U.S. News made significant changes to the ranking methodology for the 2019 edition of Best Colleges to place the greatest value on student outcomes, which account for 35 percent of the rankings — up from 30 percent last year. The 2019 methodology incorporates new social mobility indicators that measure how well schools succeed at enrolling and graduating students from low-income families.
U.S. News also dropped acceptance rate as a ranking indicator and reduced the weight of expert opinions, SAT/ACT scores and high school class standing.
Here is a more detailed look at these changes.
Increased outcomes and economic diversity measures by adding social mobility. New this year, U.S. News added two new indicators to reward schools that are successful at graduating students from low-income households, which can promote social mobility. As a result, economic diversity measures contributed to 13 percent of the 2019 Best Colleges rankings formula, which includes the graduation rate performance to determine whether a school is graduating students at or above U.S. News’ calculated expectations.
To factor social mobility, U.S. News analyzed graduation rates of federal Pell Grant recipients, which are given to students from families with a household income that is typically less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000.
The two new indicators are:
— Pell Grant graduation rates (2.5 percent): This measures the success of Pell Grant students on an absolute basis. To calculate this indicator, we use a school’s six-year graduation rate among new fall 2011 entrants receiving Pell Grants. This assesses each school’s performance graduating students from low-income backgrounds. A higher Pell Grant graduation rate scores better than a lower one.
— Pell Grant graduation rates compared with all other students (2.5 percent): This metric assesses each school’s performance in supporting students from underserved backgrounds relative to all its other students. To do this, U.S. News compared each school’s six-year graduation rate among Pell recipients who were new fall 2011 entrants graduating in 2017 with the six-year graduation rate among non-Pell recipients at the same school. Schools whose Pell graduation rates are equal to or greater than non-Pell graduation rates scored the highest.
For both indicators, scores are adjusted to recognize schools that are enrolling higher proportions of low-income students.
Eliminated acceptance rate from the Best Colleges ranking formula. U.S. News dropped acceptance rate — which previously had a weight of 1.25 percent — from the Best Colleges methodology altogether to give more weight to outcome measures. This follows the earlier change of dropping yield rate in the 2004 edition.
Changed how the graduation and retention rate numerical ranking was calculated. The graduation and retention rate numerical ranking published on usnews.com for the 2019 edition of Best Colleges is based on a school’s total score in these four ranking indicators: average six-year graduation rate, average first-year retention rate, Pell Grant graduation rate and Pell Grant graduation rate compared with all other students.
Previously, this ranking was based on a school’s total score in only two indicators: average six-year graduation rate and average first-year retention rate.
Updated the Historically Black Colleges and Universities ranking methodology. In the separate Historically Black Colleges and Universities rankings, U.S. News also added the two social mobility ranking factors listed above and dropped acceptance rate as a ranking indicator.
In addition, U.S. News made other changes in the weights of some HBCU ranking factors, including the same adjustments to SAT/ACT scores and high school class standing as in the National Universities rankings as described in the table below.
Ranked more specialty programs in undergraduate business, engineering and more. Specialty rankings in the 2019 Best Colleges — such as accounting and civil engineering — list more schools than in past editions.
These lists are based on expert opinions, and this year, a rater could nominate up to 15 schools — up from 10 last year — in the following lists: Best Undergraduate Business Specialties, Best Undergraduate Engineering Specialties, Most Innovative Schools and Best Undergraduate Teaching.
How the 2019 Best Colleges ranking formula weights compare with the 2018 edition. The table below includes all the factors used in the 2019 Best Colleges rankings compared with the 2018 edition. For an overview of the 2019 Best Colleges ranking formula, please see the methodology infographic.
| Ranking Indicator | 2019 National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges Indicator Weight | 2019 Regional Universities and Regional Colleges Indicator Weight | 2018 National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges Indicator Weight | 2018 Regional Universities and Regional Colleges Indicator Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outcomes | 35% | 35% | 30% | 30% |
| Average six-year graduation rate | 17.6% | 17.6% | 18% | 18% |
| Graduation rate performance | 8% | 8% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Average first-year student retention rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.5% | 4.5% |
| Social mobility – Pell Grant graduation rates | 2.5% | 2.5% | 0% | 0% |
| Social mobility – Pell grad rates vs. other students | 2.5% | 2.5% | 0% | 0% |
| Faculty Resources | 20% | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| Class size | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| Faculty compensation | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% |
| Percent faculty with terminal degree in their field | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Percent faculty that is full time | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Student-faculty ratio | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Expert Opinion | 20% | 20% | 22.5% | 22.5% |
| Peer assessment survey | 15% | 20% | 15% | 22.5% |
| High school counselors’ ratings | 5% | 0% | 7.5% | 0% |
| Financial Resources | 10% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Student Excellence | 10% | 10% | 12.5% | 12.5% |
| Standardized tests (ACT/SAT) | 7.75% | 7.75% | 8.125% | 8.125% |
| High school class standing in top 10% | 2.25% | 0% | 3.125% | 0% |
| High school class standing in top 25% | 0% | 2.25% | 0% | 3.125% |
| Acceptance rate | 0% | 0% | 1.25% | 1.25% |
| Alumni Giving | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
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What’s New in the 2019 U.S. News Best Colleges Rankings originally appeared on usnews.com
