For the eighth consecutive year, Saint Mary’s ranked among the top 100 liberal arts colleges, earning 95th on the annual U.S. News and World Reports Best National Liberal Arts Colleges list, which included over 200 colleges and universities.
According to a College press release, U.S. News considers factors such as retention of students, financial resources, alumni giving and graduation rate when determining the academic quality of institutions.
Approximately 93 percent of Saint Mary’s students earn a degree in four years, compared to only 80 percent of students at other non-profit private schools and 58 percent of students at public institutions.
“We’re proud to be recognized for the quality of a Saint Mary’s education, which reflects the dedication and expertise of our faculty and the ability of our student body,” Saint Mary’s President Jan Cervelli said of the rankings in the press release. “Perhaps what’s most distinctive about the Saint Mary’s experience — our spiritual commitment to educating the whole person — cannot be captured in a ranking, but it’s gratifying to receive the acknowledgement of experts and peers for the work that we do.”
According to the College’s Office of Institutional Research, one year after graduation, 94 percent of graduates from the class of 2015 were employed, enrolled in graduate or professional school or engaged in other full-time activities such as service or volunteer work.
The “Best Colleges 2017” guidebook provides full access to the national rankings, both online and in a print edition. Saint Mary’s has been nationally ranked for more than a decade.
