Loading...

Find Your Match

Home/Rankings/Best for First-Gen Students

🚀

College Index · Class of 2026

Best for First-Gen Students

Schools with the strongest outcomes for first-generation college students

Top 100 of 1165 schoolsUpdated 2026-07-15

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA · Private Nonprofit

Index

100.0

Stanford University

Stanford, CA · Private Nonprofit

Index

94.5

University of California-Merced

Merced, CA · Public

Index

92.1

🏆 Overall 💰 Salaries 📊 Value 🏷️ Affordable 🎓 Academics 🏈 Athletics 🎉 Social Life 🌍 Diversity 🔥 Buzz 🛡️ Safety ☀️ Weather ⛪ Religious 🎓 Graduation 💳 Low Debt 🔄 Retention 🚀 First-Gen ✊ HBCUs 🏙️ Urban 🌾 Rural 🏫 Public 🏛️ Private 🎯 ROI Safeties

How this ranking is calculated

Identifies schools that do the most for students who are the first in their family to attend college — combining a high concentration of first-gen students with strong graduation and earnings outcomes.

What drives the score

Share of enrolled students who are first-generation (higher = more welcoming)
Graduation rate (are first-gen students actually finishing?)
Post-graduation earnings (are first-gen students getting economic lift?)
Pell Grant rate (a proxy for how many low-income students the school serves)

Data sources

Federal enrollment demographic data
Federal earnings and completion outcome data
Institutional financial aid reporting

This ranking rewards schools that actively enroll and successfully graduate first-generation students — not just prestigious schools that happen to admit a few. Schools with both high first-gen enrollment and strong outcomes score highest.

Sorted by College Index's composite first-gen score, normalized 0–100 across all ranked schools.

Rank

School

Location

Type

Composite Index

Does #1 feel right for First-Gen?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, MA

Private Nonprofit

Does #2 feel right for First-Gen?

Stanford University

Stanford, CA

Stanford, CA

Private Nonprofit

Does #3 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-Merced

Merced, CA

Merced, CA

Does #4 feel right for First-Gen?

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

New York, NY

New York, NY

Does #5 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA

Irvine, CA

Does #6 feel right for First-Gen?

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

Princeton, NJ

Private Nonprofit

Does #7 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

Berkeley, CA

Does #8 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA

Turlock, CA

Does #9 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA

La Jolla, CA

Does #10 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA

Does #11 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA

Does #12 feel right for First-Gen?

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, MA

Private Nonprofit

Does #13 feel right for First-Gen?

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA

San Jose, CA

Does #14 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA

Davis, CA

Does #15 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA

Riverside, CA

Does #16 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA

Santa Barbara, CA

Does #17 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA

San Bernardino, CA

Does #18 feel right for First-Gen?

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Pomona, CA

Pomona, CA

Does #19 feel right for First-Gen?

West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County

Anaheim, CA

Anaheim, CA

Private For-Profit

Does #20 feel right for First-Gen?

University of La Verne

La Verne, CA

La Verne, CA

Private Nonprofit

Does #21 feel right for First-Gen?

Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY

New York, NY

Private Nonprofit

Does #22 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA

Fullerton, CA

Does #23 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA

Long Beach, CA

Does #24 feel right for First-Gen?

Yale University

New Haven, CT

New Haven, CT

Private Nonprofit

Does #25 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA

Bakersfield, CA

Does #26 feel right for First-Gen?

Chamberlain University-Illinois

Addison, IL

Addison, IL

Private For-Profit

Does #27 feel right for First-Gen?

Galen College of Nursing-Louisville

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Private For-Profit

Does #28 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Monterey Bay

Seaside, CA

Seaside, CA

Does #29 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA

Carson, CA

Does #30 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA

Northridge, CA

Does #31 feel right for First-Gen?

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA

Private Nonprofit

Does #32 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

Does #33 feel right for First-Gen?

Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion

Marion, IN

Marion, IN

Private Nonprofit

Does #34 feel right for First-Gen?

University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX

Dallas, TX

Does #35 feel right for First-Gen?

West Coast University-Ontario

Ontario, CA

Ontario, CA

Private For-Profit

Does #36 feel right for First-Gen?

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia, PA

Private Nonprofit

Does #37 feel right for First-Gen?

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA

Does #38 feel right for First-Gen?

Dominican University

River Forest, IL

River Forest, IL

Private Nonprofit

Does #39 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA

Chico, CA

Does #40 feel right for First-Gen?

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ

New Brunswick, NJ

Does #41 feel right for First-Gen?

Pomona College

Claremont, CA

Claremont, CA

Private Nonprofit

Does #42 feel right for First-Gen?

West Coast University-Texas

Richardson, TX

Richardson, TX

Private For-Profit

Does #43 feel right for First-Gen?

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA

Seattle, WA

Does #44 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA

Sacramento, CA

Does #45 feel right for First-Gen?

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, IL

Chicago, IL

Private Nonprofit

Does #46 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA

Hayward, CA

Does #47 feel right for First-Gen?

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA

Private Nonprofit

Does #48 feel right for First-Gen?

Stanbridge University

Irvine, CA

Irvine, CA

Private For-Profit

Does #49 feel right for First-Gen?

Molloy University

Rockville Centre, NY

Rockville Centre, NY

Private Nonprofit

Does #50 feel right for First-Gen?

Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia, PA

Private Nonprofit

Does #51 feel right for First-Gen?

