HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College is ranked No. 2 among Regional Colleges in the North for Top Performers on Social Mobility in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best Colleges rankings. 

“We are very proud to again be recognized in the U.S. News rankings,” Hilbert President Dr. Michael S. Brophy said.  “Ranking as a Top Performer in Social Mobility is a testament to our Franciscan heritage and our values-based education. Hilbert’s mission and values help our community members promote change through vision, hope, and peace; to be persons of integrity; and to be compassionate and of service to others.”

This year, the U.S. News rankings assessed an all-time high 1,500 U.S. bachelor's degree-granting institutions on 17 measures of academic quality.  According to the U.S. News methodology: Social mobility measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants – typically from households earning less than $50,000 annually. U.S. News published a distinct social mobility ranking for all ranked schools. The social mobility ranking was computed by aggregating the two ranking factors assessing graduation rates of Pell-awarded students.  The U.S. News full methodology can be found here: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings.

Hilbert has ranked similarly in other rankings.  The College ranks in the Top 10% nationally among private colleges according to a study by The New York Times on mobility index.  This measure speaks directly to the likelihood that a Hilbert student moved up two or more income quintiles.  Additionally, Hilbert ranks in the Top 20% for colleges where low-income students get the highest ROI (weighted score) according to a study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. 

Hilbert’s Pell-eligible population and opportunity programs, such as Say Yes and HEOP, continue to grow to their highest levels.  Hilbert’s 12-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, along with service leaning and internship requirements provide the support and experiential opportunities to lead to success after graduation for Hilbert students.  Ranking as the No. 2 Top Performer in Social Mobility aligns with Hilbert’s mission and vision as a Catholic, Franciscan college providing access for a diverse student population, including a large percentage of first-generation students. 

Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With over 800 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs in criminal justice administration and public administration, including a track in health administration.