Salem College ranks 24th in liberal arts ranking
Salem College has been ranked 24th among the nation’s liberal arts colleges by Washington Monthly, receiving high marks for its success in recruiting and graduating academically talented students who go on to do well in the job market.
Salem Academy and College is the oldest educational institution for girls and women in the United States.
“We are thrilled Salem College has been recognized for graduating young women who go on to great success in graduate schools, in the job market and in giving back to their communities,” said Salem President Sandra J. Doran.
The Washington Monthly 2018 College Guide and Rankings assessed four-year colleges on three equally rated criteria: social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs), and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).
One measure of the success of Salem graduates: the school is 49th in the nation among liberal arts schools in earnings by former students who received financial aid. The survey based the ranking on the median salary graduates bring home 10 years from the date they began college.
Salem ranked fifth in the percentage of Pell Grant students it graduates, far outpacing the national average in the low teens. And first-generation students thrive at Salem, which ranks 12th in graduating these family pioneers.
Director of Admissions Audrey Gauss said the college plans to open its doors to more students with financial need through a new initiative to supplement the cost of tuition beginning in spring semester 2019.
