Our Rankings

Our Mission

At EDsmart.org, we believe that choosing a college is one of the most important decisions a student will make. Our ranking system is designed to provide transparent, comprehensive, and actionable information that goes beyond traditional rankings to help students find institutions that truly match their academic goals, financial situation, and career aspirations.

Unlike other ranking systems that focus primarily on reputation or research output, our methodology emphasizes factors that directly impact student success and return on investment. We believe that the best college for a student is one that provides excellent education, strong support systems, and prepares them for successful careers while remaining financially accessible.

Data Coverage: We evaluated approximately 4,000+ U.S. higher education institutions from the College Scorecard database and included 2,159 in our final rankings. The remaining schools were excluded based on specific criteria to ensure our rankings are based on complete, reliable information.

Ranking Methodology

Our ranking system uses a comprehensive, multi-factor approach that evaluates institutions across four key dimensions. Each category is scored on a 0-25 point scale, with a maximum total score of 100 points. Schools are then assigned letter grades (A+ to F) based on their performance.

Scoring System

Each category uses specific metrics and scoring algorithms:

• Completion Success: Retention rate (40%) + Graduation rate (60%)
• Affordability & Aid: Net price scoring (60%) + Pell Grant percentage (40%)
• Student Support: Student-faculty ratio (50%) + Institutional support metrics (50%)
• Career Outcomes: Employment rate (50%) + Median earnings (50%)

Final grades are assigned as follows: A+ (95-100), A (90-94), A- (85-89), B+ (80-84), B (75-79), B- (70-74), C+ (65-69), C (60-64), C- (55-59), D+ (50-54), D (45-49), D- (40-44), F (0-39).

Score Curving System

To ensure fair and meaningful comparisons across institutions, our scoring system uses a curved approach where the highest-performing institution (Stanford University) is set to 100.0, and all other schools are proportionally adjusted. This normalization ensures that:

• Top Performance Recognition: The highest-scoring institution receives a perfect 100.0 score
• Proportional Scaling: All other institutions maintain their relative performance rankings
• Grade Accuracy: Final letter grades accurately reflect the curved scores and align with our established grade boundaries
• Fair Comparison: Schools can be meaningfully compared across different years and data sets

Example: If Stanford's raw score is 92 and Harvard's raw score is 89, after curving, Stanford receives 100.0 and Harvard receives 96.7, maintaining their relative performance difference while providing clear, intuitive scoring.

Score Display Format

All final scores are displayed to the tenths place (e.g., 100.0, 96.7, 89.1) without the "/100" suffix. This provides precise differentiation between closely ranked institutions while maintaining readability and professional presentation.

Data Sources & Quality

Our rankings are built on the most comprehensive and reliable data available in higher education. We use multiple data sources to ensure accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of our information.

Primary Data Sources

Data Quality Standards

• Verification: All data undergoes multiple verification checks and cross-referencing
• Timeliness: Rankings are updated annually with the most recent available data
• Completeness: We only rank institutions with sufficient data across all categories
• Accuracy: Statistical outliers are identified and reviewed for accuracy
• Transparency: All data sources and methodologies are publicly available

Data Coverage & School Inclusion

Our rankings cover a comprehensive selection of U.S. higher education institutions, but not all schools are included. Here's the exact process we used:

Initial Data Pool (4,000+ institutions):

• College Scorecard Database: All institutions in the U.S. Department of Education's comprehensive database
• Title IV Participation: Schools that participate in federal financial aid programs
• All Institution Types: Public, private non-profit, and private for-profit institutions

First Filter: Degree Level Requirements

• 4-Year Institutions Only: Schools that award bachelor's degrees or higher (PREDDEG = 3 or 4)
• Graduate Programs: Institutions with highest degree at bachelor's level or above (HIGHDEG ≥ 3)
• Excluded: 2-year community colleges, trade schools, and certificate-only institutions

Second Filter: Data Completeness (Minimum 3 Categories)

Schools must have sufficient data in at least 3 out of 4 ranking categories:

• Completion Success: Graduation rate data (C150_4)
• Affordability & Aid: Net price data (NPT4_PUB or NPT4_PRIV)
• Student Support: Retention rate data (RET_FT4)
• Career Outcomes: Median earnings data (MD_EARN_WNE_P6)

Final Inclusion Criteria (2,159 institutions):

• Data Quality: Schools with reliable, non-privacy-suppressed data
• Statistical Validity: Metrics that pass outlier detection and quality checks
• Complete Scoring: Institutions that can receive scores in at least 3 categories
• Ranking Eligibility: Schools with sufficient data to calculate meaningful total scores

Why Schools Were Excluded (~1,800+ institutions):

• 2-Year Institutions: Community colleges and associate's degree programs
• Insufficient Data: Schools missing data in 2+ critical categories
• Privacy Suppression: Institutions with data withheld for privacy reasons
• New Institutions: Schools established recently without sufficient historical data
• Specialized Programs: Art schools, seminaries, and trade schools with different metrics
• International Branch Campuses: U.S. locations of foreign institutions

Why This Matters:

By focusing on schools with complete, reliable data, we ensure that our rankings are fair, accurate, and meaningful. Schools excluded due to insufficient data aren't necessarily "bad" - they simply don't provide enough information for us to make a comprehensive assessment. This transparency helps students understand both what we can tell them and what we cannot.

Understanding Our Categories

Completion Success - Why It Matters

Completion success measures an institution's ability to guide students from enrollment to graduation. This category is crucial because:

• High retention rates indicate strong student satisfaction and institutional support
• Graduation rates reflect the quality of academic programs and student services
• Students are more likely to complete degrees at institutions with proven success
• Completion rates directly impact student debt and career outcomes

Affordability & Aid - Making Education Accessible

This category ensures that quality education remains accessible to students from all economic backgrounds:

• Net price reflects the true cost after all financial aid is applied
• Pell Grant percentages indicate commitment to serving low-income students
• Affordability directly impacts student debt burden and financial security
• Access to financial aid programs shows institutional commitment to diversity

Student Support - The Personal Touch

Student support measures the resources and attention available to help students succeed:

• Lower student-faculty ratios mean more personalized attention
• Strong support systems help students overcome challenges and stay on track
• Support services can make the difference between success and struggle
• Institutional commitment to student success is reflected in support metrics

Career Outcomes - Return on Investment

Career outcomes measure the practical value of an education:

• Employment rates show how well institutions prepare students for the workforce
• Median earnings reflect the economic value of degrees from specific institutions
• Career success is often the ultimate measure of educational quality
• Strong outcomes indicate alignment between education and market needs

About EDsmart.org

EDsmart.org was founded with a simple mission: to make college decision-making more transparent, data-driven, and student-focused. We believe that every student deserves access to clear, comprehensive information about their educational options.

Our Values

• Transparency: All our methodologies, data sources, and calculations are publicly available
• Student-First: Our rankings prioritize factors that matter most to students and families
• Data-Driven: Every ranking is based on objective, verifiable data, not subjective opinions
• Accessibility: We believe quality education should be accessible to students from all backgrounds
• Continuous Improvement: We regularly review and refine our methodology based on feedback and new research

How to Use Our Rankings

Our rankings are designed to be a starting point for college research, not the final decision. We recommend:

• Using rankings to identify a broad list of potential institutions
• Researching specific programs and majors that interest you
• Visiting campuses and talking to current students and faculty
• Considering personal factors like location, size, and campus culture
• Consulting with academic advisors and career counselors

Get Involved

We welcome feedback, suggestions, and questions from students, families, educators, and institutions. Your input helps us improve our rankings and better serve the educational community.