A Massachusetts College Was Ranked Second in the Country for Best Value

Photo by C.C. Chapman on Flickr/Creative Commons

When it comes to smart investments, students at Bentley University hone their expertise in more ways than one.

In a new best colleges ranking from Money, Bentley was placed high on the list of colleges that add the most value. The renowned Waltham business school clocked in at number two in the country, topped only by Molloy College in Rockville Centre, New York.

What does a college that “adds the most value” look like? Money explains a college that helps students perform better than expected when considering their academic and economic backgrounds receives a fair “comparative-value grade.”

Unlike elite schools that market alumni success and high graduation rates, schools with high comparative-value grades boast high percentages of student loan repayment in addition to earnings and graduation rates. Money eliminated schools with graduation rates below 50 percent and adjusted the alumni earnings numbers to coordinate with the majors at each college.

Two other local colleges made the list—Providence College turned up as number six, and College of the Holy Cross was number 12.

As the second most valuable school, Bentley costs $61,200 to attend without financial aid. It averages $34,500 with aid, and according to Money, about 44 percent of students receive need-based aid. The number of students who receive merit aid, or scholarships from the school, is 20 percent.

Compare all of those numbers to Bentley’s early-career earnings—which come to $58,000 annually—and you’ve got yourself an education that gets a lot of bang for its buck.