Bridgewater College has been recognized as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report, which recently announced its 2022-23 rankings. The College is among the top 200 institutions recognized by U.S. News as leaders in the field of educating the whole person and providing a well-rounded educational experience. Bridgewater lands on U.S. News’ list year after year, which is a testament to the College’s mission of continually adding innovative academic programming and high-impact extracurricular opportunities that translate to student success.
“We feel fortunate to be recognized as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. So many people in our BC community work tirelessly and build strong relationships with our students and their families to make rankings like these happen,” said Bridgewater College Vice President of Enrollment Management Michael Post.
Bridgewater improved from the prior year in both its U.S. News’ rankings as a national Liberal Arts College and a Top Performer in Social Mobility for National Liberal Arts Colleges. The Top Performers in Social Mobility list features colleges that successfully graduate a large number of economically disadvantaged students. About one in three students at Bridgewater College is Pell eligible, meaning they display exceptional financial need and qualify for federal Pell grants (Pell eligible students at BC were awarded more than $2.1 million in grants in 2021-22). BC’s commitment to providing an affordable education extends to its entire student population; the College awarded more than $40 million in scholarships and aid to students in 2020-21.
For the rankings, U.S. News evaluated 1,500 colleges and universities on up to 17 measures of academic quality. To calculate the rankings, U.S. News focuses on academic quality and places emphasis on outcome measures including graduation rates, retention rates, graduate indebtedness and social mobility. Outcomes are the most highly weighted ranking factor, contributing 40% to each school’s overall score.
“BC is known for its excellence in providing an accessible and affordable undergraduate and graduate educational experience for students,” Post said. “These rankings are a reflection of BC’s commitment to quality academic programs and putting student success at the forefront of educational experiences that connect our students with the world and set them up for future success.”
Media Contact:
Jessica Luck
Editor & Director of Media Relations
Jluck@bridgewater.edu
(540) 828-5720
