HowAfrica studied data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard to determine which colleges produce the highest-earning female graduates compared to male grads from the same institution ten years later. Only colleges that typically issue undergraduate degrees were included in this research, and gender was determined using binary classifications from school records. In the event of a tie, the school with the highest overall median wage was chosen.
The median wages were estimated for students who had received financial aid, were working 10 years after graduating from college, and were no longer enrolled.
The information is based on wages provided to the IRS on W-2 tax forms. It does not take into account variety among programs within an institution, which the Education Department notes may be even greater than variation across schools.
1. Hampton University
Hampton University is a Virginia private historically Black college. Psychology is a popular major at the school. Women outnumber men when it comes to studying psychology and becoming therapists. Professionals in therapy make more than the national average.
- Location: Hampton, Virginia
- Median women’s earnings: $52,000
- Median men’s earnings: $46,900
- Difference: $5,100
2. San Francisco Art Institute
The San Francisco Art Institute is a private art school that has produced a number of well-known artists. Among them is Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director in 2010. Joan Brown, a figurative painter, also attended the San Francisco Art Institute; her work has been highly recognized, with exhibitions at museums such as the Whitney.
- Location: San Francisco
- Median women’s earnings: $40,700
- Median men’s earnings: $36,500
- Difference: $4,200
3. Cumberland University
Cumberland University is a private university founded in the mid-nineteenth century. According to a 2019 state ranking, the school’s education program has a 100% success record in placing students in jobs. Women are vastly overrepresented in teaching roles when compared to men, which may explain why the institution has such a high percentage of female graduates.
- Location: Lebanon, Tennessee
- Median women’s earnings: $44,600
- Median men’s earnings: $40,900
- Difference: $3,700
4. Washington Adventist University
Washington Adventist University is a private Seventh-day Adventist university with popular degrees that may help explain why female graduates earn more than men: nursing, health, and medical administrative services. Women are overrepresented in these occupations, and because to pandemic fatigue, those who opt to stay in health care employment are provided exceptionally competitive pay.
- Location: Takoma Park, Maryland
- Median women’s earnings: $47,500
- Median men’s earnings: $43,800
- Difference: $3,700
5. Talladega College
Talladega College is Alabama’s oldest historically Black private college. Margaret Bush Wilson, a trailblazing lawyer, and Carol Brice, a great contralto singer, were among the many famous Black women leaders who attended the school. No matter what field women pursue at Talladega College, from business to the arts, many previous alumnae are demonstrating what is possible.
- Location: Talladega, Alabama
- Median women’s earnings: $25,300
- Median men’s earnings: $22,200
- Difference: $3,100
6. American International College
American International College is a private university that offers both standard academic majors and a variety of professional programs. Nursing and business degrees are among them. The school also has a long history of sending graduates into politics. Former Massachusetts Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, a famous alumnus, went on to law school before entering politics: two vocations often associated with high pay.
- Location: Springfield, Massachusetts
- Median women’s earnings: $51,200
- Median men’s earnings: $48,300
- Difference: $2,900
7. Viterbo University
Viterbo University is a private Catholic university with a long history of recognizing outstanding female alumni. Women received all eight of the school’s Distinguished Alumni honors in 2020. The honorees’ professional achievements span from a 2012 graduate who is now a Broadway performer to the CEO of an education-focused consulting firm.
- Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Median women’s earnings: $47,700
- Median men’s earnings: $46,700
- Difference: $1,000
8. Marymount Manhattan College
Marymount established in 1936 as a two-year women’s college.Since then, it has grown to include a more diverse student body, including men and nontraditional students. Kiley Reid, author of the critically praised novel “Such a Fun Age,” is one of the school’s most accomplished alumnae.
- Location: New York City
- Median women’s earnings: $45,800
- Median men’s earnings: $44,600
- Difference: $1,200
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
One statistic may explain why women graduates at Oklahoma Wesleyan University earn more than men: The most popular major at the institution is nursing, a traditionally female-dominated and well-paid career. Because of the strong demand for nurses, wages have risen even further.
- Location: Bartlesville, Oklahoma
- Median women’s earnings: $54,100
- Median men’s earnings: $52,400
- Difference: $1,700