Rollins Recognized Among Nation’s Best Colleges for Quality and Affordability

Rollins has again been named in a comprehensive list of the nation’s best colleges by Money.com, a trusted online magazine that provides guidance and resources to help families make informed decisions about where to spend their tuition dollars.

To develop the list and school ratings, Money.com first looked at four-year public and private nonprofit colleges in the country, a group that totals more than 2,400. From there, they narrowed down the schools to a group of 735 based on the following criteria: 1) Must have at least 500 undergraduate students; 2) must have sufficient, reliable data to be analyzed; 3) must not be in financial distress; 4) must have a graduation rate that is at or above the median for its institutional category or have a high “value-added” graduation rate. After collecting and analyzing data on more than 700 qualifying institutions, the schools were assessed based on a combination of quality, affordability, and student outcomes.

To determine the quality of education, the institutions were measured against graduation rates, peer quality, and instructor access, among other criteria. The College boasts an 11:1 student-faculty ratio and a unique mentorship model that provides every student a community of mentors throughout their Rollins journey.

The affordability category took into consideration the net price of a degree and the average student debt, alongside other stats. Each year, around 94 percent of Rollins students receive more than $102 million in combined federal, state, and institutional aid. On average, first-year students with a demonstrated need receive as much as $42,833 in financial support, which makes the dream of a Rollins education a reality for many students who may have thought it wasn’t in reach.

Student outcomes were calculated using stats like alumni salaries 10 years after college entry, employment outcomes, and graduates’ earnings adjusted for majors. For more than 130 years, Rollins has held firm to the belief that a college education should do more than prepare students for their first job. It should help them discover what they truly care about and prepare them to pursue that purpose with all their might. As a result, our graduates’ prospects are as limitless as their ambition, and many have gone on to lead meaningful lives and productive careers everywhere from Amazon and Google to Coca-Cola and Walt Disney World.

The College’s inclusion on Money.com’s 2026 list of best colleges—marking the fifth consecutive year Rollins has earned this distinction since 2022—serves to highlight the importance of our mission and the value of a Rollins education in the marketplace.