Monmouth University was recognized by Forbes in its list of America’s Top Colleges 2027, which highlights 500 institutions across the nation that produce high-earning, successful, and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt.
Forbes pared down an initial pool of 2,600 four-year colleges and universities by identifying which 500 schools presented the best educational and career outcomes. Data was gathered from the government-run Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, an online tool for comparing cost, graduation rates, and student debt at the institutions, among other sources.
The lists’ editors ranked each institution on 14 data points, which were categorized into key buckets including alumni salary (20%), debt (15%), graduation rate (15%), Forbes American Leaders List (15%), return on investment (15%), retention rate (10%), and academic success (10%).
In recent years, Forbes has given additional consideration to schools producing strong outcomes for all students, including those from families with lower incomes. Editors looked closely at six-year graduation rates and return-on-investment measures for Pell grant recipients.
Another key factor is the Forbes American Leaders metric, which emphasizes post-graduate achievements for alumni who have earned national or international honors like Guggenheim Fellowships and Pulitzer Prizes, or who have appeared on Forbes’ other lists, including Forbes 30 Under 30 or America’s Greatest Innovators.
Review the full 2027 list and learn more about Forbes’ ranking methodology.