Augustana College is ranked No. 9 on the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s 2024 Best Colleges list of best Midwest liberal arts schools.
The Wall Street Journal said the ranking emphasizes how much each school boosts student outcomes beyond what is expected.
“We’re thrilled to be recognized once again as a transformational institution for students of all backgrounds,” Augustana College President Andrea Talentino said in a news release. “Augustana’s skilled faculty, our focus on engaged learning and our top-notch facilities lead to great outcomes for our students, helping them to grow beyond what they ever imagined.”
Other Illinois liberal arts schools recognized by The Wall Street Journal/Pulse include No. 1-ranked Lake Forest College and No. 7-ranked Wheaton College.
In addition to student outcomes, which accounted for 70% of a school’s placement, the ranking also prioritizes the learning environment, which accounts for 20%; and the diversity of a school’s student and faculty, accounting for 10%.
The Wall Street Journal has published U.S. college rankings since 2016. The rankings emphasize student outcomes by way of graduation rates and graduate salaries. The rankings seek to measure the value added by colleges.
The latest honor joins a list of others the Rock Island liberal arts college has collected. Others include ranking No. 100 in the U.S. News & World Report’s best national liberal arts colleges. Augustana also earned U.S. News recognition in the categories of Best Undergraduate Teaching, Best Value Schools and Top Performers on Social Mobility.
