Wittenberg University is ranked among the top 10 in terms of business schools whose alumni earn the highest salary when it comes to mid-career median earnings, according to a report recently released by PayScale, Inc., the world's leading provider of on-demand compensation data and software.

Joining Wittenberg on the elite list are Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., and the University of Pennsylvania.

Wittenberg previously landed on Fortune’s list of the top 25 colleges in America in 2015 for return on investment, ranking No. 24 on the list of public and private institutions. The ranking was based on a 20-year return on investment for alumni with a business degree, with a $574,000 net return. That list was compiled with data from a 2014 PayScale survey of Wittenberg alumni.

PayScale’s 2016-2017 College Salary Report ranked Wittenberg tied for 10th with Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. The report has salary data for business majors from hundreds of colleges and universities and college rankings for more than 1,000 schools by salary potential.

"The former business faculty laid the foundation upon which we have continued to build,” said Wendy Gradwohl, associate professor of business and department chair. â€œAn experiential, relevant, and challenging curriculum, faculty and staff dedicated to students’ personal and professional development, and the opportunity for students to pair other interests/disciplines with business (and double major) have, among other things, contributed to our students’ success.”

Tom Kaplan, dean of the School of Communication Education and Ness Chair in Entrepreneurship, agrees.

“We aren't surprised that our graduates thrive in so many ways, including financially,” Kaplan said. “We prepare students for a whole life, and it so happens that the combination of a Wittenberg liberal arts foundation and a strong business curriculum delivered by dedicated and accessible faculty, really does prepare our students for a great life. At Wittenberg, the return on investment is all about the people.”

PayScale’s 2016-2017 College Salary reports on alumni salary data from a total of 1,388 schools broken down by the following degree levels:

• Associate degree only (381 institutions)
• Bachelor’s degree only – alumni who go on to receive advanced degrees NOT included (963 institutions)
• All bachelor’s degree holders, including alumni who go on to earn advanced degrees (983 institutions)
• All graduate degree holders (383 institutions)
• Master’s degrees (344 institutions)
• Ph.D.s (61 institutions)
• M.B.A.s (190 institutions)
• J.D.s (37 institutions; Data included for law schools largely covers those who are employed at second-tier law firms or in public law due to standardized salaries at top-tier law firms.)

The report also includes salary data for alumni with the following majors and degree levels:

• 140 majors at the associate level
• 336 majors at the bachelor’s level
• 253 graduate-level degrees (master’s, Ph.D. and M.B.A.)

Payscale noted that rankings do not include salary data from alumni who went on to earn advanced degrees.

Wittenberg's business program offers students a solid business core curriculum and depth in one or more major areas complemented by a strong foundation in the liberal arts. The student experience also places high priority on providing every student with hands-on learning opportunities and internships. This experience produces graduates who are well prepared for both life and work.

Wittenberg’s business program includes undergraduate majors in accounting, finance, entrepreneurship, management and marketing and a Master of Science in analytics. For more information, visit www.wittenberg.edu.