The Ivy League gets a lot of hype in American society. But so does every new release by a famous musician and each new major motion picture. And, as anyone who has listened to music or gone to the movies lately will be able to tell you, not all that glitters is really gold. So is the Ivy League really worth the hype, or do we have yet another case on our hands of a facet of our culture that isn’t worth the attention it gets? 

Perhaps many scorned Ivy League rejects out there don’t get the hype around this American institution. But these individuals have a bad case of sour grapes. After all, most graduates of Ivy League schools are more than satisfied with their education and professional outcomes. Don’t believe us? Let’s take a look at the data compiled by the Department of Education’s College Scorecard, which paints a picture of a wildly successful group of people:

Median Ivy League Earnings 10 Years After Graduation

Ivy League School	Median Earnings 10 Years After Attendance	Average Annual Cost	Median Debt at Graduation
Harvard University	$134,794	$19,066	$14,000
University of Pennsylvania	$124,586	$28,699	$15,715
Columbia University	$115,519	$21,590	$21,500
Cornell University	$113,372	$28,690	$14,000
Yale University	$112,971	$23,577	$12,975
Dartmouth College	$111,883	$29,519	$17,500
Princeton University	$108,590	$6,128	$10,320
Brown University	$94,678	$25,184	$11,428

This data underscores the financial value of an Ivy League diploma in today’s job market. With the midpoint of earnings for all graduates of 4-year institutions across the country at $60,428, even the Ivy League school with the lowest median earnings ten years out, Brown University, surpasses this figure. It’s a testament to the sound investment an Ivy League education represents. Moreover, Ivy League graduates tend to graduate with less debt than the average college graduate, with every school but Columbia falling below the national median debt at graduation, which currently stands at $19,522.

Put another way, think of an Ivy League education as a wise investment. The richest people in your community likely don’t just leave all their money sitting in a bank account. They invest it in various things, from real estate to stock options, and insulate themselves from the risk that the inflation rate will catch up with them and render their savings worthless. Similarly, an Ivy League degree insulates one against the risk of unemployability. It will never go out of style in the American economy to have a degree from a place like Princeton or Brown! The last two centuries of Ivy League dominance in America’s industries prove their enduring power.

However, the overwhelming success of Ivy League alumni is more than just a matter of the name brand on the diploma. Ivy Leaguers made it there in the first place by their drive, dedication, and intelligence. Even though the education one receives at one of these schools certainly is stellar, that’s not the main appeal to most Ivy Leaguers. Instead, the shared culture of ambition and innovation drives each individual forward. So as far as the chicken or egg question of whether Ivy Leaguers are rewarded for their prestigious degrees with high incomes or earn them themselves, the answer is a bit of both!

An Ivy League Diploma Starts With An Acceptance

That’s where Ivy Coach comes in. Our team of former elite college admissions officers is committed to helping students and families achieve their dreams of Ivy League admission by using our expertise gained firsthand in admissions offices at places like Dartmouth and Penn to help you craft a highly competitive singular hook. We know what makes a student a competitive applicant, and we won’t let you submit an application that hasn’t done all it can to optimize your child’s odds of admission.

Ivy League schools are not looking for well-rounded applicants. These misguided students do not inspire faith in admissions officers because they won’t take advantage of the Ivy League’s immense resources and opportunities once on campus. Instead, students who have distinguished themselves with a highly specific and unusual singular admissions hook have the competitive edge that admissions officers seek.

So, fill out our complimentary consultation form and we’ll be in touch.