METHODOLOGY
At College Cliffs, it is our objective to present the latest and most accurate information based on data we gather from our sources. In our colleges and universities rankings, we aim to help college-bound individuals who are weighing their options, as well as college students who are contemplating making a shift in their college or degree choices.
What are College Cliffs’ rankings based on? We employ a different methodology that covers the academic institution itself and the specific program being offered. Here are our specific ranking factors under the two categories:
Overall Academic Quality
The quality of education that institutions offer is a critical factor for measuring program and student success. We take into account factors that signal how well the academic institution educates its students.
Ranking factors include:
- Accreditation
- Acceptance, Retention, and Graduation Rates
- Facilities
- Faculty Quality
- Career Services
Program Offerings
We feature and compare how the institutions stand out in the educational programs they offer. In our rankings, we consider a number of indicators of academic program quality.
Ranking factors include:
- Accreditation
- Program format
- Online availability/flexibility/convenience
- Cost
We gather and cite the latest and most relevant data sourced from the NCES College Navigator at the time of our rankings. We also obtain information from the school’s website. Other published sources may also be considered, all of which we disclose in the specific ranking.
College Cliffs believes that by ranking colleges and universities and the programs they offer, we equip you to make an informed decision as you navigate your college options or affirm the choices you have made in pursuing your career.
In addition, our rankings do more than just indicate the excellence of the colleges and universities being ranked based on the given criteria. They also illustrate the prevailing conditions and trends in the institutions at a particular time.
We confirm that while our rankings are carefully carried out, the results are not definitive. We encourage you to visit the websites of the individual schools in our lists and take the proper steps to determine if your school or program of choice fully measures up to your needs and expectations.