LinkedIn’s top colleges for 2025: Inaugural list shows which schools are prioritizing AI skills right now

With artificial intelligence progressing at a rate that can generously be described as unprecedented, many students considering college are wondering what a traditional degree may have to offer in these rapidly changing times. 

In fact, AI skills and background education were top of the list of factors taken into account as LinkedIn assembled its first-ever list of top colleges, which was released on August 12.

While the list also prioritizes other categories culled from its data—including hiring rates, job mobility, and alumni networks—the special breakout category that many will surely be most interested in is the one that shows the highest percentages of grads entering the workforce in AI-focused jobs. 

Many grads are probably concerned about the ability of traditional four-year programs to equip them for this new job landscape, which is understandable as most professionals are currently unclear about how it will impact their companies’ futures.

According to LinkedIn, 81% of C-suite executives are favoring job candidates that are comfortable with AI tools. 

Which schools are most AI focused?

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) comes in at the top of two lists, including the highest percentage of recent graduates going into AI fields, and the highest percentage of new grads listing AI literary and engineering skills on their LinkedIn profiles.

LinkedIn also found that Caltech offers a range of AI-focused classes and overall programs, including AI4Science initiative, which the website describes as an initiative aimed at bringing “AI researchers with experts from other disciplines to push modern AI tools into every area of science and engineering.” 

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) came in second in both categories, with University of California-Berkeley, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon University, Harvey Mudd, and University of California-San Diego also appearing on both lists. 

Schools with the highest percentage of recent grads going into AI occupations

• California Institute of Technology
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Harvey Mudd College
• University of California-Berkeley
• Stanford University
• University of Rochester
• University of California-San Diego
• University of Chicago 
• Harvard University

Schools with the highest percentage of recent grads adding AI-related skills on LinkedIn profiles

• California Institute of Technology
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Harvey Mudd College
• Stanford University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• University of California-Berkeley
• University of California-San Diego
• Brown University
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Princeton University

While these two breakout categories are particularly relevant for those considering tech fields, the larger list looks at more traditional considerations for students, including job placement, recruiter demand, career success, network strength, and knowledge breadth. They also specify notable skills listed by grads from the top schools. 

For the overall list, Princeton took home the top spot, with Duke and the University of Pennsylvania taking the second and third spots. The entire list can be found on LinkedIn’s website.