Stevens Institute of Technology has been ranked in the top 5% of schools in the nation for annualized net return on investment (ROI), according to a new study of more than 500 colleges and universities. The study, dubbed “Colleges Worth Your Investment,” was conducted for Bloomberg BusinessWeek. In New Jersey, Stevens and Princeton University took the top two rankings in terms of ROI for students. Stevens also boasts the third highest graduation rate in the state.
This ranking is intended to help students and parents evaluate the “payback” value of a student’s undergraduate degree. In the ranking, ROI was determined by comparing the cost of attending a school with how much its graduates earn. The report notes that Stevens’ 30-year ROI is $1.1 million and the 30-year net return for graduates is $1.4 million, with more than 10 percent annual ROI.
Recent graduates of Stevens have fared exceptionally well in terms of post-graduation placement. Graduates of the Class of 2010 have joined well-known companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Credit Suisse, NAVAIR, Picatinny Arsenal, and Barclays Capital. In addition, many students have chosen to pursue graduate degrees in a diverse range of disciplines, with several moving on to medical school and law school. Stevens graduates will be attending other leading universities in the fall, including Columbia University, Princeton University, Weill Cornell Medical School, Temple University Medical School, Tufts Medical School, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and Villanova Law School.
“The educational process at Stevens is critical to the students’ placement success after graduation. We engage our students early, complementing academic studies with hands-on learning in the workplace and access to other professional development activities. It is our expectation that Stevens students will become leaders in their fields,” explains Lynn Insley, director of the Office of Career Development, which has been ranked 16th in the nation by The Princeton Review. “Companies are eager to hire our graduates because they bring with them professional work experience that demonstrates their talent, dedication, and drive.”
In the fall, Stevens will welcome its largest incoming class, selected from its largest ever applicant pool. After receiving 3600 applications, the Class of 2014 will be comprised of 615 students, almost half of which are coming from out-of-state and 28% of which are female. Stevens’ selectivity rate this year is at 45% and 38% of those accepted students has joined the Class of 2014.
“At Stevens, we continue to focus on experiential learning – like our cooperative education program, access to real-life, hands-on research at the undergraduate level, and diverse internship opportunities –to prepare our students for their post-graduation plans,” states Maureen P. Weatherall, vice president for University Enrollment and Administration. “This ranking is further confirmation of what our current students and alumni know first-hand: a Stevens education is invaluable.”
