While the diplomas are of unaccompanied brand, Linkedin has just revealed the universities that give Gen Z the best blow in corner office work -

Millions of students returned to school in the coming weeks, but the excitement of new classes, reconnection with friends and autumn weather are overshadowed by a cloud of uncertainty.

With many recent graduates who struggle like never before to win jobs – and some CEOs warning entry -level jobs are on the verge of extinction thanks to the IA – Gen Z is left by wondering if the spending of four years and thousands of dollars to a diploma will be well. And finally, the answer can be summed up where you have graduated.

Graduates of the Princeton University, Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania are the most likely to undergo a long -term professional success, according to a list of the best American colleges published by Linkedin this week.

With indications that the gain in higher education is dying slowly, it is more important than ever to weigh career results after the college and the probable king of a diploma, said Andrew Seaman, principal editor for jobs and career development at Linkedin News.

“Long -term success is not only to win an excellent first job, this is a sustained career growth and career opportunity after graduation,” said Seaman Fortune. “For this list, it means to look to what extent a school is preparing the old long -term.”

While the median annual salary for high school graduates was $ 48,360 in 2024, those holding a baccalaureate generally earn just over $ 80,000, an increase of 65%, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cornell University and Harvard University complete the six best colleges, but other elite schools are much further in the list. The institutions of the Ivy Columbia League University and Yale University are respectively n ° 18 and 19. (See the full list below).

Obtaining a diploma from a popular school may not be enough

LinkedIn produced its ranking using five also weighted pillars:

Placement of employment: Percentage of former students from recent graduate cohorts (2019-2024) who started a full-time position or a higher education program during the same year following their diploma.
Internships and recruitment request: Percentage of former students of recent cohorts who finished a undergraduate internship; And demand from the labor market for recent cohorts, based on Inmail awareness data.
Career success: Percentage of former students with post-diplen entrepreneurship or C-Suite experience.
Force Networth: How the former former connected of the same school are to each other, as well as the way in which the old connected of recent cohorts are to all the former students and students current
Knowledge line: Areas of study and unique skills acquired by recent graduates.

By focusing on these data points, Linkedin has produced a ranking that has seen many well -known absent schools, such as Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, Georgia Tech and the University of North Carolina. Instead, some institutions with recognition of the lower name have made the top-50, such as Bentley University (n ° 15), Bucknell University (n ° 21) and Fairfield University (n ° 28).

The results globally point out that a popular or Ivy league name is not necessary to provide exceptional career results, says Mateman.

“Schools like Bentley University and Fairfield University Excellent in the connection of students to high -quality internships, to build networks of solid former students and to help graduates obtain jobs or to quickly higher education investments, all the factors that stimulate long -term career success,” adds the sailor.

Among the Bucknell class of 2024, 93% of students obtained career opportunities within nine months of graduation, earning an average departure salary of $ 73,075.

The small colleges, such as Babson College and Colgate University, also presented themselves in terms of network strength and placement. Babson in particular has the highest percentage of graduates who have become entrepreneurs and founders, according to the sailor.

The growing need for AI skills

While the value of the college continues to be questioned, what many business leaders are suitable is that students must especially acquire the skills in AI – or they could risk being part of the growing number of genetics which are neet, not in employment, education or training.

Earlier this year, more than 250 CEO, including Satya Nadella from Microsoft, Brian Chesky from Airbnb, and Dara Khosrowshahi d’Uber, called for an increase in IT computers and education among all students.

“In the AI era, we must prepare our children in the future – be AI creators, not just consumers,” CEOs wrote in a letter sent to the legislators. “A basic IT and AI base is crucial to help each student prosper in a world -oriented world. Without that, he may be late. ”

But that does not necessarily mean that your middle finger in college should be squarely focused on AI or technology. In fact, when the CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, recently asked what the young version of himself would choose to focus today, he said that he would opt for “more physical sciences than software sciences”.