Don’t underestimate the rankings of best college towns as you help high school seniors explore academic programs, residence options and extracurricular activities in their college decisions.
The rankings, by the personal finance website WalletHub, highlight fun social environments, the costs of living, and ample academic and work opportunities. This off-campus atmosphere is particularly important as a source of cultural, social and religious support for underrepresented students, says Crystal Chambers, a professor of educational leadership in the College of Education at East Carolina University.
“Life off-campus is important to students both as part of their general social development as global citizens, and also as a retreat away from campus,” Chambers told WalletHub. “The latter can be helpful, particularly for those students who feel multiply minoritized.”
Weather was not an official factor, but four cities in Florida are in the top 10 and three Southern California cities made the top 25.
Considering that student living expenses can reach over $30,000 for a 12-month period, “wallet friendliness” is at the top of the 32 factors that determined WalletHub’s best college towns. Housing, tuition, loan debt, and the costs of fitness club memberships, movie tickets, pizza and burgers all figured into the “wallet friendliness” score.
The vibrancy of each city’s social environment was measured by gender balance, students per capita, share of single people and 18- to 35-year-olds, and percentage of residents who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Nightlife options, an NCAA Division 1 sports team, and the number of cafes, breweries and food trucks also earned more points in the rankings.
Finally, the quality of higher education, earnings potential for college graduates, entrepreneurial activity, and rate of “brain drain” were assessed in evaluating the academic and economic opportunities in each metro area. The median income for part-time jobs, the availability of part-time jobs and the unemployment rate were also factors.
Here are the top 30:
- Austin, TX
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Orlando, FL
- Gainesville, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Rexburg, ID
- Provo, UT
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Miami, FL
- Raleigh, NC
- Princeton, NJ
- Orem, UT
- Irvine, CA
- Atlanta, GA
- College Station, TX
- Charlottesville, VA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Seattle, WA
- Ithaca, NY
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Cary, NC
- San Diego, CA
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Athens, GA
- St. Louis, MO
- Cambridge, MA
- Columbus, OH
- Reno, NV
- Oxford, OH
Here’s where to find out if your college or university made the list.
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