WSJ: Scranton One of the Best Colleges for Return on Investment

The University of Scranton's positive momentum, as it sustains and improves upon its status among the nation's top universities, is reflected across multiple categories examined by The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal's list, "2026 Best Colleges in the U.S.," released Sept. 27, features Scranton ranking No. 112 in the all-encompassing "Best Colleges" category. Two years ago, Scranton ranked 148th and one year ago it was 125th in the category, which considers graduate salaries, graduation rates, diversity and the results of a survey about institutions' learning environments.

"Unlike other school rankings, this list emphasizes one point: How well did the college prepare students for financial success?" The Wall Street Journal said. "More than any other factor, it rewards the boost an institution provides to its graduates' salaries, beyond an estimate of what they could have expected from attending any college."

Factoring heavily into Scranton's success in the overall category is a strong performance in "Best Salaries," where Scranton ranks No. 124 nationally and No. 10 in Pennsylvania. Once again, Scranton is moving closer to the top, as it ranked No. 152 last year and No. 170 two years ago. The methodology is based on a college's impact on graduate salaries and how it relates to the cost of attending the colleges.

Taking into consideration a range of criteria related to cost and returns - namely the average net price and value added to a graduate's salary - The Wall Street Journal theorizes Scranton graduates need only a short time (two years, six months) to "pay off" the net price of their college degree.

Additionally, Scranton ranks No. 140 overall and No. 5 in Pennsylvania in "Social Mobility." After ranking No. 282 last year, Scranton climbed 142 spots year-over-year. This category reflects several factors, including a college's ability to maintain high graduation rates and have a positive impact on graduate salaries while minimizing the cost of attending the college.

The Wall Street Journal's "2026 Best Colleges in the U.S." list, is one of numerous publications to recently tout the value of a University of Scranton degree. Forbes and the Princeton Review also rated Scranton among the best colleges in the nation and U.S. News and World Report ranked it for the 32nd consecutive year as a top-10 college in its region.