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.
