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Forbes Recognizes Southwestern University on America’s Top Colleges List
Southwestern honored as the #2 liberal arts college in Texas and the #284 institution in the country, the University’s highest ranking since 2018.
September 09, 2024
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Southwestern University has earned a coveted spot on Forbes’ annual list of America’s Top Colleges. The business magazine ranked Southwestern as the #2 liberal arts college in Texas and #284 overall institution in the nation, the University’s highest ranking since landing at #309 in 2018.
Forbes also tabbed Southwestern as the #63 liberal arts college in the United States. SU was further recognized as #67 on Forbes’ Top Colleges in the South list and #151 in the publication’s Best Private Colleges rankings, including #6 in Texas.
In their rankings, Forbes touted SU as “one of only a handful of undergraduate liberal arts universities that support a separate school of fine arts,” and further described, “the intimate community is bustling, with over 90 student organizations, including Greek life.”
Southwestern earned high marks from Forbes for the University’s 79% retention rate, high average grant aid of $30,609, low average student debt of $7,269, and median 10-year salary among graduates of $110,600.
To determine their America’s Top Colleges list, Forbes evaluates thousands of U.S. colleges across a variety of degree types, including doctoral research universities, master’s universities and colleges, and baccalaureate colleges, as well as colleges that offer specialized programs in engineering, business, and art.
Forbes then ranks the top 500 U.S. colleges and universities based on return on investment, average student debt levels, and outcomes for graduates. Schools that made the list see students return after their first year, graduate on time, secure high salaries after graduation, and leave with little student debt. Forbes’ full methodology can be found here.
