Our editorial values

Objectivity

Our college rankings, aimed at helping students choose where and what to study, are based exclusively on publicly released U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Of course, no college ranking methodology can be entirely objective. What to factor into a ranking score involves a degree of subjectivity. However, by focusing on narrow, clearly defined, quantifiable factors, namely graduate earnings, we avoid many of the pitfalls faced by more traditional college rankings.

Transparency

No “secret sauce” here: our ranking methodology is openly shared. We are also transparent about our refinement process. We know our methodology is not perfect; we continually work to improve it and we share changes to our ranking approach as they arise.

Our college rankings are entirely independent of our commercial partnerships. Any advertisements or commercial elements appearing on our site are explicitly designated as such.

All blog posts state the author’s name in a byline linked to an author page providing further information about the writer. None of our content is AI-generated.

Usefulness

Our site is, at its core, a tool. Prospective students and their families can use our school rankings and data-backed articles to help make informed financial decisions about higher education.

The Department of Education figures we use are publicly available, but, as with any massive data set, they can be challenging to sift through and apply practically. That’s where we step in. We analyze the data and then transform it into accessible, useful, and actionable information that tells you which colleges and universities in America provide the best return on investment (ROI).

Verification

We use expert reviewers and a careful editorial process to fact-check everything we share. Our blog articles are written by staff writers or recognized subject matter experts (SMEs) who cite official government data. Staff writers are also responsible for creating our core content, which is verified by our SMEs.

If we make a definitive statement about educational return on investment, it is based on U.S. Department of Education data. When other facts or figures are used to back statements or arguments, we always link to the original source. We aim to reference only high-quality, reliable sources.

Each spring, when the Department of Education releases new degree earnings and cost data, we update our rankings. All blog and evergreen content is reviewed at least once a year to ensure its continued relevance and reliability.

Purpose

We want each piece of content we create to bring value to the reader.

Therefore, before writing anything, we ask ourselves:

• Who are we writing for?
• Are the readers we have in mind asking this question?

We take a “people-first” approach to content.

• Are there good answers to this question out there already?
• Can we add anything new to this conversation?

We use original research and analysis to offer clear, unique, and insightful answers to the questions people have about choosing a college in America.

• What are we good at?
• Do we have the expertise or data to answer this question?

Our expertise is in educational ROI. We will not write blogs about the prettiest dorms in America or what the best laptop for college students is. We stick to what we know and what we’re good at.