These rankings are based on data about college professor and faculty salaries at each institution. Faculty who earn higher salaries tend to be more tenured, so colleges and universities with higher average salaries is often seen as an indicator of higher academic strength. But, this ranking can also be affected by other factors -- such as the presence of a medical school or other high-paying faculty positions.
| Rank | Institution | Average Faculty Salary | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price | Median Starting Salary | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Institute of Technology | 148763 | 2.57 | 1,540 – 1,590 | 23397 | 132140 |
#1
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceCalifornia Institute of Technology
|
| 2 | Pomona College | 107983 | 7.09 | 1,490 – 1,560 | 17423 | 60850 |
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferencePomona College
|
| 3 | Claremont McKenna College | 107977 | 9.59 | 1,470 – 1,560 | 29978 | 87603 |
#3
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceClaremont McKenna College
|
| 4 | Harvey Mudd College | 107128 | 12.66 | 1,500 – 1,580 | 42720 | 115107 |
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceHarvey Mudd College
|
| 5 | Chapman University | 98478 | 65.43 | 1,280 – 1,440 | 48037 | 58080 |
#5
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceChapman University
|
| 6 | Scripps College | 95157 | 38.29 | 1,430 – 1,520 | 45505 | 68027 |
#6
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceScripps College
|
| 7 | Pitzer College | 92252 | 25.16 | 1,190 – 1,370 | 34801 | 51784 |
#7
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferencePitzer College
|
| 8 | Occidental College | 87960 | 44.17 | 1,390 – 1,520 | 47113 | 52209 |
#8
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceOccidental College
|
| 9 | University of La Verne | 85163 | 48.47 | 970 – 1,290 | 27216 | 53806 |
#9
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceUniversity of La Verne
|
| 10 | Whittier College | 82442 | 83.5 | 1,070 – 1,250 | 32436 | 46025 |
#10
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceWhittier College
|
| 11 | California Lutheran University | 79905 | 75.67 | 1,160 – 1,360 | 27080 | 54981 |
#11
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceCalifornia Lutheran University
|
| 12 | University of Redlands | 78639 | 82.71 | 1,110 – 1,350 | 28054 | 61686 |
#12
2026 Top Colleges Ranked by Average Faculty Salary – Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceUniversity of Redlands
|
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.