Latest news with #BestColleges
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The 10 most popular college majors and median salaries
Collegebound students wondering about the most popular majors would do well to consider statistics from Utilizing data from the National Center for Education and Statistics (NCES) and from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the site identified the most popular majors and their median annual salary as of May 2023. Business came in first place with popular areas of specialty including Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Analytics, Marketing, Management, and Supply Chain Management/Logistics. Median Annual Salary: $79,050. Healthcare took second place and includes majors such as Nursing, Public health, Sports Medicine, Healthcare Administration, and Health Informatics. Median Annual Salary: $80,820. Social Sciences and History ranked third. Common specializations include Economics, Political Science, Anthropology, Criminology, and Sociology. Median Annual Salary: $78,280. Biological and Biomedical Sciences came in fourth place. Majors include Biology, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Environmental Science, and Microbiology. Median Annual Salary: $92,100. More: Five ways to avoid, reduce college debt | College Connection Psychology took fifth place with common specializations in Behavioral Psychology, Child & Adolescent Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology and Organizational Psychology. Median Annual Salary: $92,740. Engineering ranked sixth with popular areas of specialty including Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Computer, Mechanical, Industrial, and Aeronautical Engineering. Median Annual Salary: $92,420. Computer and Information Sciences came in seventh place. Popular specializations include AI Engineering, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Information Systems, Network Security, Software Engineering, and Web Development. Median Annual Salary: $104,420. Visual and Performing Arts ranked eighth and includes Animation, Art History, Dance, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Music, Photography, Video Game Design, and Interior Design. Median Annual Salary: $51,660. Education came in ninth place and includes all levels of education: elementary, middle school, and secondary education. It also covers all subject areas. Median Annual Salary: $59,940. More: Demonstrated interest bolsters acceptance rate | College Connection Communications and Journalism ranked 10th. Popular areas include Advertising, Public Relations, Editing, Media Communication, and Technical Writing. Median Annual Salary: $66,320. Students wondering about the difficulty of various fields might be interested in learning that Engineering and Biomedical Sciences are considered among the most challenging and time-intensive majors. Majors considered among the easiest include Visual and Performing Arts, Communications and Journalism, and Education. Also helpful to note, according to the BLS, is that the highest median salaries are for Biological & Biomedical Sciences and Computer & Information Sciences. But the Biomedical Science majors typically pursue advanced degrees after graduating from college while the Computer & Information Science majors usually go straight into the workforce. Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit or call 908-369-5362. This article originally appeared on The 10 most popular college majors and their median salaries Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What are the cheapest, most expensive colleges in Georgia?
Financial news outlet Money has published its annual list of the Best Colleges in America, featuring more than 700 four-year institutions nationwide. Each school received a rating out of five stars, based on its educational quality, affordability, and student outcomes. Along with star ratings, the list includes important metrics such as acceptance rates, estimated full price for the 2025–2026 academic year, estimated net price after average aid, and graduation rates. Here's which ones in Georgia landed a spot and which one did the best in each metric: What is the best college in Georgia? Georgia Tech was the only school that earned five stars. Those that were not far behind with 4.5 stars were Emory University and the University of Georgia. What college in Georgia has the highest acceptance rate? Augusta University had the highest acceptance rate at 89%. What college in Georgia has the lowest acceptance rate? Emory University had the lowest acceptance rate at 11%. What college in Georgia had the highest graduation rate? Georgia Tech had the highest graduation rate at 92%. What college in Georgia had the lowest graduation rate? Clark Atlanta University had the lowest graduation rate at 42%. What is the cheapest college in Georgia? Fort Valley State University had the lowest full price at $21,030 while Clayton State University had the lowest price with average aid at $10,000. What is the most expensive college in Georgia? Emory University had the highest full price at $86,780 while Savannah College of Art and Design had the highest price with average aid at $49,400. What are the best colleges in Georgia? Here's a full list of the 17 schools ranked by Money: Agnes Scott College in Decatur Augusta University in Augusta Berry College in Mount Merry Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta Clayton State University in Morrow Covenant College in Lookout Mountain Emory University in Atlanta Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville Georgia State University in Atlanta Georgia Tech in Atlanta Mercer University in Macon Morehouse College in Atlanta Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah Spelman College in Atlanta Thomas University in Thomasville University of Georgia in Athens Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Money ranks 17 Georgia colleges among best in US Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
