Graduates of Missouri University of Science and Technology earn some of the highest starting salaries in the nation, according to a recent report by Payscale Inc., a Seattle-based research firm.

PayScale’s 2010-11 College Salary Report puts Missouri S&T second among Midwestern public and private universities in terms of starting median salary for graduates.

The starting median salary for Missouri S&T graduates is $56,700, second to Rose Hulman Institute of Technology ($59,400). The starting median salary for a Missouri S&T graduate is higher than that of graduates from all other Midwestern universities in the survey, including the University of Notre Dame, the University of Illinois, Northwestern University, Washington University in St. Louis and Purdue University.

The report also ranked Missouri S&T third in the nation for starting salaries among public universities and 25th in the nation among all universities, public and private.

With an emphasis on engineering, science and technology, Missouri S&T prepares students who will play crucial roles in addressing many of the nation’s technological and business challenges, says Missouri S&T Chancellor John F. Carney III.

“This report underscores the importance of choosing the right university and major,” he adds. “It also shows our students and their families that their investment in a Missouri S&T education pays off.”

The PayScale report is based on surveys with employees who possess only bachelor’s degrees. It includes 999 campuses, most of which have more than 5,000 undergraduate students. The report is available online at www.payscale.com/best-colleges.