Duane Bonifer  |  Published September 14, 2020

Monmouth Continues Strong Showing in National Rankings

Monmouth remains a Top 30 school in the nation among liberal arts colleges in terms of social mobility.

MONMOUTH, Ill. – A continuing commitment to academic excellence has helped Monmouth College maintain its status as a vibrant national liberal arts college.

Wallace Hall cupola at sunrise. The college is ranked No. 127 in the “National Liberal Arts Colleges” category in the latest edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges, released Sept. 14. Since 2013, Monmouth has risen almost 50 spots.

“We all know that no single set of rankings provides the true measure of an institution’s strength or the impact it has on young people, but it is gratifying that the power and quality of a Monmouth College education is affirmed by national publications and our peers,” said Monmouth President Clarence R. Wyatt.

In the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges guide, Monmouth remains a Top 30 school in the nation among liberal arts colleges in terms of social mobility, which evaluates the graduation rates of a school’s students who receive a federal Pell grant compared to those students who did not receive one. Pell grants are awarded to students from families with greater financial need.

“Social mobility is an important indicator of a school’s measure because it shows how well a college empowers young people to live lives of achievement and service,” said Wyatt. “Monmouth has a proud history of helping transform young peoples’ lives. That happens because of our incredibly dedicated and mission-driven faculty and staff, who enjoy tremendous support and resources from our trustees, alumni, and parents and friends of the College.”

“Social mobility is an important indicator of a school’s measure because it shows how well a college empowers young people to live lives of achievement and service.”
– President Clarence Wyatt

Monmouth has also risen significantly in other rankings, including nearly 70 places among liberal arts colleges in theWashington Monthly’s College Guide and Rankings since 2014. The College also appears in Money’s “The Best Colleges in America,” where it is cited by the magazine for being a best value because of graduates’ relatively low debt level and aggressive financial aid programs.

“These ranking results are very gratifying because they reflect so clearly the care that everyone at Monmouth takes to make student success – in the classroom, in co-curricular experiences, in their lives after college – the very center of our enterprise,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Dean of the Faculty Mark Willhardt.

For the last decade, more than 95 percent of Monmouth’s graduates have reported each that they either have jobs or are enrolled in graduate or professional school within six months after commencement.

“We’re pleased that these national publications confirm what families, along with high school teachers and counselors, tell us all the time – a Monmouth education is one of the best investments a young person can make because it opens a multitude of professional opportunities to them,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management Kristen English.

Monmouth also offers students multiple undergraduate research opportunities, including the Summer Opportunity for Intellectual Activity; the prestigious endowed Kieft Scholars in chemistry and biochemistry; and the peer-reviewed Midwest Journal of Undergraduate Research, which has held two national conferences on campus.

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