Wall Street Journal Lists Scranton in Best U.S. Colleges

The Wall Street Journal ranked The University of Scranton No. 148 among its elite list of just 400 “Best Colleges in the U.S.” The 2024 ranking, which The Wall Street Journal developed and executed in collaboration with our research partners College Pulse and Statista, was published Sept. 6 online.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the final ranking of the top 400 colleges in the nation was based the colleges’ performance on an analysis of several student outcomes metrics; and the results of a student and alumni survey.

Student outcomes included an analysis of salary impact versus similar colleges, which used statistical modeling to estimate the extent to which each particular college boosts its graduates’ salaries beyond what they would be expected to earn regardless of which college they attended. The outcomes analysis also looked at a school’s graduation rates versus similar colleges; the level of diversity on campus; and an estimate the number of years to pay off the net price of attendance based on the value added to graduates’ median salary attributable to attending their particular college.

In addition, College Pulse surveyed more than 60,000 undergraduates and recent undergraduate alumni for feedback on colleges regarding tuition, learning environment, degree completion and the likelihood of a higher salary after graduation.

In addition to an overall ranking, The Wall Street Journal ranked schools in three categories. Scranton also ranked at No. 170 for salary impact; No. 306 for student experience; and No. 217 for social mobility.

In other recent national rankings, Money gave The University of Scranton its second-highest rating of four and one-half stars in its “Best Colleges in America” based on value. This is the eighth consecutive year that Money included Scranton in its published list of America’s best values in college education. In addition, The Princeton Review selected Scranton among “The Best 389 Colleges” in the nation and ranked Scranton No.18 in the country for “Best Science Lab Facilities.” This is the 22nd year The Princeton Review included Scranton among the best colleges list, and the seventh year Scranton’s science labs ranked among the top 25 in the U.S.