14-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
College Tuition Keep Rising. Here's The Hidden Reason Why
Everyone Says They Want Lower Tuition. Then They Ask For A Climbing Wall Everyone Says They Want Lower Tuition. Then They Ask For A Climbing Wall. It's that time of year again—the moment when tuition bills land in mailboxes and inboxes across the country. Over the next few weeks, most colleges will send tuition invoices. Whether you're a college student staring down the balance due, or a parent supporting one, you're probably wondering: why does it cost so much to get a college degree these days? Six years ago, I left a job on Wall Street to take a job as a college president. As I entered this new role, my primary concern was the rising cost of tuition -- not just at the college I lead, but at every school. Viewing it through the lens of corporate finance, one thing became disturbingly clear: the underlying business model of higher education is deeply flawed. In many ways, it operates less like a sustainable enterprise and more like a high-stakes game of musical chairs. The system functions smoothly—at least on the surface—as long as new students keep coming who are willing to shoulder ever-increasing costs. But when rising tuition outpaces the value delivered, the return on investment in a college degree inevitably erodes. What doesn't make sense is why no one is doing anything about it. After all, the crisis facing higher education is well-known. For example, the BestColleges report notes that over 80 nonprofit colleges have closed or merged since 2020. And the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia predicts that up to 80 closures could occur annually, beginning this year Nearly every college president in the country already possesses a firm grasp of the scope, severity, and urgency of the problem. So why are so few higher education leaders trying to solve it? The Incentive Problem At first, when I stepped into the presidency, this was simply a puzzle to me—a mystery I couldn't explain or understand. But I shrugged it off, focusing instead on charting a different path and becoming the exception to the rule. More than six years later, it is clearer to me why solving the problem of rising tuition is so difficult. It's the same reason any persistent problem doesn't get solved: those in a position to solve it are heavily incentivized not to. Solutions to problems usually occur because a single condition is met: there is some sort of reward for solving it. That's how progress is made. That's why people are willing to take risks, and experiment, and keep trying after they fail—if they solve the problem, they get a reward. So in those instances when problems aren't solved, we need to look at incentives before anything else. That's usually where the trouble lies. This dynamic isn't unique to academia. It mirrors what we see in electoral politics. Commentators have long pointed out that what's best for the politician often isn't what's best for their constituents or the country as a whole. A Stanford School of Business article highlights how politicians often maintain outdated politics because it's more advantageous electorally than serving the broader public good. The politicians who focus exclusively on keeping their jobs tend to be the ones who stay in office. Those politicians who try to do what's best for the country tend to be the ones who are sent packing in November. There are exceptions, of course—every once in a while, a senator will come along who decides to do what's right and lives to tell about it. But after surveying 200 years of American history, John F. Kennedy was able to find only eight of these. These stories were exceptional enough to become material for a best-selling book, Profiles in Courage. Key Stakeholders Are All Pushing Costs Higher It took me a few years to realize that college presidents are in much the same situation as politicians. The reason courage is so exceptional among our ranks is because courage is not rewarded. Rather, the best way for college presidents to keep their jobs is by focusing primarily on keeping their jobs. And when it comes to the cost of tuition, that usually means allowing costs to grow higher, in order to satisfy the desires of key stakeholders. Let me explain. There are four key stakeholder groups that college presidents must keep happy: students, faculty, donors, and the board of trustees. On some issues, their interests diverge, and the president becomes a referee. But when it comes to cost, they share a common posture—even if it's not always articulated. Each group, in its own way, exerts pressure that drives tuition higher. They may not say it out loud. They may not even realize it. But collectively, they're asking for more costs—not less. What Students Say vs. What They Want Students, of course, say they want lower tuition—as do their parents. But then, they'll turn around and ask for things like nicer dorms, upgraded dining options, new athletic facilities, and improved amenities. And to state the obvious, all these things cost money. This dynamic is true only to a point. Any student who gets into Harvard could likely get a full-ride to a number of colleges with better facilities, yet they still choose Harvard. But that's not the real scenario facing most students. Rather, the actual decision is usually between College A and College B, both of which are