Stony Brook University Recognized For Retention and Increased Graduation Rates in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best Colleges

Stony Brook University Recognized For Retention and Increased Graduation Rates in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best Colleges

STONY BROOK, NY, September 12, 2017 – Stony Brook University is once again ranked within the top 100 among U.S. colleges and universities (#97) and ranks as #41 among public universities according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best Colleges. Stony Brook also fared much better than expected in the category of 6-year graduation rate by achieving a 72 percent graduation rate vs. the expected rate of 69 percent.

“While these new data are reason for optimism, Stony Brook has become a world-class institution not by managing toward rankings but rather by managing toward mission — exemplary academics, cutting-edge research, state-of-the-art health care, economic vibrancy, and celebrating diversity,” said Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr. “Where rankings align with the mission to achieve outcomes, they can be a valuable tool.”

Dr. Stanley is referring to a recent study led by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. Entitled Mobility Report Cards: The Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility, the report ranks Stony Brook among the top 10 colleges and universities in the nation whose students begin college at the bottom fifth of income distribution and then go on to have income in the top three-fifths of income distribution. In that report published by Raj Chetty and colleagues at the Stanford, using de-identified tax records, Stony Brook was #3 among all institutions and #1 among highly selective institutions in mobility rate – moving students from families in the lowest 20 percent of income to the top 20 percent of income after they graduate.

“Moving the needle on these rankings takes a unified effort among many across campus, from our academic advisors and the innovative programs they have been implementing to help our students, to our Career Center, and to our programs and majors offering the right classes at the right time. It’s great to see the needle moving; I think we will continue to see more of this over the next several years.”

“Each of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities help our students find their purpose and their passion. Whether it’s in research, education, outreach, or engagement, our colleges and universities strive to achieve excellence in everything they do,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “We are thrilled that so many of our SUNY campuses have again received favorable rankings by U.S. News & World Report. While we appreciate that rankings are one indication of quality, it does help demonstrate that SUNY is one of the best national education systems. Congratulations to each of the SUNY campuses recognized by the 2016 U.S. News and World Report rankings.”

These rankings also appear in The 2018 Best Colleges rankings and guidebook.

About Stony Brook University 

Stony Brook University is going beyond the expectations of what today’s public universities can accomplish. Since its founding in 1957, this young university has grown to become a flagship as one of only four University Center campuses in the State University of New York (SUNY) system with more than 26,000 students and 2,600 faculty members, and 18 NCAA Division I athletic programs. Our faculty have earned numerous prestigious awards, including the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation, Abel Prize and the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics. The University offers students an elite education with an outstanding return on investment: U.S. News & World Report ranks Stony Brook among the top 50 public universities in the nation. Its membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU) places Stony Brook among the top 62 research institutions in North America. As part of the management team of Brookhaven National Laboratory, the University joins a prestigious group of universities that have a role in running federal R&D labs. Stony Brook University is a driving force in the region’s economy, generating nearly 60,000 jobs and an annual economic impact of more than $4.6 billion. Our state, country and world demand ambitious ideas, imaginative solutions and exceptional leadership to forge a better future for all. The students, alumni, researchers and faculty of Stony Brook University are prepared to meet this challenge.