Concord University in West Virginia and Clemson University in South Carolina were both founded shortly after the Civil War. For generations, a swelling population of college-age students, rising enrollment rates and generous student loans helped all schools, even mediocre ones, to flourish. The Journal ranking, which includes most major public and private colleges with more than 1,000 students, focused on how well a college prepares students for life after graduation. The birthrate fell, the pay advantage for college graduates over high-school graduates declined, states cut $9 billion in funding to public colleges and student debt soared. Colleges: A WSJ RankingHow to Find College Aid—by Yourself or With HelpSavvy Ways to Take Withdrawals from College AccountsWhich Colleges Will Have to Pay Taxes on Their Endowment?

Source: Wall Street Journal February 21, 2018 10:30 UTC