U.S. News has used exclusive data to analyze how successful colleges and universities have been at graduating their low-income students compared with their overall student bodies.
This analysis measures the relative graduation rate performance of students who have received Pell Grants, which are federal financial aid awards for low-income families. The Pell Grant program most often serves undergraduates with family incomes of less than $20,000.
Measuring the success of low-income college students is a key goal of a federal college rating plan originally outlined by President Barack Obama. However, it’s unclear if the government’s college ratings will be able to include that measurement, given the current inadequacies of the data collected by the U.S. Department of Education.
Under the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2009, schools must disclose the graduation rates of students who received Pell Grants, students who received subsidized Stafford loans but not Pell Grants, and students who received neither.
These three separate graduation rates indicate if a college is successful in serving students from different income levels, but the complete data are not currently being collected by the Department of Education.
As part of our data collection for the 2015 Best Colleges rankings, U.S. News gathered these income-based graduation rate data for students entering in fall 2007 who completed their studies in six years or less. This information was collected in a statistical survey of colleges and universities in spring 2014.
The three separate graduation rates are not part of the methodology for the 2015 Best Colleges rankings, but this important measure of student outcomes may be incorporated into the rankings model in future years.
In the analysis below, we have used this data to show which schools categorized by U.S. News as National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges are top performers, overperformers and underperformers when comparing the six-year graduation rate for students from the fall 2007 entering class who received Pell Grants and the six-year graduation rate of the entire class.
U.S. News has defined top-performing schools for this list as all schools with overall six-year graduation rates of 80 percent or higher where Pell Grant students graduate at the same rate as the overall student body, plus or minus 1 percentage point. In other words, all the students at these schools — no matter their income level — are graduating at the same high level.
Of the 504 ranked schools in the National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges categories, 351 submitted information to U.S. News on graduation rates for both the entire fall 2007 entering class and for Pell Grant students in that class.
Top Performers
The table below shows the top-performing schools in the National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges rankings categories, where Pell Grant students are graduating at or close to the same high graduation rates as the overall student body. All top perfomers are listed.
| College name (state) | 6-year overall graduation rate | 6-Year Pell Grant graduation rate | Difference | Rank and category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston University (MA) | 84 | 84 | 0 | 42, National Universities |
| Brandeis University (MA) | 90 | 90 | 0 | 35, National Universities |
| Brown University (RI) | 94 | 93 | -1 | 16, National Universities |
| Bucknell University (PA) | 91 | 91 | 0 | 32, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Carleton College (MN) | 92 | 92 | 0 | 8, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Dickinson College (PA) | 85 | 85 | 0 | 37, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Duke University (NC) | 94 | 94 | 0 | 8, National Universities |
| Franklin and Marshall College (PA) | 87 | 87 | 0 | 37, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| George Washington University (DC) | 81 | 81 | 0 | 54, National Universities |
| Georgetown University (DC) | 92 | 93 | 1 | 21, National Universities |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 82 | 81 | -1 | 35, National Universities |
| Gustavus Adolphus College (MN) | 82 | 82 | 0 | 64, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Haverford College (PA) | 93 | 92 | -1 | 8, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 93 | 93 | 0 | 7, National Universities |
| Mount Holyoke College (MA) | 82 | 83 | 1 | 41, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Northeastern University (MA) | 83 | 84 | 1 | 42, National Universities |
| Northwestern University (IL) | 94 | 93 | -1 | 13, National Universities |
| Oberlin College (OH) | 88 | 89 | 1 | 23, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Pepperdine University (CA) | 80 | 81 | 1 | 54, National Universities |
| Princeton University (NJ) | 97 | 97 | 0 | 1, National Universities |
| Rice University (TX) | 91 | 91 | 0 | 19, National Universities |
| St. Lawrence University (NY) | 80 | 81 | 1 | 56, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| St. Olaf College (MN) | 87 | 88 | 1 | 54, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Tufts University (MA) | 92 | 91 | -1 | 27, National Universities |
| Union College (NY) | 88 | 89 | 1 | 41, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| University of Miami | 82 | 81 | -1 | 48, National Universities |
| University of Southern California | 91 | 90 | -1 | 25, National Universities |
| Washington and Lee University (VA) | 90 | 90 | 0 | 14, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Wellesley College (MA) | 91 | 91 | 0 | 4, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
Overperformers
This table shows which National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges are graduating Pell Grant students at higher rates than the overall student body, and are thus overperforming. Schools are listed in descending order, starting with the school that had the biggest difference between overall and Pell Grant graduation rates.
