Recently, the 2026 Best Colleges analysis was made public, with Keene State ranking highly in a couple of different categories.
The rankings were released by U.S News and World Report, which has been releasing college rankings for over four decades now, analyzing around 1,700 U.S colleges and universities.
Keene State ranked No. 9 in Regional Colleges North, which includes colleges in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island and Maryland. Keene State ranked ninth out of 68 colleges in the ranking.
Keene State also saw a No. 6 ranking in Top Public Schools, up five spots from last year, and a No. 6 ranking in Best Value College, up three spots from the last report. KSC ranked No. 47 for Top Performers on Social Mobility.
According to the KSC news release, “The best-value calculation, meanwhile, considers a college’s academic quality and net cost of attendance for an out-of-state student who received the average level of need-based financial aid.”
Social Mobility refers to the work a college has done to help every one of their students with their socioeconomic status. Importantly, 35% of Keene State’s students are first-generation college students, and 100% of the student population utilizes financial aid in some sort of way.
In an email statement, Paul Miller, the director of strategic communications, offered his feelings regarding the ranking.
“At a time when we know there is some uncertainty around the value proposition of a college degree, this year’s national, independent, and credible U.S. News and World Report rankings are exciting and affirming. We believe Keene State offers tremendous value for the students and families who are promised as much,” Miller stated.
“We enjoy touting the rankings, and we leverage them in our digital marketing as we explore new markets, student types, and hope to appeal to potential enrollees,” Miller went on. “Our rankings in three major categories improved, including rising six spots higher, to No. 9, in Top Regional Colleges in the North. U.S. News & World Report uses a rigorous, metrics-based evaluation to arrive at its rankings.”
Melinda Treadwell, president of KSC, provided her thoughts about the improvement in rankings.
“I am excited at this further evidence that this college is doing well and being recognized by external agencies for that,” Treadwell said. “These are the same rankings we’ve been celebrating the past few years, and it says a lot about our quality. Our value. Our focus is on the students and about the excellence of what happens here.”
Treadwell specifically commented on No. 47 ranking for Social Mobility.
“I think the dominant impact of our campus is a school that really does great work for first-gen students, like me, and others who come here,” Treadwell said. “That ranking and that fact that we’re climbing in that ranking is one of the most significant since the purpose of this college is to open doors and possibilities. And particularly for, as a public institution, students that may not aspire or see a pathway to that. The fact that they find their way here and because of their engagement here, like me, their lives are changed.”
“That social mobility means we break the generational bonds of poverty,” Treadwell went on. “It’s the students who break the bonds, but that to me is a tremendous pride point for the institution and one that all of us should hold on to really closely.”
Chloe Erno can be contacted at
cerno@kscequinox.com
