Key Highlights:
Top Rank: Drake University has been named the #1 private school in Iowa for the second consecutive year by The Wall Street Journal’s 2025 College Pulse Rankings.
National Standing: The university is also listed among the top 200 best colleges in the U.S.
Salary Impact Score: Drake University achieved the highest Salary Impact Score in Iowa, reflecting the significant return on investment for its graduates.
Value Added to Graduate Salary: Drake scored the highest in Iowa for the Value Added to Graduate Salary, indicating substantial improvement in graduates’ salaries attributed to their education.
Return on Investment:
U.S. Department of Education Data: Drake graduates report the highest median salary in Iowa 10 years after enrollment.
Bipartisan Policy Center Study: Drake ranks in the top 3 percent nationally for return on investment (ROI), with a lifetime ROI of approximately $1.5 million.
Student Outcomes:
Accomplishment Rate: Drake boasts a 97.3 percent accomplishment rate, indicating that nearly all 2023 graduates are employed, in graduate school, or pursuing professional goals within six months of graduation, compared to the national average of 85.7 percent.
Internship Participation: 92.7 percent of Drake graduates had internships, well above the 60 percent national average for 2023. Interns are twice as likely to secure employment post-graduation compared to non-interns.
Statements:
President Marty Martin: “We are thrilled to be named on The Wall Street Journal’s list of top colleges for the second year in a row. These results further solidify what we know to be true—that Drake University is a national leader in integrating liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation to ready students for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishment, and responsible global citizenship.”
About the Rankings:
WSJ/College Pulse Rankings: The WSJ/College Pulse Best Colleges list ranks the top 500 undergraduate institutions based on value provided to students, assessing learning environment, debt repayment, degree completion rates, post-graduation salaries, and diversity. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, Census Bureau, and a nationwide survey of approximately 110,000 undergraduates and recent alumni.
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