Improvement of Nearly 20 Spots Since 2022
Farmingdale State College (FSC) today announced its national ranking in the top five on the 2023 Social Mobility Index from CollegeNET. FSC is the only Long Island institution and one of just three New York colleges in the top 10 on the latest list.
“Given that Farmingdale serves thousands of middle- and working-class students, this recognition by CollegeNET validates our mission and underscores that there is great value in earning the college degrees that FSC offers,” said FSC President John S. Nader, PhD.
The Social Mobility Index (SMI) measures the extent to which a college or university educates more economically disadvantaged students (with family incomes below the national median) at lower tuition and graduates them into good paying jobs.
FSC has often scored well in various indicators of social mobility and early career earnings. About 70% of FSC students work while they pursue their degrees. Many are first-generation college attenders, veterans, and recent immigrants.
FSC delivers a comprehensive range of support services designed to help students succeed. Private, federal and state-funded, its services offer counseling, tutoring, financial assistance, internship and research opportunities, and more. Students served by these programs have outstanding retention and graduation rates, including an 81% graduation rate in its Research Aligned Mentorship (RAM) Program and a 71% graduation rate in its Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP).
In addition, FSC’s Nexus Center for Applied Learning & Career Development promotes real-world learning, co-curricular activities, and extensive recruiting events. In 2022-2023, 2,755 students participated in credit-bearing, applied learning placements through the Center.
FSC graduates leave prepared to “solve the brain drain” and fuel our region’s talented workforce in careers and occupations crucial to Long Island. According to census data released in March 2023, between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022, people moved out of New York State at a higher percentage than anyplace else in the Northeast. However, 78% of FSC graduates stay and are working on Long Island six months after graduation.
Using data collected from third party sources, including the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), CollegeNET calculates the SMI from six variables: ethos, published tuition, family income, graduation rate, median salary approximately five years after graduation, and endowment. The 2023 SMI marks 10 years of ranking U.S. colleges and universities according to how well they advance educational opportunities and successful outcomes for economically disadvantages students.
