We’ve all dealt with the disapproving looks and comments that sometimes accompany any discussion about the infamous “#1 party school” ranking attached to Dear Old State’s reputation. We try to explain that yes, we do party, but we also study and care about academics, too.

Thankfully, salary analysis website PayScale.com has helped our argument by compiling a list of  “party schools” ranked by salary potential. Penn State made the top ten with the eighth-highest median salary among graduates.

PayScale’s rankings take into account the median salaries for those who graduated with a Bachelors degree and without higher degrees. Starting graduates are considered to have two years of experience, while “mid-career” are considered to have fifteen years of experience. You can read about the full methodology here.

The median starting salary for Penn State graduates is $48,300 and the median mid-career salary is $83,700, according to PayScale’s data. So at least we can call ourselves a “party school that pays”, as the Huffington Post so brilliantly declared the schools on this list.

Penn State was third among Big Ten schools behind Illinois, who took the top spot, and Wisconsin, who came in just ahead at #7. Michigan State was ninth, and Iowa was 13th.

So, Penn Staters, make sure you send this article to all the doubters who think you’re just a Nittany Lion so you can party (even if that’s really the case), and be proud that you’re able to balance business and pleasure with the best!