New Paltz ranked fifth in list of 50 colleges nationwide with best return on investment

NEW PALTZ- The State University of New York at New Paltz has been ranked No. 5 in The College Database list of “Top 50 public colleges and universities for best lifetime degree value,” a list of the nation’s college’s with the greatest lifetime return on investment (ROI). New Paltz was one of only three SUNY campuses included in this national ranking, and the only one in the top 10.

The College Database set out to find the post-secondary, public institutions whose graduates enjoy the largest earnings gap between non-degree holders, over a thirty year span.

“Students paying for college want to know they’re making a solid long-term investment,” said Wes Ricketts, vice president and general manager of The College Database. “We wanted to highlight the institutions with graduates who earn top dollar 5, ten, and even thirty years after earning their degree.”

“We know graduates from private universities such as Harvard and Yale have great earning potential when they leave school,” said Ricketts. “But which public colleges out there have degrees we can call truly valuable?”

New Paltz President Donald P. Christian stated, “We are indeed proud to be considered so highly in this ranking. We have worked hard to provide an education of the highest quality that is both affordable and accessible. Today’s ranking is a testament to our success in preparing our students for careers.”

The selection methodology analyzed data using third-party data sets, including National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Carnegie Classification, and Payscale.com. Data for the list came from PayScale, which publishes a new college graduate earnings report each year. The College Database complete list can be viewed at http://www.onlinecollegesdatabase.org/50-public-colleges-with-the-best-lifetime-roi

The College Database is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to provide free information about educational options both nationally and locally to students, parents, and other interested parties. This goal is accomplished by making all information and tools on the site free and easy to access. The College Database is a leader in providing educational information to libraries, high schools, and career centers across the country.

Recently the State University of New York at New Paltz has been ranked No. 2 in the Affordable Colleges Online list of “Top 50 Affordable Colleges with a High ROI,” a list of the nation’s most affordable colleges with the biggest return on investment .

“This recognition from Affordable Colleges Online reflects our ongoing efforts to provide an excellent education to each of our students while also remaining sensitive to the expense of a college education. We are proud to receive another testamonial to the outstanding value of a New Paltz education,” said L. David Eaton, vice president of enrollment management at New Paltz.

Affordable Colleges Online created this list by factoring data about 875 public and private colleges and universities in the United States with tuition under $40,000 per year.

A profile of New Paltz, which highlights the College’s top rankings, intellectual atmosphere, environmentally friendly buildings, and award-winning faculty members, and the complete list of “Top 50 Affordable Colleges with a High ROI” appears online on the company’s website at http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/affordable-colleges-with-high-returns/. New Paltz is placed 2nd on the list with an ROI of $644,500 with tuition and fees of $5,270 and an average starting salary of $41,800.

Earlier this year, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranked New Paltz in the top 100 best values in the nation for public four-year institutions that deliver a high quality education at an affordable price; U.S. News & World Report ranked New Paltz 7th among best public regional universities in the North with both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs; and The Princeton Review selected New Paltz for inclusion in its 2013 Guide to 322 Green Colleges.

The mission of Affordable Colleges Online is to promote affordable education options. This list recognizes colleges that combine affordability with academic excellence. The colleges on this list produce graduates who are desirable and valuable to the work force as evidenced by higher salaries, yet the tuitions are relatively more affordable so students can take on less debt.