UH among top colleges for investment return

With its recent ranking as one of the top U.S. universities in both upward mobility and investment return, University of Houston has reached high marks yet again.

For students, the University’s inclusion on these lists is reassurance that they will get their money’s worth in quality education, career preparation and access to alumni resources.

A study released by the Equality of Opportunity Project shows that UH is among the best universities in the nation for turning low-income scholars into high-earning professionals. The Princeton Review also included UH on its “Colleges That Pay You Back: The 200 Schools That Give You the Best Bang for Your Tuition Buck” list released early last week.

According to a recent news release from the University, 45 percent of undergraduates receive financial assistance from the University in either need-based scholarships or grants.

Financial aid packages, including the Cougar Promise and UHin4, are designed to make education accessible and affordable for students at all income levels. On top of this, recent data shows that 32 percent of UH students moved up two or more income quintiles, making the university’s mobility index one of the highest in the country.

The University has also been ranked as an educational preparatory for a successful career after graduation. Based on the study of upward mobility in U.S. universities, UH ranked highly in several categories, including the share of students who ended up in the top 5 percent.

Among the 200 colleges listed by the Princeton Review, UH is one of only 73 public universities included, three of which are other Texas universities. Universities were allotted up to 40 points, which considered various assets such as the access to financial aid, average student debt and median pay of mid-career alumni.

To compile the list, data was collected from more than 650 U.S. universities, ranking each school using a point-based system that reflected the financial satisfaction and stability of university administrators, students and alumni.

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