2023-24 Best Colleges Report: Mount Mary University continues to lead Midwest in diversity and social mobility

Mount Mary continues to lead educational institutions in the Midwest in graduating diverse and low-income students, and in providing value for all students regardless of their background, according to the Best Colleges Report by U.S. News and World Report released today.

FALL 2023
ENTERING UNDERGRADUATE PROFILE

75% identify as a person of color
This number has been rising since 2017, when the figure was 67%

41% identify as Hispanic
Mount Mary became a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in Spring 2020

73% are Pell eligible

44% are first generation in their family to attend college

Source: MMU Department of Institutional Research Full-time undergraduates, fall 2023.

*Pell eligibility and first generation status are available only for students completing the FAFSA

“Our mission calls us to educate our diverse women to transform the world,” said Mount Mary President Isabelle Cherney, Ph.D. “Through equity-focused excellence, unparalleled support, small classes and outstanding faculty, we provide a world-class learning environment at an affordable price.” 

#1 SOCIAL MOBILITY: Mount Mary ranks #1 in the Midwest among regional universities in this category, which measures the success rate of graduating Pell students based upon six-year graduation rates. Last year, Mount Mary was the top-ranked Wisconsin institution in this category and #2 for Regional Universities. 

ETHNIC DIVERSITY: Mount Mary is among the top-performing regional institutions in the Midwest for ethnic diversity.

ECONOMIC DIVERSITY: With 67% of students receiving Pell grants, Mount Mary is recognized as one of the top performers in the Midwest among regional universities. The report states: “U.S. News believes that Pell figures are the best available gauge of institutions’ relative commitment to access for all.”

#23 BEST VALUE: Affordability is measured by four indicators, the ratio of quality to price; the amount of need-based aid, the percent of need-based aid recipients awarded scholarships or grants; and the average discount. Mount Mary remains among the top three in Wisconsin higher educational institutions in this category.

AMONG THE BEST SCHOOLS: Mount Mary is #47 overall among regional universities in the Midwest, rising 11 places over the previous year. The university outperformed six University of Wisconsin schools in the same category.

“This recent ranking reflects our commitment to upward mobility,” stated Mount Mary Director of Institutional Research Leah Adams-Curtis, Ph.D. “Not only do we recruit Pell eligible students, we continuously work toward their future success.”