The College is noted for innovation, undergraduate teaching, and value.

September 14, 2020—Marist College has once again been recognized as a Best Regional University-North in the 2021 U.S. News rankings released today. The College was also noted in other key categories for innovation, undergraduate teaching, value, and as a Best College for Veterans.

In a jump from last year, the College was named #3 Most Innovative School among Regional Universities-North. This ranking was developed based on surveys of top academics—college presidents, provosts, and admissions deans—who were asked to nominate the schools making the biggest innovative improvements in all aspects of their institution.

Highlights of Marist’s many innovations include:

• Marist Poll. The Marist Institute for Public Opinion, home of the Marist Poll, is one of the nation’s premier independent survey research centers. The Marist Poll is the only college poll directly tied to the academic enterprise of its institution, with students working as interviewers, supervisors, and research assistants. The Poll partners with NBC News, NPR, PBS NewsHour, and The Wall Street Journal to measure electoral sentiment and other key issues and has been given an A+ rating by FiveThirtyEight.com.
• IBM Partnership. Marist’s 30-year research partnership with the IBM Corporation has brought the College the kind of world-class technology platform typically found at leading research institutions while giving students the opportunity to work with IBM professionals on cutting-edge tech research. The College is also home to the first IBM LinuxONE III.
• Marist Italy. Marist’s Florence, Italy campus offers the only U.S. bachelor’s degree program in Florence.
• ESPN Teaching Control Room. The College opened a new state-of-the-art ESPN production studio on campus as a way for students to get hands-on experience broadcasting sports events.
• Renowned Fashion Program. The Fashion Program is recognized as one of the top programs globally by the highly respected industry publication Business of Fashion.
• Cybersecurity Major. Marist is one of just a few colleges in the Northeast to offer a cybersecurity major.
• Regional History Research Hub. The College’s historic Hudson River campus is home to the Hudson River Valley Institute (HRVI), a nationally recognized history and regional studies center.
• Presidential Library Partnership. Marist’s partnership with the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum makes it one of only six colleges and universities nationwide affiliated with a presidential library. Marist also hosts the Library’s digital archives.

In the same regional category, Marist was also noted for Best Undergraduate Teaching with a ranking of #16. “Excellent teaching is part of our core mission,” said Thom Wermuth, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Marist students know their professors and have the opportunity to work with them directly in many of the high-impact learning opportunities the College offers, including a focus on experiential learning and undergraduate research in all disciplines. Our faculty are working scholars and leaders in their fields who thrive on working with undergraduates.”

The hands-on attention gets results: the College boasts an impressive 84 percent six-year graduation rate—substantially higher than the 66 percent national average for private institutions and the 60 percent average for public universities. Ninety-eight percent of the class of 2019 were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation. This year the College had its highest number of applicants ever vying for admittance in the class of 2024. “We are focused on student success from day one to graduation,” said Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Communication Sean Kaylor.

Additionally, the College was ranked among the Best Colleges for Veterans and as a Best Value School (both in the Regional Universities-North categorization). The Best Value ranking is calculated based on a ratio of quality to price, the percentage of undergraduates receiving need-based scholarships, and the average discount. Earlier this year, in an effort to help students and families during the COVID-19 crisis, the College announced a zero tuition increase for academic year 2020-21.

The full listing of U.S. News rankings for 2021 can be found here.