Washington Monthly’s rankings are a vital resource for students, parents, and taxpayers alike.
Miguel Cardona, former Secretary of Education
Since 2005, the Washington Monthly has ranked colleges based on what they do for the country. It’s our answer to U.S News & World Report, which relies on crude and easily manipulated measures of wealth, exclusivity, and prestige.
We rank schools based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and promoting public service. As a result, our rankings highlight the parts of America’s higher education system that the Ivy-focused headlines of the past year, and so many before, have ignored.
If you want to know what really counts in higher education, look at the Monthly’s rankings—you’ll find some welcome surprises.
Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Education
Our 2024 rankings, for instance, recognized the true workhorses of social mobility in America: regional public colleges. These institutions often have “state” in their name, admit most or all applicants, and are generally not much known nationally. Yet they bestow more than 40 percent of all four-year degrees in America.
When we first published our annual rankings two decades ago, there were few alternatives to U.S. News. Now there are dozens, many focused on factors like outcomes, affordability, and social mobility. Indeed, in 2023, for the first time, U.S. News changed its ranking to significantly measure social mobility. The Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Learning also now include a Student Access and Earnings Classification built on the Monthly’s prior work.
You can find past years of the Washington Monthly College Guide and Rankings here.
More Praise for the Guide and Rankings
“By recognizing the colleges that are helping students move up, give back, and see a strong return on their investment, the rankings underscore higher education’s true potential—and shine a well-deserved spotlight on the institutions we should be celebrating all year long.“
Michelle Dimino, Director, Education Program, Third Way
“For years, Washington Monthly‘s college rankings have challenged exclusivity and wealth as the primary factors defining an “elite” university. Their approach—evaluating institutions based on social and economic mobility outcomes and civic contribution—has influenced others to fundamentally redefine how we assess higher education institutions today.“
Michael Itzkowitz, Founder and President, The HEA Group, and Former Director of the
College Scorecard
“As someone with a college-age grandchild, I know the challenges of the admissions process and the difficulty of finding reliable data. But I appreciate the Washington Monthly’s focus on active citizenship, economic mobility, and the attention it gives to regional “comprehensive” universities—the ‘workhorses’ of America’s higher education that seldom get the recognition they deserve. Most students, including my grandson, will likely enroll in one of these schools, and it’s good to have the Monthly’s independent, high-quality review of these schools’ value.“
Mark Schneider, Nonresident Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, and former Director of the Institute for Education Sciences.
“Although no single metric can summarize all the factors relevant to students choosing where to pursue their studies, Washington Monthly’s focus on meaningful but difficult to measure outcomes has transformed college rankings. The College Guide stands out among efforts to inform student choices and encourage the evolution of institutional goals.“
Sandy Baum, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Urban Institute
