A new ranking of the 2024 Best College in America highlights Marietta College at No. 304 nationwide based on student outcomes and graduate salaries, as well as No. 3 in Ohio for salary impact and social mobility.
Released on Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranking placed critical emphasis on how much a college improves a student’s chances of graduating on time and how much it boosts the salaries they earn after graduation, among other factors.
Marietta also came in at No. 7 for Best Colleges in Ohio and in the top 250 for social mobility and salary in the U.S. Over 1,700 U.S. colleges were eligible to be considered.
President Margaret L. Drugovich said the ranking reinforces a Marietta College education's value and life-changing impact.
“Marietta College continues to attract motivated, talented, and inspiring educators and students. The combination is powerful. Marietta graduates are changing our world, for the better,” she said. “These rankings underscore the relevance and power of a great education — a great education affords both personal satisfaction and professional success.”
College scores in the WSJ ranking were based on three factors: student outcomes, accounting for 70% of the rankings; the learning environment, at 20%; and diversity, at 10%.
The ranking included one of the largest-ever independent surveys of verified college students in the United States, undertaken by College Pulse. Over 60,000 undergraduates and recent undergraduate alumni were questioned on their college experience, capturing a range of perspectives on student life, including perceptions of learning opportunities, career preparation, dining halls and sports facilities, and thoughts on diversity.