Montclair State University

Photo: Mike Peters

America's Best Colleges, Forbes’ annual list of the best colleges and universities in the nation has ranked Montclair State University as the number one public institution in New Jersey, and the state’s third best college or university overall. The America's Best Colleges list, released August 5, 2009.

On the Forbes list for America’s Best Public Colleges, Montclair State came in at number 54 in the nation and number one in New Jersey.

In addition to being named on the “Best Colleges” lists, Montclair State was also listed as a “Best Buy” university in a separate ranking jointly compiled by Forbes and the Washington DC-based, not-for-profit organization, the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP). The list, 25 Best Buy Northeastern Colleges, put Montclair State at number 15 in the Northeast and second in New Jersey.

The Forbes and CCAP rankings use a methodology that draws data from various sources. According to Forbes, 25 percent of the rankings are based on student satisfaction with course instruction, and 25 percent on indicators of post-graduate employment success. Other factors considered are the likelihood of graduation within four years, estimated average four year student loan debt, and cost issues, among others. Their complete methodology is detailed on their Web site at Methodology.

The methodology used by Forbes is gradually gaining support over the methodologies used by the more-established college rankings such as those of U.S. News and World Report. In fact, Forbes' America’s Best Colleges was recently singled out by CBS’s MoneyWatch.com as the only recommendable college ranking system. Read the full story in their article, The Real “Best Colleges.”

Read an article from New Jersey Newsroom.

Article Entered Into News System: Thursday, August 6 2009
Article Last Edited: Thursday, October 22 2009