| College name (state) | 6-year Pell Grant graduation rate | 6-year overall graduation rate | Difference | Rank and category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouachita Baptist University (AR) | 80 | 60 | 20 | 176, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| University of Nevada–Las Vegas | 58 | 43 | 15 | RNP, National Universities |
| Wisconsin Lutheran College | 75 | 64 | 11 | 178, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Colgate University (NY) | 100 | 91 | 9 | 22, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Warren Wilson College (NC) | 60 | 51 | 9 | 165, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Drew University (NJ) | 76 | 69 | 7 | 99, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| University of the Pacific (CA) | 70 | 63 | 7 | 116, National Universities |
| Clark University (MA) | 87 | 81 | 6 | 76, National Universities |
| College of the Atlantic (ME) | 75 | 69 | 6 | 99, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Sarah Lawrence College (NY) | 75 | 69 | 6 | 59, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Beloit College (WI) | 83 | 78 | 5 | 61, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Colorado College | 92 | 87 | 5 | 27, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Florida International University | 57 | 52 | 5 | RNP, National Universities |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | 68 | 63 | 5 | 116, National Universities |
| Lafayette College (PA) | 93 | 88 | 5 | 35, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Lewis & Clark College (OR) | 79 | 74 | 5 | 77, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Life University (GA) | 27 | 22 | 5 | RNP, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Oglethorpe University (GA) | 67 | 62 | 5 | 148, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Pace University (NY) | 56 | 51 | 5 | 173, National Universities |
| Rhodes College (TN) | 84 | 79 | 5 | 54, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Skidmore College (NY) | 91 | 86 | 5 | 37, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Trinity College (CT) | 91 | 86 | 5 | 45, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| University of San Francisco | 74 | 69 | 5 | 106, National Universities |
| Virginia Military Institute | 81 | 76 | 5 | 64, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Bryn Mawr College (PA) | 88 | 84 | 4 | 27, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Carnegie Mellon University (PA) | 92 | 88 | 4 | 25, National Universities |
| Denison University (OH) | 85 | 81 | 4 | 51, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Illinois College | 68 | 64 | 4 | 155, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Kalamazoo College (MI) | 81 | 77 | 4 | 64, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Knox College (IL) | 83 | 79 | 4 | 81, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Smith College (MA) | 90 | 86 | 4 | 19, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| St. John’s College (NM) | 61 | 57 | 4 | 89, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Stony Brook University–SUNY | 70 | 66 | 4 | 88, National Universities |
| SUNY College–Old Westbury | 41 | 37 | 4 | RNP, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Wheaton College (MA) | 80 | 76 | 4 | 69, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
Underperformers
This table shows which National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges graduate Pell Grant students at lower rates than the overall student body, and are thus underperforming. Schools are listed in ascending order, starting with the school that had the biggest difference between overall and Pell Grant graduation rates.
| College name (state) | 6-year Pell Grant graduation rate | 6-year overall graduation rate | Difference | Rank and category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Path University (MA) | 34 | 55 | -21 | RNP, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Hampden-Sydney College (VA) | 43 | 62 | -19 | 105, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Washington College (MD) | 49 | 68 | -19 | 105, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Southwestern University (TX) | 52 | 70 | -18 | 87, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Alma College (MI) | 44 | 61 | -17 | 139, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Presbyterian College (SC) | 51 | 68 | -17 | 124, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| St. Mary’s University of Minnesota | 38 | 55 | -17 | 181, National Universities |
| Auburn University (AL) | 53 | 68 | -15 | 103, National Universities |
| Eastern Mennonite University (VA) | 48 | 63 | -15 | 172, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Hartwick College (NY) | 43 | 58 | -15 | 165, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Millsaps College (MS) | 49 | 64 | -15 | 89, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| St. Mary’s College of Maryland | 64 | 79 | -15 | 89, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| University of Alabama | 52 | 67 | -15 | 88, National Universities |
| University of South Dakota | 41 | 56 | -15 | 168, National Universities |
| Birmingham-Southern College (AL) | 48 | 62 | -14 | 124, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Northern Illinois University | 37 | 51 | -14 | 194, National Universities |
| Simpson University (CA) | 35 | 49 | -14 | RNP, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| University of Tennessee | 54 | 68 | -14 | 106, National Universities |
| Westminster College (MO) | 54 | 68 | -14 | 159, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| William Jewell College (MO) | 45 | 59 | -14 | 155, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Wittenberg University (OH) | 49 | 63 | -14 | 139, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Augustana College (IL) | 65 | 78 | -13 | 105, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| Hollins University (VA) | 47 | 60 | -13 | 112, National Liberal Arts Colleges |
| University of Cincinnati | 51 | 64 | -13 | 129, National Universities |
| Indiana University–Bloomington | 65 | 77 | -12 | 76, National Universities |
| Kent State University (OH) | 39 | 51 | -12 | 194, National Universities |
| Northern Arizona University | 37 | 49 | -12 | RNP, National Universities |
| University of Akron (OH) | 28 | 40 | -12 | RNP, National Universities |
| University of Alabama–Huntsville | 36 | 48 | -12 | 181, National Universities |
| University of Minnesota–Twin Cities | 63 | 75 | -12 | 71, National Universities |
| University of Missouri | 58 | 70 | -12 | 99, National Universities |
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Analyzing Colleges’ Graduation Rates for Low-Income Students originally appeared on usnews.com
