School ranked third of Iowa’s 34 private colleges
DUBUQUE, Iowa – Loras College is ranked third among Iowa’s 34 private not-for-profit colleges according to MONEY Magazine’s 2018 Best Colleges For Your Money list.
MONEY Magazine analyzed graduation rates, tuition, family borrowing and alumni earnings, in addition to 22 other data points, of 727 schools across the nation to find the country’s top “best value” institutions.
“This recognition reinforces the outstanding caliber of our programs and our ability to deliver an excellent education at an affordable price with a high lifetime return on investment,” Loras College President Jim Collins said.
In Iowa, Loras ranked higher at No. 273 than Drake University, 288; Luther College, 362; Mount Mercy University, 366; Wartburg College, 369; Central College, 394; Clarke University, 431; Simpson College, 507; Northwestern College, 514; Coe College, 564; Saint Ambrose University, 519; Grand View University, 607; Cornell College, 619; and Upper Iowa University, 702.
MONEY Magazine also used research and expert advice on education quality, financing and value to create its rankings.
Loras has launched several academic offerings to guide students toward career and life skills in recent years. These include: business analytics, neuroscience, wealth management and financial planning, and an ABET accredited Engineering program. At the graduate level, athletic training, school counseling and an MBA in Analytics have been added.
More than 50,000 students enroll at an Iowa private college. As such, 25 percent of all Iowa higher education students are enrolled in the state’s private colleges. However, Iowa private colleges confer 48 percent of all undergraduate degrees, 45 percent of all professional degrees and 34 percent of all graduate degrees that are awarded in Iowa each year.
According to the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, 79 percent of private four-year college graduates earned their degree in four years, compared to 49 percent at state four-year institutions.
