Gaining momentum in the race of college ranking value systems, Social Mobility is a rising trend for providing prospective students with a tool to better evaluate higher education institutions by. In a study published Oct. 22 by CollegeNET, Oregon Institute of Technology, “Oregon Tech,” is listed as the top social mobility school in Oregon.
CollegeNET is a leader in the trend to publish social mobility data that looks at the family income of students, tuition rates, and early-career salaries, rather than factors such as institutional reputation. U.S. News & World Report also began to embrace this method in their “Best Colleges 2019” ranking published Sept. 18. Additionally, CollegeNET rejects using Pell eligibility as a factor, since a minority of families who are not low income also qualify for them.
Oregon Tech is listed as No. 96 on the nationwide study, the top ranking in Oregon and the highest median early career salary in Oregon, noted as $59,200. Obtained from their website, CollegeNET explains more about the Social Mobility Index (SMI): The Social Mobility Index measures the extent to which a college or university educates more economically disadvantaged students (with family incomes below the national median) at lower tuition and graduates them into good paying jobs.
“We remain dedicated to the success of all our students, regardless of economic or social background,” said Dr. Nagi Naganathan, president of Oregon Tech. “We are committed to providing academic and all-around support to first generation and low income students to obtain college degrees. As Oregon’s Polytechnic University, we are proud of our 97 percent graduate success rate that boasts students employed or in graduate school within six months of earning their degree and our impressive average starting salary. This high return on investment for our graduates clearly translates to their quick social mobility as well as that of their families.”
Through social mobility rankings, CollegeNET hopes that students and their families will use it as a guide to pursue academics in an institution that models awareness and civic responsibility. CollegeNET explains, In the end, the greatest returns to self from work, academic or otherwise, come from delivering benefits to family, nation, and our world. Families and students who understand this, and want to move up efficiently to a position of social and economic influence in our country will gravitate to high SMI schools.
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