ALMA — Alma College has been recognized among the nation’s best in The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse’s annual ranking of the Best Colleges in the U.S.
Alma College is one of only three schools in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association to be recognized and one of 18 in the state of Michigan to be named to the list.
Alma finished with an overall score of 35.4, with high marks coming in the areas of Learning Facilities (72/100), Learning Opportunities (69/100) and Preparation for Career (62/100). An analysis found that an Alma education added almost $29,000 in value to its graduates’ salaries.
“Now more than ever, the world needs graduates who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully and live responsibly as stewards of the world they bequeath to future generations,” said Alma College President Joe Odenwald. “An Alma College education does that by instilling a love of learning and celebrating the joy of discovery. We are delighted to see those efforts recognized by The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse.”
Alma scored at No. 544 out of 584 schools in the overall rankings, while also placing in categories for “Student Experience,” “Best Salaries,” “Social Mobility,” and “Best Value.”
The WSJ/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranking is based on key indicators that assess colleges in three areas: student outcomes, survey results and diversity.
Student outcomes account for 70 percent of the weighting. It includes measures of the value colleges add to their students’ outcomes in terms of graduate salaries and graduation rates, and how quickly an education at the college pays for itself through the estimated salary boost attributable to it.
Survey results reflecting the views of students and recent alumni regarding the learning opportunities, career preparation and learning facilities available at their school, and the extent to which they would recommend it, account for 20 percent.
Diversity, at 10 percent, assesses student and faculty ethnic diversity and the inclusion of students from lower-income families and those with disabilities.