CUNY Lehman College

Bronx, NY

Bronx, NY

Does #52 feel right for First-Gen?

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL

Gainesville, FL

Does #53 feel right for First-Gen?

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ

Newark, NJ

Does #54 feel right for First-Gen?

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY

Stony Brook, NY

Does #55 feel right for First-Gen?

Florida International University

Miami, FL

Miami, FL

Does #56 feel right for First-Gen?

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Boston, MA

Boston, MA

Private Nonprofit

Does #57 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA

Camarillo, CA

Does #58 feel right for First-Gen?

CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY

New York, NY

Does #59 feel right for First-Gen?

University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL

Chicago, IL

Does #60 feel right for First-Gen?

Saint Peter's University

Jersey City, NJ

Jersey City, NJ

Private Nonprofit

Does #61 feel right for First-Gen?

University of St Francis

Joliet, IL

Joliet, IL

Private Nonprofit

Does #62 feel right for First-Gen?

Babson College

Wellesley, MA

Wellesley, MA

Private Nonprofit

Does #63 feel right for First-Gen?

Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA

Gwynedd Valley, PA

Private Nonprofit

Does #64 feel right for First-Gen?

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL

Chicago, IL

Private Nonprofit

Does #65 feel right for First-Gen?

California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA

San Marcos, CA

Does #66 feel right for First-Gen?

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott

Prescott, AZ

Prescott, AZ

Private Nonprofit

Does #67 feel right for First-Gen?

CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

New York, NY

New York, NY

Does #68 feel right for First-Gen?

Dominican University of California

San Rafael, CA

San Rafael, CA

Private Nonprofit

Does #69 feel right for First-Gen?

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, CA

Does #70 feel right for First-Gen?

American Public University System

Charles Town, WV

Charles Town, WV

Private For-Profit

Does #71 feel right for First-Gen?

Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus

Madison, NJ

Madison, NJ

Private Nonprofit

Does #72 feel right for First-Gen?

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA

Swarthmore, PA

Private Nonprofit

Does #73 feel right for First-Gen?

Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago, IL

Chicago, IL

Private Nonprofit

Does #74 feel right for First-Gen?

CUNY Queens College

Queens, NY

Queens, NY

Does #75 feel right for First-Gen?

Aurora University

Aurora, IL

Aurora, IL

Private Nonprofit

Does #76 feel right for First-Gen?

Felician University

Lodi, NJ

Lodi, NJ

Private Nonprofit

Does #77 feel right for First-Gen?

Western Governors University

Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City, UT

Private Nonprofit

Does #78 feel right for First-Gen?

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona Beach, FL

Private Nonprofit

Does #79 feel right for First-Gen?

Bay Path University

Longmeadow, MA

Longmeadow, MA

Private Nonprofit

Does #80 feel right for First-Gen?

Williams College

Williamstown, MA

Williamstown, MA

Private Nonprofit

Does #81 feel right for First-Gen?

Berkeley College-Woodland Park

Woodland Park, NJ

Woodland Park, NJ

Private For-Profit

Does #82 feel right for First-Gen?

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA

San Luis Obispo, CA

Does #83 feel right for First-Gen?

CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, NY

Brooklyn, NY

Does #84 feel right for First-Gen?

University of Houston-Clear Lake

Houston, TX

Houston, TX

Does #85 feel right for First-Gen?

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH

Hanover, NH

Private Nonprofit

Does #86 feel right for First-Gen?

CUNY City College

New York, NY

New York, NY

Does #87 feel right for First-Gen?

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA

Santa Cruz, CA

Does #88 feel right for First-Gen?

Trinity Washington University

Washington, DC

Washington, DC

Private Nonprofit

Does #89 feel right for First-Gen?

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

Ithaca, NY

Private Nonprofit

Does #90 feel right for First-Gen?

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia, PA

Private Nonprofit

Does #91 feel right for First-Gen?

Columbia Southern University

Orange Beach, AL

Orange Beach, AL

Private For-Profit

Does #92 feel right for First-Gen?

Stockton University

Galloway, NJ

Galloway, NJ

Does #93 feel right for First-Gen?

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Edinburg, TX

Edinburg, TX

Does #94 feel right for First-Gen?

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX

Arlington, TX

Does #95 feel right for First-Gen?

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX

Austin, TX

Does #96 feel right for First-Gen?

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA

Stockton, CA

Private Nonprofit

Does #97 feel right for First-Gen?

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara, CA

Private Nonprofit

Does #98 feel right for First-Gen?

Georgetown University

Washington, DC

Washington, DC

Private Nonprofit

Does #99 feel right for First-Gen?

Bentley University

Waltham, MA

Waltham, MA

Private Nonprofit

Does #100 feel right for First-Gen?

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX

College Station, TX

College Index

Data-driven college rankings built entirely on federal and third-party data — no surveys, no opinions, no pay-to-play. Compare 1,200+ schools across salaries, academics, athletics, social life, and more.

Rankings

Overall Top Salaries Best Value Most Affordable Academics Athletics Social Life Diversity Most Buzzy Safest Campuses Best Weather

More Rankings

Religious Graduation Rate Lowest Debt Best Retention First-Gen Students Best HBCUs Best Urban Best Rural Best Public Best Private High-ROI Safeties

Explore

Find Your Match Browse Majors Compare Schools About & Methodology Privacy Policy Terms of Service Contact Us

© 2026 College Index.

Last updated: July 2026