education, Nursing, Leadership
8. Chapman University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K
Average Salary: $129,976
Top Employers: CVS Health, EY, Walt Disney Company
Top Majors: Law, Psychology, Communications
9. Loyola Marymount University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $131,265
Top Employers: Deloitte, Amazon, Microsoft
Top Majors: Law, Psychology, Business Administration
10. San Diego State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $127,334
Top Employers: Northrop Grumman, Amazon, Kaiser Permanente
Top Majors: Psychology, Accounting, Business Administration
11. Boise State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $132,534
Top Employers: Deloitte, Amazon, Microsoft
Top Majors: Nursing, Healthcare, Biology
12. Azusa Pacific University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,486
Top Employers: St. Luke’s Health System, HP, Micron
Top Majors: Nursing, Accounting, Healthcare
R2 Universities in the Northeast
1. Villanova University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $129,697
Top Employers: Vanguard, Boeing, Deloitte
Top Majors: Law, Nursing, Business Administration
2. Fordham University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $134,676
Top Employers: JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citi, EY
Top Majors: Law, Psychology, Political Science & Government
3. Duquesne University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $128,142
Top Employers: CVS Health, Allegheny Health Network, UPMC
Top Majors: Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Law, Nursing
4. University of Rhode Island
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $127,290
Top Employers: CVS Health, Lifespan, Citizens Bank
Top Majors: Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Nursing, Psychology
5. Seton Hall University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $130,150
Top Employers: JP Morgan Chase & Co., Johnson & Johnson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Top Majors: Law, Nursing, Healthcare
6. Rochester Institute of Technology
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $128,157
Top Employers: Microsoft, Google, L3Harris Technologies
Top Majors: Computer Science, Design, Mechanical Engineering
7. University of Vermont
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $129,115
Top Employers: Dartmouth-Hitchcock, The University of Vermont Health Network, National Life Group
Top Majors: Nursing, Psychology, Political Science & Government
8. Montclair State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,238
Top Employers: Prudential Financial, Bed Bath & Beyond, Citi
Top Majors: Psychology, Accounting, Business Administration
9. Lehigh University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $130,264
Top Employers: Merck, JPMorgan Chase & Co., PwC
Top Majors: Engineering, Accounting, Marketing
10. Long Island University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $128,266
Top Employers: CVS Health, Northwell Health, Walgreens
Top Majors: Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Nursing, Healthcare
11. West Chester University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $125,755
Top Employers: Vanguard, Janssen, QVC
Top Majors: Nursing, Education, Marketing
12. Rowan University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $130,962
Top Employers: TD, Comcast, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals
Top Majors: Biology, Communications, Nursing
13. The New School
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $129,744
Top Employers: Facebook, Google, City of New York
Top Majors: Design, Fashion, International Relations
R2 Universities in the South
1. Nova Southeastern
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $132,828
Top Employers: CVS Health, Walgreens, Baptist Health South Florida
Top Majors: Healthcare, Biology, Pharmacy & Pharmacology
2. American University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $132,439
Top Employers: Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Top Majors: Law, Political Science & Government, International Relations
3. James Madison University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,726
Top Employers: Capital One, Deloitte, Booz Allen Hamilton
Top Majors: Healthcare, Accounting, Marketing
4. Florida Atlantic University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $131,885
Top Employers: Florida Power & Light Company, CVS Health, Deloitte
Top Majors: Accounting, Nursing, Business Management
5. East Carolina University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $127,162
Top Employers: Duke University Health System, Atrium Health, Bank of America
Top Majors: Nursing, Biology, Accounting
6. Texas State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,225
Top Employers: USAA, Dell, Deloitte
Top Majors: Accounting, Healthcare, Marketing
7. Southern Methodist University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $130,979
Top Employers: Lockheed Martin, AT&T, Deloitte
Top Majors: Law, Accounting, Business Administration
8. UNC Charlotte
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,473