relatively on par academically. And in that situation, with all else being equal, facilities and amenities typically become the deciding factor. If you doubt this, talk to any college admissions department. The Role Of Donors The good news is that donors love to fund these kind of buildings. The bad news? That's almost exclusively what they love to fund. A 2024 Gordian analysis found that campuses are investing more than ever before to expand their physical footprint–even as enrollment declines nationally. Donors may say they want to support student access and affordability programs, but what usually inspires an actual check is a building project. Buildings are tangible, visible, and we can put their name on it. In theory, if a new building is funded by donor money, it can be built without increasing tuition or fees paid by students. The trouble is that it's extremely rare to receive a gift that covers 100 percent of a project. And even in those exceptional cases where the upfront costs are paid in full by a gift, there are still the additional expenses associated with new spaces - things like support staff, utilities, IT, and various other forms of overhead. A new building is never a one-time expense. It rather necessitates a permanent increase to the annual operating budget. The result is higher costs. Faculty Requests Faculty, for their part, are less concerned with facilities. But they do frequently champion things like new programs, new academic centers, more research dollars, and higher compensation. These are not selfish or unreasonable requests. Just like in any other profession, the daily life of a professor can look very different depending on how well funded their institution or department is. If a professor starts publishing noteworthy research, it won't be long before they get an offer from a larger, more reputable school. As this salary analysis shows, professors at elite institutions often earn double the salary while teaching half the course load. If a professor has been making $75,000 a year teaching four courses each semester, and someone comes along and offers them $150,000 to teach two courses each semester, that's hard to turn down. Unless, of course, your current institution can match it. Board Priorities And The Chase For Prestige The last key stakeholder group is the Board of Trustees. In theory, this should be the constituency pushing for lower costs. But in practice, most boards aren't terribly interested in the minutiae of fiscal responsibility and operational efficiencies. Rather, higher education boards spend most of the time talking about institutional reputation and prestige. To preserve or increase the college's level of prestige is always a competitive endeavor. It means new things. New programs. New facilities. And of course it means trying to climb in the rankings. Meanwhile, every other school is trying to do the same thing. And each aspect of that arms race requires money. The Path Forward To be clear, this situation isn't anyone's fault. But it is a mess. And until we clean it up together, the future of American higher education will remain perilously in question. Real solutions will require courageous leadership—not just from college presidents, but also from students, donors, faculty, and boards who band together and say, 'We believe something must be done about the ever-rising costs. And we're ready to start here.'
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
California State University on Central Coast scores high in national college survey
A university on California's Central Coast received top marks in a national review of the best colleges in America. Cal State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) scored 4.5 stars on Money's 2025 Best Colleges in America. In fact, every California State University campus was rated four stars or higher—15 of the universities placed in the top 10% nationwide, and nine earned 5-star ratings. California State University is the nation's largest four-year public university system; its 22 universities serve more than 460,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. 'The tremendous scale at which we are graduating and serving students across the CSU is truly impactful, and indeed unmatched among four-year higher education systems," said CSU Chancellor Mildred García in a press release. Related: These 18 California colleges got five stars in Money's 2025 Best Colleges Report At less than $7,000 per year, CSU's undergraduate tuition is among the lowest in the country, according to CSU officials. More than 80% of students receive some form of financial aid and more than half graduate with no student loan debt. Money rated the country's top 732 colleges using 25 factors in three categories: quality of education, including graduation rates, affordability, which takes into account net price of a degree and student debt, and outcomes such as graduate earnings and economic mobility for low and moderate-income students. Located just a mile from the beach at the former Fort Ord army base, CSUMB was lauded by Money for its "oceanfront views" and gave it high marks for being both accessible and affordable. 'About 80% of first-year students receive scholarships or grants, and a Monterey Bay degree sets them up for success, with the university earning a high score on Third Way's Economic Mobility Index,' the survey reads. Sign up for our alerts to receive the latest updates on important news. 'We are proud to receive 4.5 stars from Money magazine in its survey,' CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones said in a press release. 