Mount Saint Mary College was recently recognized as one of the nation’s top higher education institutions in the inaugural “America’s Best Colleges of 2026–2027” ranking, published by TIME magazine in partnership with Statista.
Securing a spot among only 500 colleges nationwide, the Mount was evaluated on objective, federal data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
Unlike rankings that rely on selectivity rates or prestige surveys, the TIME / Statista methodology focuses on an institution’s “value-added” impact – measuring concrete graduate earnings and degree completion rates relative to student intake, alongside learning environment and campus attractiveness.
The ranking evaluated thousands of degree-granting institutions across three core pillars:
- Student Outcomes (75 percent): Graduate earnings, return on investment, and graduation rate performance.
- Learning Environment (15 percent): Student-to-faculty ratios, instructional investment per student, and socio-economic inclusivity.
- Attractiveness (10 percent): Institutional desirability and student retention metrics.
The recognition reflects the Mount’s strong career pipelines, particularly across its acclaimed Schools of Nursing and Business, as well as its teacher education programs.
To view the full rankings and methodology, visit TIME’s America’s Best Colleges.
Founded in 1959 by the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh, Mount Saint Mary College is an independent, coeducational liberal arts college offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in nursing, business, education, the arts, and sciences. Located 60 miles north of New York City along the Hudson River, the Mount provides students with a values-guided curriculum and hands-on preparation for impactful careers.