President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, "Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education." In today's competitive global economy a key to securing employment and staying ahead of the competition is getting a college degree.

If indeed these statements are true, then it follows that when searching for an institution at which to continue one's education one must choose wisely.  When choosing which college to attend there are a number of factors to consider. Among these are:

  1. Cost
  2.  Student-to-faculty ratio
  3. Graduation rate
  4. Median salary upon graduation

These are just some of the key measures analyzed in a recent WalletHub® study, 2018’s College & University Rankings.  

According to WalletHub®, analysts compared nearly 1,000 higher-education institutions in the U.S. to determine the best schools for the lowest price to undergraduates.  26 key metrics were considered and were grouped into seven categories including Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes.

All these factors considered, here are the top 5 schools in the country:

  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  2. Princeton University
  3. Harvard University
  4. Stanford University
  5. California Institute of Technology

The top 5 schools in Louisiana:

  1. Tulane University
  2. Louisiana Tech University
  3. University of Louisiana-Lafayette
  4. McNeese State University
  5. Loyola University New Orleans

Tulane is the state leader in a number of metrics including student-faculty ratio, graduation rate, and post-attendance median salary.  It's also 2nd in admission rate.

The number two university in the state is just east of Shreveport/Bossier on I-20.  Louisiana Tech in Ruston scores high in net cost (which is a good thing), gender and racial diversity, graduation rate, and post attendance median salary.

This in-depth study is chock full of information to aid in the quest to find the best college or university to fit one's needs.

 

 

 

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