Two Kettering University students building a propeller.

Kettering University graduates’ starting salaries are the highest in the state, according to a report from SmartAsset, a financial technology company based in New York City.

“Rigorous academic disciplines paired with our unparalleled cooperative education program provide remarkable opportunities for our graduates,” said Tracie Jones, Interim Vice President and Director of Enrollment at Kettering. “The application of theory and immersive industry practice creates a mastery of knowledge and professional confidence gained from experience. Our graduates are in high demand and leverage their success at Kettering throughout their careers of leadership and service.”

Kettering’s Co-op program includes students alternating academic, on-campus terms attending classes with on-site work experience at one of more than 400 partner organizations, arming them with a degree and 2 ½ years of professional experience when they graduate. Students earn an average of $14.62 an hour in their first year to $18.44 an hour in their senior year.

As part of its annual Best Value College Index rating, Kettering also was named No. 3 in the state overall based on five factors: tuition, student living costs, scholarship and grant offerings, student retention rate, and starting salary for new graduates. 

Information used for the study was compiled from the 2020 National Center for Educational Statistics, 2021 Payscale, The Institute for College Access & Success, College InSight, and Peterson’s Undergraduate Financial Aid and Undergraduate Database. 

As part of the analysis, starting salary, tuition and living costs received a 25% weight, while scholarships and grants and retention rates were weighted at 12.5% to create the Best Value College Index. Schools were ranked based on their index scores, with the No. 1 school receiving a score of 100 and each additional school’s index value representing how closely they compared.

Kettering’s College Educational Value Index was 59.56, up from last year’s 58.76. Its national rank also improved to 59 from 67 last year.