Forbes Ranks CMC Ninth in America’s Best Colleges

Claremont McKenna College ranks ninth overall in Forbes’ third-annual ranking of America’s Best Colleges, up from 27th in 2009. Forbes included more than 600 undergraduate institutions nationwide in their report, which is based on the “quality of the education they provide, the experience of the students and how much they achieve.” Claremont McKenna also ranked highest among The Claremont Colleges this year.

Forbes works with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP) to produce the list; this is the third year of their collaboration. According to Forbes’ methodology, “a good college is one that meets student needs.” While some college rankings are based partly on school reputation as evaluated by college administrators and on the amount of money spent, Forbes reports that, “we focus on things which directly concern incoming students: Will my courses be interesting and rewarding? Will I get a good job after I graduate? Is it likely I will graduate in four years? Will I incur a ton of debt getting my degree?”

Forbes rates colleges on five key factors: student satisfaction, postgraduate success, student debt, four-year graduation rate, and competitive awards. The staff at CCAP gathered information for its rankings from a variety of sources, including millions of student evaluations of courses and instructors on RateMyProfessors.com, as well as entries in Who’s Who in America, and average salaries of graduates reported by Payscale. In addition to the name of each college, its location, cost, and freshman class size is included.

“We strive to provide an excellent educational experience for our students,” states President Pamela Gann. “Our students are leaving this institution well satisfied with their experience and with the skills and knowledge necessary to make their impact on the world.”

Williams College was the top ranked college overall, followed by Princeton University, Amherst College, the United States Military Academy and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Each survey that ranks colleges measures different variables and uses different methodologies. The results of this survey, along with others conducted throughout the year, contribute to our understanding of several outcome measures related to CMC, and how CMC is perceived by students, alumni, recruiters, peers and others. Individual rankings should be interpreted as but one indicator, among many, of a college’s quality and impact.

To view the complete Forbes list, click here.