College Choice is an independent website that ranks and reviews colleges and universities. Needless to say Tuskegee, one of 25 HBCUs in the U.S., was happy to be at the top.
“I was so very pleased to have learned of this No. 1 ranking in 2015 among HBCUs. It is an affirmation of both Tuskegee’s great tradition and its great trajectory,” said Dr. Brian L. Johnson, Tuskegee University president.
While many HBCUs are struggling, Tuskegee seems to be thriving. Its online education and expanded academic programming and instruction are among the five strategic priorities in Johnson’s vision for the university. Tuskegee will launch the first of eight fully online accredited degree programs this fall, according to a press release.
The school is also a National Historic Landmark, making it the only school in the United States to hold this distinction.
Tuskegee is one of only two Alabama institutions ranked on the College Choice list and, with a score of 86, has the highest academic reputation of the 25 colleges/universities on the list.
Also, U.S. News and World Report, again ranked Tuskegee No. 5 this year among the nation’s historically black institutions and No. 6 for HBCUs that have the highest average freshman retention rates for first-year students. And, Tuskegee is No. 9 among Southern region colleges.
Spelman College and Howard University come in at numbers one and two on the U.S. News and World Report ranking for 2015.
Additionally, in a ranking of 19 Alabama institutions, PayScale.com ranked Tuskegee No. 6 for salary potential. In its 2014-2015 College Salary Report, the site said that the average starting salary for Tuskegee graduates was $50,700. At the mid-level career point, the average salary was 75,100 for degree holders of all types.
