Loyola University Maryland has been named the nation’s No. 9 master’s university by Washington Monthly, a Washington, D.C.-based magazine focused on politics and government.
Washington Monthly has published a rankings guide for colleges and universities since 2005. This year marks the first time the magazine has expanded beyond national universities and liberal arts colleges to rank master’s universities (Loyola’s category), baccalaureate colleges, and community colleges. Washington Monthly’s rankings aim to recognize institutions that encourage their students to give back to their communities, and thus consider criteria such as the size of a school’s Reserve Officer Training Corps; the number of alumni currently serving in the Peace Corps; percentage of federal work study grant funds spent on community service projects; number of students participating in community service and number of hours of service performed; the number of staff supporting community service; the number of academic courses that incorporate service; and whether the school provides scholarships for community service. The methodology also considers research expenditures, the number of students receiving Pell Grants, and a school’s predicted graduation rate (based on the magazine’s formula considering number of Pell Grant recipients and students’ average SAT scores) versus its actual graduation rate.
Loyola joins six other Jesuit institutions among Washington Monthly’s Top 20 master’s universities: Creighton University (No. 2), LeMoyne College (No. 5), Xavier University (No. 12), University of Scranton (No. 14); John Carroll University (No. 15); and Gonzaga University (No. 17).
For a complete list of this year’s rankings and additional information, visit www.washingtonmonthly.com.
For more information or questions regarding this story, contact Media Relations Manager Nick Alexopulos at nalexopulos@loyola.edu or 410-617-5025.