Here’s What They’re Saying: Rose-Hulman Provides Strong Investment & Value

Thursday, August 15, 2019
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Generous financial aid, scholarships and internship/co-op opportunities contribute to Rose-Hulman being listed nationally and regionally as a best value, with placement statistics revealing a strong return on investment.

Lucrative post-graduate career employment opportunities combine with generous financial aid, scholarship and internship/co-op offerings to make Rose-Hulman a strong investment and value, according to several recent national organizations.

Business Insider recently ranked the institute No. 19 within the 50 best buys among American colleges, after reviewing Niche.com’s best value statistics. The website measured value based upon tuition, net price (the cost of financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid), and the average income of alumni six years after graduating.

Rose-Hulman’s value proportion was listed ahead of such Ivy League colleges as Dartmouth College (No. 26) and Columbia University (No. 33); STEM-oriented institutions as Carnegie Mellon University (No. 23), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (No. 44) and Virginia Tech (No. 49), and other prestigious universities such as Vanderbilt University (No. 36), Northwestern University (No. 37) and University of Chicago (No. 47).

Meanwhile, SmartAsset’s annual Best Value Colleges study listed Rose-Hulman in the nation’s top 5% of all colleges and best in Indiana. SmartAsset reviewed scholarships provided to students, starting salary ($73,400 average), tuition and living costs, and retention rate.

The Princeton Review’s 2020 Best 385 Colleges, just released, also listed Rose-Hulman as a Best Value College.

The U.S. Department of Education’s College Scoreboard ranks Rose-Hulman No. 1 among all Indiana public and private colleges for having the highest average alumni salary after attending ($80,900). The department also reports that Rose-Hulman’s loan default rate (0.4) is among lowest in the country and second lowest among all Indiana colleges.

Zippia.com used College Scorecard data to compile a list of the colleges in each state that had the highest listed job placement statistics, looking specifically at employment levels 10 years after students enrolled. Rose-Hulman’s 94.65% rate was best among Indiana colleges and universities.

PayScale’s 2018 College Return on Investment Report ranked Rose-Hulman No. 28th nationally, with alumni having a $751,000 20-year investment return.

Finally, Independent Colleges of Indiana reports that money borrowed for college varies little by the type of institution, public or private, and most private colleges offer a variety of financial aid packages to help families in need. In fact, an ICI study reveals the average debt for graduates of Indiana private colleges is $28,000, compared to $26,000 for public institutions. ICI also notes that students attending private colleges are more likely to graduate in four years, which keeps debt low. Entering the workforce earlier means graduates can begin their careers earlier, instead of spending or borrowing for an extra year of college.

See all of Rose-Hulman’s national rankings and distinctions here.