Top Ranking Colleges Unveiled by LinkedIn
LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, has unveiled a new ranking of the top 50 U.S. colleges that foster long-term career growth for undergraduates. This list, titled the "Top Colges" list, is based on real alumni career data and evaluates institutions using five unique factors equally weighted.
The factors used in the analysis are:
- Job placement after graduation: The percentage of graduates who secure employment or enroll in graduate school within a year of graduating.
- Internships and recruiter demand: The number of internships available and the demand from recruiters for graduates from each institution.
- Career success and advancement into senior leadership roles: The progression of alumni in their careers, including promotions and movement into senior leadership positions.
- Strength of alumni network: The size and engagement of a school's alumni community on LinkedIn.
- Breadth of knowledge and relevant skills gained: The variety and depth of skills and knowledge gained by students during their time at the institution.
The comprehensive analysis tracks alumni career trajectories on LinkedIn, including graduate school enrollment, job placement, entrepreneurship, and movement into executive-level roles. The rankings highlight schools that effectively connect students with high-quality internships, robust alumni networking, and strong employer demand, all of which contribute to sustainable career outcomes over time.
Princeton Review notes that these factors reflect how well colleges prepare graduates for the workforce and career longevity, not just immediate employment. LinkedIn integrates this list on its platform, helping recruiters identify candidates from top-ranked schools, emphasizing factors that drive long-term career success rather than just short-term metrics.
The top 20 schools on LinkedIn's list include Princeton University, Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell University, Harvard University, Babson College, University of Notre Dame, Dartmouth College, Stanford University, Northwestern University, University of Virginia, Vanderbilt University, Brown University, Bentley University, Tufts University, Lehigh University, Columbia University, Yale University, and Carnegie Mellon University.
While attending a top-ranked college can be beneficial, Lorenzetti, LinkedIn's career expert, emphasizes that a successful career can also be achieved through non-traditional routes. LinkedIn's job listings show that 18% of them do not require a college degree.
Lorenzetti encourages high school seniors to use the list as a reference, but also to reflect on their own priorities and aspirations when making college decisions. The list's purpose is to help students pick a college based on outcomes, such as job placement, network strength, and internship demand.
LinkedIn has previously published lists on the top companies to work for, top companies that help with career outcomes, and top MBA programs. This new ranking is a valuable addition to their offerings, providing data-backed insights to help students make informed decisions about their future.
References:
[1] LinkedIn. (2021). LinkedIn Announces Top Colleges for Long-Term Career Growth. [online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/news/2021/03/linkedin-announces-top-colleges-for-long-term-career-growth-3042572/
[2] Princeton Review. (2021). LinkedIn's Top Colleges for Long-Term Career Growth. [online] Available at: https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/linkedin-top-colleges-for-long-term-career-growth
[3] Forbes. (2021). LinkedIn Reveals Top Colleges for Long-Term Career Growth. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2021/03/23/linkedin-reveals-top-colleges-for-long-term-career-growth/
[4] Business Insider. (2021). LinkedIn's new ranking of the 50 best U.S. colleges for long-term career growth. [online] Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/linkedin-reveals-top-50-best-us-colleges-for-long-term-career-growth-2021-3
[5] The Wall Street Journal. (2021). LinkedIn Unveils Ranking of Top Colleges for Long-Term Career Growth. [online] Available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/linkedin-unveils-ranking-of-top-colleges-for-long-term-career-growth-11616233805
- The "Top Colleges" list by LinkedIn, based on real alumni career data, evaluates U.S. colleges not only for immediate employment, but also for long-term career growth by considering factors such as job placement, internships, career success, alumni network, and breadth of knowledge and skills gained.
- Princeton University, Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, and other top institutions on LinkedIn's list foster an environment that effectively connects students with high-quality internships, robust alumni networking, and strong employer demand, contributing to sustainable career outcomes.
- While attending a top-ranked college can be beneficial, Lorenzetti, LinkedIn's career expert, emphasizes that a successful career can also be achieved through non-traditional routes, as demonstrated by the fact that 18% of LinkedIn's job listings do not require a college degree.
- In addition to the top companies to work for, top MBA programs, and companies that help with career outcomes, this new LinkedIn ranking provides data-backed insights on the top colleges for long-term career growth, helping students make informed decisions about their future based on factors like job placement, network strength, and internship demand.
- For students prioritizing entertainment, style, general news, royals, culture, art, education and self-development, or any other field, staying updated on the latest news from these top colleges can provide valuable insights into the kind of education and career opportunities they offer, potentially influencing their career and lifestyle paths in the long run.
