Jersey City, N.J. – February 15, 2017 – Saint Peter’s University today announced its ranking as a national leader in upward mobility in a recent study by The Equality of Opportunity Project titled, “Mobility Report Cards: The Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility.” The University was recognized for improving the economic status of its graduates and boosting low-income students into the middle and upper classes. Saint Peter’s ranked eighth in the nation for the highest mobility rate among 578 selective private colleges, 54th in the nation out of all 2,137 institutions, first among Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schools and second in the state of New Jersey.
The study, which was extensively covered by The New York Times on “The Upshot” blog, determined the mobility rates of colleges and universities across the country by analyzing data on the share of enrolled students from lower-income families and the share of students who move up in income quintiles post-graduation.
“The prospect of being accepted to college, obtaining a degree without significant student loan debt and successfully beginning a career can be intimidating for many, especially first-generation students or those from low-income families,” said Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s University. “Saint Peter’s takes great pride in the data that demonstrates we are leading not only in accessibility, but in outcomes. This study from The Equality of Opportunity Project is truly focused on improving the standard of living in our country and it is inspiring to know that we are not only preparing our students to succeed after graduation, but are paving the path to success for future generations.”
The Equality of Opportunity Project is a collaboration of prominent economists and sociologists with a mission to develop scalable policy solutions that will empower families to rise out of poverty and achieve better life outcomes. The “Mobility Report Cards” study was the group’s most recent project and it utilized data from 30 million college students to construct mobility report cards for each college and university in the country. The New York Times published the profiles of each institution based on the data from this study. To view Saint Peter’s profile, click here.
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Saint Peter’s University, inspired by its Jesuit, Catholic identity, commitment to individual attention and grounding in the liberal arts, educates a diverse community of learners in undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional programs to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately and promote justice in our ever-changing urban and global environment. To learn more, please visit www.saintpeters.edu.
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Angeline Boyer
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