'This recognition reflects our commitment to providing affordable, accessible education and promoting both social and upward mobility for students from all backgrounds. At Cal State Monterey Bay, students find their place, realize their potential and prepare to make a lasting impact in their communities.' In June, CSUMB was one of only 12 schools to receive a five-star rating in Money's list of Best Education Master's Programs for Your Money. Last year, in its college annual rankings, U.S. News and World Report named CSUMB No. 1 for social mobility among Western regional universities. The California State University on July 9, announced the winners of its first-ever Artificial Intelligence Educational Innovations Challenge. Sixty-three faculty-led projects were selected for their potential to enable transformative teaching methods, foster groundbreaking research and address key concerns about AI adoption within the academic environment, CSU officials stated. CSU faculty submitted more than 400 proposals representing over 750 faculty members systemwide. Each campus will have at least two projects. The Chancellor's Office will award a total of $3 million to fund the winning proposals At CSUMB, ethical AI instruction will be embedded across seven core courses in its secondary teacher education program, which will empower future middle school and high school teachers to foster critical thinking and digital responsibility in their students, college officials said. A full list of projects can be found here. Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at The Californian, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Best colleges in America: Cal State Monterey Bay ranks high on 2025 list
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
5 Free AI Certifications That Pay $100,000+ Without A Degree
AI certificates can help you build high-income skills without the burden of debt getty Can you imagine what it would be like to make more than $100,000 a year, and not have to worry about student loan repayments sucking the lifeblood out of your salary? The average American professional is in a student loan repayment crisis. And that's precisely where free AI certifications close the financial gap, because you can boost your income without needing to undergo expensive, four-year courses. To paint the vivid picture of what everyday workers are facing in the United States, here are some quick stats that will have you reeling in horror and disbelief: Nearly 43 million Americans are engulfed in student debt, per a Best Colleges report Federal student debt isn't shrinking, it's actually tripled in the 18 years since 2007 About a third of all U.S. adults have taken out a student loan at some point In 2020, the NCSL (National Conference of State Legislatures) noted that 'with over $1.6 trillion in outstanding debt, student loan borrowing has eclipsed both credit card debt and auto loans as the second-highest source of consumer debt, trailing only home mortgages." The highest burden of student debt rests on those with a veterinary degree, as well as graduates from specialized schools such as: Dental school ($296,500) Medical school ($212,341) Pharmacy school ($170,956) Law school ($132,740) Graduate degree-holders, who are typically associated with six-figure salaries, are also plunged in six-figure debt. Quite a bleak financial picture for the U.S. workforce, right? Well, along comes AI, and it transforms everything. Legacy job titles and career paths are swiftly entering extinction, and will be entirely obsolete by 2030. New job titles that we hadn't previously heard of, are now gaining in popularity. And existing roles are being reinvented to now require AI savviness. That's why you need to study AI certifications. AI certifications are the perfect solution because: Many of them are free or extremely affordable You can complete them at your own pace, no pressure on your schedule Most AI certifications are suitable for beginners They can boost your salary by as much as 47%, according to Indeed Here are a few to put on your radar right now: Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals (IBM SkillsBuild) Google Prompting Essentials Specialization (offered via Coursera for free for their initial trial period; this can be completed if you have the week off work for PTO) Free Online Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Career Empowerment (Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland) The Rise of Multi-Agent Systems (IBM SkillsBuild) Learn the OpenAI API Playground (Codeacademy) How Can I Use AI To Make $100,000 Without A Degree? Each of these courses and certificates, when completed and added to your resume/LinkedIn profile, has the potential to lead you to making $100,000 in income. Here's how: You can use your newfound AI skills to launch an AI-powered business related to your expertise You can start an AI consultancy (some projects pay in excess of $150,000) You can skill stack and boost your value in the job market by as much as 47% (so for the U.S. professional making $80,000 on average, you'd earn as much as $117,000 as a result of undertaking these free AI certifications) You could also use Gen AI tools like ChatGPT to self-tutor and learn high-income skills AI can help you boost your earning potential, but you need to be smart about it. Don't just study any course for the sake of it. Completing a free AI course can boost your salary up to 47% getty Find the AI certifications and courses that resonate with your long-term career goals and complement the niche/industry you already work in. The AI courses you study should complement your existing work, so you can witness almost immediate value as you apply the principles and techniques you've been taught. Which free certification will you enrol on today?
