The annual U.S. News Best Colleges rankings were released, and Aquinas is again celebrated for its excellence.
Aquinas College has again been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top-performing higher education institution, earning a spot in the Top 20 Regional Colleges in the Midwest. Aquinas earned four notable placements in this year’s rankings:
- #20 in Overall Rank - Regional Colleges (Midwest)
- #20 in Top Private Colleges - Regional Colleges (Midwest)
- #13 in Best Value Schools - Regional Colleges (Midwest)
- #21 in Top Performers on Social Mobility - Regional Colleges (Midwest)
The recognition reflects Aquinas’ continued commitment to providing students with an exceptional education, strong value, and opportunities to thrive.
For the highly mission-focused Aquinas community, its recognition for social mobility is especially meaningful. The Social Mobility ranking measures how successfully colleges enroll and graduate students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, based in part on Pell Grant eligibility. As a Catholic, Dominican college committed to access, opportunity, and the dignity of every person, creating pathways for students from all backgrounds to thrive is central to the Aquinas mission.
Aquinas’ commitment to access begins with a no-cost application and continues with generous institutional scholarships and grants. Last year, 100% of first-year, traditional-age students received a scholarship or grant from the college. Additionally, the Aquinas Assurance program covered full tuition for eligible students, reflecting Aquinas’ commitment to making a Catholic and Dominican liberal arts education accessible to students regardless of their financial circumstances.
“Making an exceptional education affordable is a point of pride and something we are always keeping top of mind. We believe that every student accepted into the Aquinas family deserves a scholarship, and we work hard to find additional funding. The rise and expansion of the Assurance program speaks to one of our strongest efforts,” says Brian Matzke ’97, Vice President for Enrollment Management.
Beyond bringing in new students, the lives graduates build and lead are every bit a part of this same mission.
Each year, the Aquinas Advantage Center surveys recent graduates through its First Destination Survey to track their outcomes within six months of graduation. The survey is administered through Handshake and follows protocols established by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
According to this survey, 99% of graduates from the class of 2025 are employed, in graduate school, or engaged in service work within six months of graduation.