This study investigated the most important attributes of the 6-year post-graduation income of college graduates who used financial aid during college time in United States. The latest data released by United States Department of Education was used. Specifically, 1,429 cohorts of graduates from three years (2001, 2003, and 2005) were included in the data analysis. Three attribute selection methods, including filter methods, forward selection, and Genetic Algorithm, were applied to the attribute selection from 30 relevant attributes. Five groups of machine learning algorithms and three ensemble learning methods were applied to the dataset for classification based on the best selected attribute subsets. The common attributes selected by at least two selection methods were further discussed.
