Trinity Receives Wide Recognition for Value to Students, Success of Alumni

Positioned among America’s top liberal arts institutions, Trinity College has again earned recognition across multiple ranking systems this fall, including a standout performance in LinkedIn’s inaugural college rankings last month.

LinkedIn’s first-ever Top Colleges ranking focuses on career outcomes based on job placement, internships and recruiter demand, career success, network strength, and knowledge breadth. Based on analysis of decades of LinkedIn data, Trinity College emerged as the #4 top liberal arts college in the nation and the top school amongst its New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) peers. Trinity landed in LinkedIn’s Top 50 in the nation when measured against long-term career outcomes for all higher education institutions, including large elite universities, at #42.

Sonia Cardenas, Trinity’s vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, wrote an op-ed published in University Business focused on what the LinkedIn list says about the outsized impact that liberal arts colleges can have on the long-term career success of undergraduates.

Other top rankings this year also bolstered Trinity’s reputation for producing career-ready graduates, with appearances on lists of institutions that demonstrate strong student success, financial support, social mobility, and academics.

U.S. News & World Report ranked Trinity at #37 among National Liberal Arts Colleges. More notably, Trinity remains a Best Value School, at #39, and a Top Performer on Social Mobility among nation liberal arts colleges. It ranked #60 for Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs among non-doctoral institutions. Among Trinity’s other academic programs recognized across all colleges and universities were Psychology and Economics.

So far this year, Trinity is on multiple lists that measure outcomes, perception, and academic programs, painting a strong picture of competitive value. Niche, a popular college search source, placed Trinity in its top 50 list of Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America. Trinity also landed on the top 100 on Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges list and the top 100 of Washington Monthly’s Top Liberal Arts Colleges ranking. Additionally, Money placed Trinity on its Best Colleges in America list, though it discontinued numeric rankings. Among the other lists, Princeton Review notably placed Trinity on the Top 50 Best Value Colleges (Private Schools) list.

“When you step back and look at this year’s suite of rankings, it is clear that Trinity has positioned itself competitively when it comes to student success, academic preparation, educational value, and career readiness,” said Trinity College President Daniel G. Lugo. “Trinity faculty and staff partner to create a world-class education and student experience that prepares our graduates to be innovative leaders who continue to be in high demand. We are proud to be recognized as one of the strongest colleges in the country by independent rankings.”

Trinity continues to demonstrate strong student outcomes. A survey of the graduates from the Class of 2024— conducted last year by Trinity’s Career and Life Design Center—found a highly successful career outcomes rate. More than 95 percent of 2024 graduates reported securing full-time jobs, enrolling in continuing education, serving in the military, volunteering, or finding other satisfying “first destinations” within six months of graduation.