Top Employers: Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Atrium Health
Top Majors: Nursing, Accounting, Computer Science
9. Kennesaw State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,825
Top Employers: Emory Healthcare, CVS Health, AT&T
Top Majors: Nursing, Accounting, Business Administration
10. Wake Forest University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $132,329
Top Employers: Deloitte, EY, Bank of America
Top Majors: Law, Accounting, Political Science & Government
11. Howard University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $135,577
Top Employers: Accenture, CVS Health, Facebook
Top Majors: Law, Biology, Healthcare
12. Texas Christian University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $131,855
Top Employers: Lockheed Martin, Deloitte, Cook Childrens
Top Majors: Nursing, Accounting, Law
13. University of North Florida
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $128,369
Top Employers: Deutsche Bank, Mayo Clinic, Baptist Health
Top Majors: Nursing, Psychology, Accounting
R2 Universities in the Midwest
1. DePaul University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $129,588
Top Employers: Allstate, Northern Trust Corporation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
Top Majors: Law, Psychology, Accounting
2. Miami University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $129,263
Top Employers: Deloitte, Cardinal Health, EY
Top Majors: Marketing, Accounting, Law
3. Loyola University Chicago
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $133,063
Top Employers: CVS Health, Deloitte, Advocate Aurora Health
Top Majors: Law, Nursing, Psychology
4. Marquette University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $130,161
Top Employers: Aurora Healthcare, Medical College of Wisconsin, Advocate Aurora Health
Top Majors: Law, Nursing, Biomedical Science
5. Saint Louis University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $129,485
Top Employers: Boeing, Mercy, Centene Corporation
Top Majors: Law, Nursing, Healthcare
6. Central Michigan University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,642
Top Employers: General Motors, Beaumont Health, Ford Motor Company
Top Majors: Healthcare, General Science, Human Resources
7. Western Michigan University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $127,208
Top Employers: Kellogg Company, Stryker, Bronson Healthcare
Top Majors: Marketing, Psychology, Accounting
8. Northern Illinois University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $127,594
Top Employers: Abbvie, CVS Health, Deloitte
Top Majors: Accounting, Nursing, Law
9. Illinois State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,564
Top Employers: State Farm, Caterpillar Inc., Country Financial
Top Majors: Nursing, Accounting, Communications
10. Ball State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $127,564
Top Employers: Indiana University Health, Community Health Network, Caravel Autism Health
Top Majors: Nursing, Psychology, Behavioral Science
11. Oakland University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $126,964
Top Employers: General Motors, Beaumont Health, Henry Ford Health System
Top Majors: Nursing, Healthcare, Accounting
12. The University of Akron
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $129,167
Top Employers: Cleveland Clinic, Akron Children's Hospital, Gojo Industries
Top Majors: Nursing, Law, Accounting
13. Cleveland State University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $128,954
Top Employers: Cleveland Clinic, Keybank, Sherwin-Williams
Top Majors: Law, Healthcare, Business Administration
14. Creighton University
All outcomes are for female alumni under 40 earning >$100K.
Average Salary: $134,926
Top Employers: CHI Health, CVS Health, Nebraska Medicine
Top Majors: Pharmacy & Pharmacology, Nursing, Law
How did we develop this list?
To understand how we developed this list you first have to understand our data. To obtain a comprehensive picture of education and workforce outcomes, we collect, organize, classify and analyze demographic, education and employment data from hundreds of sources. Our data then undergoes a rigorous process of validation for quality and veracity to ensure reliable, high-quality information on over 130 million people, over 25 million companies and over 1 billion data points.
To discover the colleges and universities making the greatest impact in any given category, we leverage our technology to explore the desired set of variables to return a list of top schools in seconds. For this analysis, we used demographic, education and employment filters to generate a list of R2 universities producing the most high-earning females under 40. Here's how we sliced the data:
- Salary: $100K or greater
- Age: 40 or younger
- Gender: Female
- University: R2 Classification
Where do you rank in your region?
Want to see where your institution ranks or to see how we developed these rankings in real time? Get a free consultation for student success, and we’ll show you a lifetime of graduate outcomes data in seconds.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash.
