August 31, 2021

Government and politics publication Washington Monthly ranks Susquehanna University among the top 30% of liberal arts universities nationwide for social mobility, or the ability to improve one’s socioeconomic status.

The guide places Susquehanna at No. 64 for social mobility and No. 81 overall among its ranking of 215 national liberal arts universities nationwide.

Additionally, the publication’s 2021 Best Bang for the Buck ranking places Susquehanna within the top colleges in the Northeast — at No. 151 of 393 colleges. The Best Bang for the Buck ranking recognizes colleges that are doing the best job of helping students from lower- and middle-income households attain marketable degrees at affordable prices. The ranking includes other universities in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

In describing itself as “a different kind of college ranking,” Washington Monthly’s College Guide and Rankings “measure what colleges do for their country” based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories. In addition to social mobility, which includes recruiting and graduating students from lower- and middle-income households, they also consider:

  • Service, which measures the way students are encouraged to give something back to their communities and country. Susquehanna ranks No. 116 among national liberal arts universities.
  • Research, which measures the production of cutting-edge scholarship and preparing the next generation of scientists and doctors/doctorate holders. Susquehanna ranks No. 134 among national liberal arts universities.

A detailed methodology can be found here.