Ole Miss comes in at #217
www.forbes.com
Other notable SEC schools:
Auburn - 117
LSU - 139
Tenn. - 142
Arkansas - 158
Kentucky - 160
South Carolina - 163
Alabama - 182
Miss. State - 250
Methodology
Forbes evaluates institutions on alumni salaries, student debt, graduation rates and the success of its students and alumni using the following methodology:- Alumni Salary (20%): Data from Payscale and College Scorecard is used to determine which colleges produced the highest-paid graduates. The data includes median earning of alumni six and 10 years after starting school and/or after graduation.
- Student Debt (15%): Data from College Scorecard asses the average federal debt load per student, along with five-year repayment rates.
- Graduation Rate (15%): Evaluates the six-year graduation rate, with 10% of the score based on the rate for all students and 5% on Pell Grant recipients’ graduation rates. The Pell graduation rate is indexed with the proportion of recipients to reward colleges that enroll and graduate a larger number of low-income students.
- Forbes’ American Leaders List (15%): Tracks the presence of alumni on on prestigious lists like Forbes 30 Under 30, Forbes 400, and Richest Self-Made Women. It also tallies alma maters of notable figures in government, major prize winners and award recipients.
- Return on Investment (15%): Measures the return on investment by comparing the net cost of a college degree to the earnings boost graduates receive compared to high school graduates in their state. A price-to-earnings premium for low-income students is included.
- Retention Rate (10%): Uses a three-year average retention rate to index the percentage of first-year students who return after their freshman year.
- Academic Success (10%): Tallies nationally competitive awards won by undergraduates and alumni, like Fulbright, Truman, Goldwater and Rhodes, as well as the average number of alumni who earned Ph.Ds., weighted by enrollment.
Forbes America's Top Colleges List 2025 - Best US Universities Ranked
Search the Forbes 2024-2025 list of America's Top Colleges, ranking the best universities in the US based on student academic, career and financial success.
Other notable SEC schools:
Auburn - 117
LSU - 139
Tenn. - 142
Arkansas - 158
Kentucky - 160
South Carolina - 163
Alabama - 182
Miss. State - 250
