Career pathways created by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s educational environment infused with innovation, intellectual rigor, and individual attention have been cited this fall after student surveys were conducted by the Wall Street Journal and the Princeton Review.

That’s why the college has been listed among the best colleges in the nation by both international publications, along with other college guides. 

In its first appearance in the Wall Street Journal’s Best Colleges in America guide, Rose-Hulman ranked No. 17 overall in the nation. Princeton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and Harvard topped the list. 

In the Wall Street Journal 2024 Best Colleges subcategories, Rose-Hulman earned No. 1 rankings in both learning opportunities and learning facilities, with students specifically citing interactions with faculty, collaboration with other students, available campus workspaces, and satisfaction with physical classroom/teaching spaces. Rose-Hulman ranked second in the nation in the likelihood of students recommending the college to others, and fourth in career preparation.

Meanwhile, the 2024 edition of the Princeton Review’s Best 389 Colleges guide has highlighted Rose-Hulman as the No. 1 college for internships among private colleges and universities, while being a top-10 college for career placement and career services. The college also was listed among the Best Value Colleges, Best Midwest Colleges, and Best Green Colleges.

In response to these recent rankings, President Robert A. Coons stated, “At Rose-Hulman, we believe that a high-quality, immersive, and engaging educational environment with state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities is paramount to our longstanding commitment to inspiring and preparing our students for lives of purpose and success. Our internship and co-op program provides our students with the opportunity to gain valuable real-world experience and build professional connections. By their junior year, 90% of our students have had at least one internship, co-op, or research experience. Our impressive placement rate of over 98% for the entire graduating class has been consistent for the last two decades.” 

The President continued, “We believe that a strong return on investment is achieved through the combination of our high-quality education, cutting-edge facilities, and exceptional career opportunities. These elements inspire our students to achieve their maximum potential and turn their dreams into reality.”

Experiences by senior chemical engineering major Courtney Valmore were cited by the Wall Street Journal. She has benefitted from summer internships with Procter & Gamble, Eli Lilly and Company and Endress+Hauser, strong relationships with campus faculty and staff members, Rose-Hulman’s alumni network, and student leadership roles to earn multiple career opportunities – even before beginning her last year at Rose-Hulman.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, but Rose-Hulman has set me up for the future, and I’m not the only student who can attest to that fact. Coming here (from Indianapolis) has been everything that I thought it would be,” said Valmore, who is a Noblitt Scholar who is serving her third year as Student Government Association president. “Rose-Hulman is so accommodating to its students. They want to see them succeed.”

An example, according to Valmore, is how the college created a special two-hour convocation period, with no classes or laboratory sessions, during the fall quarter academic quarter – providing an opportunity for all students to attend the Office of Career Services’ Fall Career Fair. A total of 283 companies attended last year’s event and even more are expected to fill the Sports and Recreation Center’s fieldhouse on September 27.

Also, alumni helped make internship opportunities available for Valmore and other students.

“Rose’s alumni network is incredible and so valuable,” said Valmore. 

Rankings for the Wall Street Journal’s America’s Best College 2024 guide resulted from one of the largest ever independent surveys of college students in the U.S., with more than 60,000 undergraduates and recent undergraduate alumni. They provided feedback to College Pulse on colleges that are a great value in terms of tuition, learning environment, degree completion, and the likelihood of a higher salary after graduation.

See more about the college’s rankings and distinctions at www.rose-hulman.edu/rankings.