#1 for Social Mobility, #2 Year in a Row
9/24/2024
UMSV Tops U.S. News & World Report’s Rankings—Again
No, you’re not having déjà vu.
The University of Mount Saint Vincent has been named #1 on U.S. News & World Report’s Top Performers on Social Mobility list among regional colleges in the north for the second year in a row.
That’s right—Mount Saint Vincent held onto its top-level ranking for a second year, a ’phintastic accomplishment for all here at the Right Place on the River.
Let us reiterate it one more time: we’re #1!
For the sixth consecutive year, the University has been selected as one of the top institutions in the nation for social mobility. Actually, Mount Saint Vincent has been highly ranked every year since U.S. News began a separate ranking for social mobility—and we couldn’t be prouder to remain at the top of the list.
Don’t think the good news stops there.
The Mount was also ranked #10 overall among Regional Colleges North—which includes schools all throughout New England, the tri-state area, and the upper DMV—another impressive accomplishment in the 2025 Best Colleges Rankings.
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“Since our founding—more than 175 years ago by the Sisters of Charity of New York—the University of Mount Saint Vincent has prioritized providing authentically inclusive and excellent academic experiences across all programs and at all degree levels. When students commit to furthering their education at the Mount, they know they are making a wise investment that will help them discover their path and prosper into the future. Continuing to hold the #1 spot for social mobility and being in the top 10 for Regional Colleges North is affirmation that we are knowledgeable experts on our students’ needs, their potential, and their possibilities. At the University of Mount Saint Vincent, we are blessed to walk with our students on their personal paths, creating opportunities that help them find all ways forward to success at and beyond the Mount.”
— Dr. Susan R. Burns, President
When talking to prospective students and their families, we often use clichés like at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, you’ll be a big fish in a little pond and here, you’re not just a number—you are known. As cliché as they may be, they could not be closer to the truth and our rankings justify just that.
As Dr. Burns has shared time and time again, our students are seen. Seeing our students for the unique individuals that they are is something that is central to our mission and our values as a Vincentian institution. Saint Vincent de Paul saw each person he ministered to on the streets of 17th century France for the individual person they were and the dignity they deserved. We continue to emulate his goodness and that of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton today in the work we do, seeing our learners both within and beyond the classroom.
Creating greater visibility for the University of Mount Saint Vincent has been a paramount goal of Dr. Burns and the entire team at the Mount. At a time when so many other colleges and universities near and far are abandoning who they are as they struggle to keep their doors open in this challenging and cutthroat higher education landscape, the Mount is being seen and recognized for leaning into and living our mission and values.
The rise of alternative education models, including online learning and hybrid programs, has diversified the options available to prospective students. The Mount has always been a pioneer in this field, actively researching and implementing new strategies to appeal to both traditional and non-traditional learners in undergraduate and graduate studies. This includes officially launching Seton College—our new two-year associate degree program for recent high school graduates who otherwise would have opted not to pursue a higher education.
The University continues to thrive with a growing enrollment—ensuring the Mount will continue to succeed throughout the looming higher education demographic cliff that is expected to peak very soon in 2025.
And our rankings from U.S. News—particularly our #10 ranking among institutions in the north—affirm that we are standing out among the crowd as one of the best of the best for transformative higher education.
“The Sisters of Charity of New York have a rich history of serving those who aren’t served by others. For centuries, they have responded to the signs of the times by educating students worthy and deserving of a transformative education—something the University of Mount Saint Vincent continues to emulate. What sets us apart from other institutions in our area and makes our rankings well-deserved? We offer a holistic network of advising and support resources to meet our students where they need us most both within and beyond the classroom.”
— Dr. Lynne Bongiovanni, Provost and Dean of Faculty
Social mobility is an essential factor in determining how well a university prepares its students to not just find a job, but launch a career—which is precisely what we do here at the University of Mount Saint Vincent. Unfortunately, students who come from lower socio-economic backgrounds are, statistically, less likely to finish college. The Mount enrolls one of the highest percentages of undergraduate students in the country receiving Federal Pell Grants—over 50%—which has consistently made us one of the best engines for social mobility in the nation.
When compiling the Top Performers for Social Mobility, U.S. News aggregated two ranking factors assessing the graduation rates of Pell Grant-awarded students—Pell graduation rates (the six-year graduation rates of students awarded Pell Grants) and Pell graduation performance (comparing each school’s six-year graduation rate among Pell Grant recipients with its six-year graduation rate among non-Pell Grant recipients). Read the full Best Colleges Rankings methodology.
The fact that the Mount was ranked first in this category—and for a second year in a row—is a remarkable recognition that highlights the University’s commitment to providing an education that is both affordable and attainable to all students, regardless of family and financial means. However, our recognition also acknowledges the Mount’s efforts to retain and graduate a diverse body of students, ready to take on all the world has to offer as ethically and morally responsible citizens.
Our top-tier social mobility ranking means that we prioritize welcoming students from traditionally underserved financial backgrounds and provide them with the resources they need to engage in a meaningful career in support of both themselves and their families.
Our support programs are too numerous to list, but consider our Oxley Integrated Advising Program, the Bridge Program, the Center for Leadership, and all our Mount Pathways Programs—these are just a few examples of initiatives the Mount has undertaken in effort to holistically support student development both within and beyond the classroom.
We are our students’ partners in learning—always.
The University of Mount Saint Vincent is a place for students to explore widely and change course freely—just like our neighboring Hudson River. There are a number of paths students can take at the Mount, each as unique and nuanced as they are, but all with one trait in common—they are always moving forward.
We’re both humbled and proud to yet again be ranked #1 for social mobility by U.S. News & World Report. Yes, honors and awards look great and we love to share the news—but out rankings mean so much more than that. Our commitment to student success will always—always—be at the forefront of all we do and all we stand for.
Of course, we have to thank our dedicated community for helping us get to where we are today. Our students, employees, alums, trustees, friends, and the Sisters of Charity are what make the University the special place it has been and continues to be—and our mission remains strong.
In the ever-fluctuating world of higher education, it is evident that the future of the University of Mount Saint Vincent remains strong. Our growing prominence and reputation among colleges and universities not just in our area, but across the country indicates our flourishing success.
All ways forward. Always striving for the best. Always supporting our learners.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers a nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the University equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment, and leadership in the 21st century.
About U.S. News & World Report’s Top Performers on Social Mobility
Economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for their achievement in high school. But some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000. For the sixth consecutive year, U.S. News published a distinct social mobility ranking for all ranked schools, which was calculated by aggregating the two ranking factors assessing graduation rates of Pell-awarded students—Pell graduation rates (six-year graduation rates of Pell grant students) and Pell graduation performance (compares each school’s six-year graduation rate among Pell recipients with its six-year graduation rate among non-Pell recipients).