Many American high school graduates this year who intend to continue their education will opt for small colleges and universities, SmartAsset notes in a new report. Some are drawn to these institutions for the personalized attention and sense of community they can offer compared to larger schools.
Although attending such schools could come with a higher price tag than larger colleges and universities, SmartAsset identified 75 affordable, high-quality options after evaluating more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities with undergraduate enrollments of fewer than 5,000 students. They omitted for-profit institutions and some specialized schools.
To compile the ranking, researchers calculated the median cost of attendance for all qualifying institutions and included those with a cost of attendance for full-time, first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates who receive Title IV aid below the median for similarly sized schools.
They ranked institutions using a composite score based on graduation rate (pooled) six years after first enrollment and the median earnings of students who received federal financial aid 10 years after first enrollment. All metrics were based on data published in March and may not reflect current conditions, SmartAsset said.
Public and private schools are both well represented in the ranking. Although many people associate the small college experience with private institutions, 26 of the 75 schools are state affiliated. Those that made the final ranking have an average enrollment of 2,152 students.
Eleven colleges among the 75 schools in the rankings are based in New York, more than in any other state.
See the accompanying gallery for the 12 best-value small colleges and universities.
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