MONEY RELEASES 2022 BEST COLLEGES LIST RANKING MORE THAN 600 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Money Experts Analyzed Quality, Affordability, and Outcomes to Compile the Most Comprehensive, Inclusive List

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May 16, 2022, 10:36 ET

DORADO, Puerto Rico, May 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Money today announced the release of its exhaustive list of 2022's best colleges for your investment. Money's Best Colleges includes analysis and rankings on hundreds of choices for applicants looking beyond the Ivy League, focusing on schools that admit at least 20% of applicants. Money experts didn't stop there, breaking down the 'best' lists even further – by region, programs, and a special 'Selective College' ranking for the nation's most prestigious schools – to help readers make an informed decision about higher education. Even more, Money will release several features to accompany the "best of" list including how to choose a college, how to pay for college, and a breakdown of the often-confusing standardized testing landscape. The Best Colleges list and accompanying stories will roll out starting Monday, May 16, 2022.

With a focus on above-average graduation rates, Money scored more than 600 colleges in three areas: quality, affordability, and outcomes. These data points take into account important factors like the net price of a degree, loan repayment rates, median earnings, and four "value added" calculations measuring a school's actual performance against its predicted performance. Ranked #1 is the University of Michigan, with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Virginia coming in second and third, respectively.

Money's 2022 Top 10 Best Colleges are as follows:

University of Michigan
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Virginia
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Virginia Military Institute
Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Florida
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Davis

For Money's complete list of the Best Colleges go here. Money ranked colleges using this methodology.

"This year's Best Colleges list is a new take on our long-standing commitment to helping families make a smart college choice," says Money Executive Editor Mike Ayers. "We changed things up so more students could use this list to make educated choices about investing in their future."

In addition to the Best Colleges feature and the regional breakout lists including best colleges in the South, Northeast, West, and Midwest, the Money team shares a series of complimentary stories to provide an overall, one-stop-shop for all of your higher education questions. The package includes:

How to Choose a College:
There's no one-size-fits-all college that works for everyone, and it's up to the applicant to decide what's most important as the list of schools gets narrowed down. What type of school should you consider? What are the testing requirements? What's the student life like and what are its academic specialties? These are just some of the questions to weigh when deciding what school to attend.

Tips for Finding Your Own Best College:
There are many factors in choosing your own best college, and sometimes, you have to read the fine print. For example, a college's "sticker price" won't be the actual price you end up paying, so how do you find out what college will actually cost you? When you've found that perfect school, what are your chances of getting in? If you do get in, what will your campus life be like?

No SAT, No Problem? How Test-Optional Policies Are Changing College Admissions:
The pandemic changed the landscape of applying to college – including standardized testing requirements. While some schools are retaining a Covid-era admissions change that waived the requirements to submit SAT or ACT test scores, it's become increasingly difficult to determine which schools require scores and which ones don't. What's the difference between test-optional and test-blind? Are there different requirements for separate programs at each school? What's the future for standardized testing?

How to Pay for College:
Whether college is years away or you'll be paying tuition in a matter of months, it's smart to think about your financial plan. You'll want to combine any savings with current income, "free money" from grants and scholarships, and if needed, student loans. Where can you find scholarships? Is work-study a good option? How much should you borrow? Our guide walks you through what to expect.

Why Maritime Academies Rank High in Money's Best Colleges List:
Three maritime academies rank in Money's top 25 this year. These colleges cater to students interested in subjects like marine engineering, maritime business or marine science. But what makes them such a great value? And how can you tell if they're a good fit for you?

In this post-pandemic landscape with inflation at a 40-year high and interest rates on the rise, Money aims to help readers make the most informed decision about a crucial life choice for high school graduates: higher education. Whether you're deciding which college to apply to, which ones help you graduate with the least amount of debt, or where to go for the best major, Money has combed the data and compiled the information in an easy-to-navigate package.

Money editor Kaitlin Mulhere is available for interviews. She oversees the website's coverage of higher education topics, including financial aid, student debt, and the Best Colleges ranking. For more information, visit www.Money.com.

ABOUT MONEY:
Money has a 50-year legacy of guiding people to financial victories with up-to-date information, education, and tools. Money, a digital destination, helps create richer lives for everyone—in every sense of the word. Signature franchises include a bevy of Best-In categories such as Best Places to Live, Best Crypto Exchanges, Best Mortgage Lenders, Best Life Insurance, Best Auto Insurance, Best VA Loans, Best Homeowner Insurance, Best High-Yield Savings Accounts, Best Credit Cards, Best Colleges, Best Student Loans, and Best Student Loan Refinance Companies, with an aim to improve your finances and promote your well-being. For more information, visit Money.com.