The University of Minnesota Duluth campus (UMD) was ranked #1 in the state among four year public institutions for return on investment (ROI) for low-income students.
The ranking comes from a Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce ROI report that came out earlier this year. Their research focused on low-income students (from families earning $30,000 or less per year) and looked into what type of lifetime earnings graduates might expect from their investment in a college education.
“At UMD, we’ve always focused on access and providing a valuable educational experience,” said Interim Chancellor David McMillan, “and we’re proud to have that recognized by an institution like Georgetown University.”
The Georgetown results reflect a wide variety of criteria, including the average cost of attendance, future earnings, and the percentage of students attending who have received Pell Grants and their graduation rates. In addition to UMD ranking as Minnesota’s best 4-year public institutional ROI for low-income students, it was ranked 27th nationwide.
“Many students face barriers to reaching their educational and career goals,” said Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Amy Hietapelto, “and we are focused on minimizing obstacles and supporting the success of all UMD students.”
The rankings are based on in-depth analyses of an array of data points, as explained in the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce report The Colleges Where Low-Income Students Get the Highest ROI.