Wall Street Journal Ranks Jefferson Among Top in Nation

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 7, 2023 – Thomas Jefferson University is among the top 50 universities in the country, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The University ranked No. 48 in the WSJ/College Pulse 2024 Best Colleges in the U.S. list — a rating the nation’s top 400 universities. In addition, the just-released rankings named Jefferson No. 36 for social mobility and No. 42 salary impact. The University also topped all schools in Pennsylvania for social mobility.

“The rankings are the result of extraordinary faculty and professionals who teach, coach and support our students,” says Interim University President Dr. Susan Aldridge. “Jefferson is committed to a diverse, professions-focused learning environment, and the rankings have recognized our successful outcomes.”

The overall ranking focused on three main areas, weighting the importance of each: student outcomes (70%), learning environment (20%) and diversity (10%).

For the salary impact category, the ranking zeroed in on two pieces: salary impact versus similar colleges (67%) — the extent a college boosts its graduates’ salaries beyond what they would be expected to earn regardless of which school they attended; and the years to pay off net price (33%), which combines the average net price of attending the college and the value added to graduates’ median salary attributable to attending the school.

The social mobility category also examined two components: the social mobility salary-impact score (67%), which multiplies “years to pay off net price” and “salary impact versus similar colleges” by the proportion of students who receive Pell Grants; and the social mobility graduation-rate impact score (33%), which multiplies “graduation rates versus similar colleges” by the proportion of the students who receive Pell Grants.

“This ranking validates the success of our talented students and dedicated faculty on fulfilling one of our primary missions; to educate a diverse student body to graduate, obtain meaningful employment in their chosen field, and to become successful professionals and the leaders of tomorrow,” says University Provost Dr. Matt Baker.

The Wall Street Journal developed and executed the ranking in collaboration with research partners College Pulse and Statista.