For the second consecutive year, Davis & Elkins College has risen within the Regional Colleges South category to maintain a prominent position in the 2022-2023 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. The College moved up 9 points in its category, improved its overall score by 8 points and claimed the top spot in Social Mobility in West Virginia for its category.
In the Regional Colleges South category, 132 schools were assessed according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. D&E came in at No. 18 in this category, up from No. 27 last year, placing it in the top 15%. In the Top Performers on Social Mobility, D&E rose to the No. 23 spot, a jump from No. 47 last year. Overall, Davis & Elkins earned a score of 63 out of 100 possible points.
Commenting on the recent rankings, D&E President Chris A. Wood said, “Being ranked among the top 15% of Regional Colleges South is simply confirmation of the high-quality educational experience awaiting students. Equally as significant, to be ranked No. 1 in West Virginia in the Regional Colleges South category in social mobility affirms D&E is attracting and serving students from low-income families, and thus successfully increasing their opportunities to enhance their economic outlook, career advancement, and quality of life. Simply put, Davis & Elkins College is a gem in the mountains of Randolph County.”
Performance on Social Mobility measures how successful a college is in enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000. In the current academic year, 40% of D&E students received Pell Grants.
Now in their 38th year, U.S. News & World Report assessed 1,500 colleges and universities on 17 measures of academic quality. Schools are placed into ranking categories, including National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Colleges and Regional Universities. Regional colleges and universities are split into eight categories based on geographic location and whether master’s degrees are offered. U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings offer resources to provide a deeper insight for students and their parents in deciding which college or university may best fit their needs.