Baruch Ranks #2 in Washington Monthly’s “Best Bang for your Buck” List for the Northeast

“This is what an engine of social mobility looks like”

September 28, 2021

Baruch once again earned the #2 slot on Washington Monthly’s 2021 “Best Bang for the Buck” in the northeast ranking—placing the College among those selected institutions that are described as “unsung heroes of American higher education.”

Considered a one-of-kind list, “Best Bang for the Buck” is laser focused on recognizing which colleges are best at promoting social mobility. Washington Monthly evaluates—than ranks– schools according to how successfully they serve large numbers of students from low-income households by helping them attain marketable degrees at affordable prices, thereby enabling them to succeed in the labor market.

This is the second consecutive year Baruch ranked #2.

Baruch: One of the Hidden Gems

According to Washington Monthly, the “Best Bang for the Buck” list includes a “mix of some of America’s most elite institutions and hidden gems with strong student outcomes and a commitment to upward mobility.”

“At Baruch College, low-income students with Pell Grants graduate at essentially the same rate as their wealthier peers. And the cost of attending is reasonable…this is what an engine of social mobility looks like.”

Catalyst for Social Mobility

Baruch has a long legacy as a catalyst for social mobility and its origin dates back more than 170 years, to the Free Academy—the country’s first no-cost public institution of higher education. By providing thousands of students with affordable access to an excellent education, Baruch College has played a vital role in bridging the socioeconomic gap.

Today, Baruch College is consistently ranked among the region’s and nation’s top colleges by U.S. News & World Report, Princeton Review, Forbes, and many others for academic excellence, access and value, and social mobility for its diverse student body.

Learn about Baruch’s top rankings here.

Methodology

The Washington Monthly ranking rates how well schools graduate low-income students, produce groundbreaking scholarship, and encourage students to serve their country. Washington Monthly used a college’s graduation rate over eight years for all students instead of the first-time, full-time graduation rate that is typically used. To compare graduation rates of Pell and non-Pell students to develop a Pell graduation gap measure, Washington Monthly used IPEDS data. Read more for a detailed explanation of the methodology.

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