For the fourth consecutive year, Linfield College is No. 1 among Pacific Northwest liberal arts colleges for “Best Ethnic Diversity,” according to the 2020 U.S. News and World Report rankings released Monday.
The magazine factored in the proportion of students from different ethnic groups, leaving out international students, and the overall mix of groups in each institution’s 2018-2019 student body.
U.S. News and World Report used a formula that yielded a diversity index ranging from 0 to 1 – the closer a school’s number is to 1, the more diverse the population. Linfield recorded an index of 0.55, just ahead of Willamette (0.52).
In addition, Linfield ranked second among liberal arts colleges or universities in the Pacific Northwest when it comes to social mobility, which in this case is a measure of how well schools graduate Pell Grant recipients. Typically, students with Pell Grants come from households earning less than $50,000 annually.
The lists were released as part of the magazine’s “Best Colleges” report, where Linfield was once again placed in the top tier of national liberal arts colleges.
Founded in 1858, Linfield is a four-year liberal arts college with campuses in McMinnville and Portland. More than 25 percent of Linfield students are the first in their families to attend college, and more than one-third are American students of color. The U.S. State Department honored Linfield for being Oregon’s top producer of Fulbright Scholars in 2017-18.
About Linfield
Founded in 1858, Linfield is a four-year independent college with campuses in McMinnville and Portland. Twenty-five percent of Linfield students are first-generation college students, and more than one-third are U.S. students of color. The U.S. State Department honored Linfield for being Oregon’s top producer of Fulbright Scholars in 2017-18.
