Jesse Scheckner
Keiser University remains one of the best schools in the country for the academic success of economically disadvantaged students, new rankings announced this week show.
The nonprofit institution, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale and boasting 21 campuses in the state, is again among the top 25 schools in the nation for social mobility, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s latest rankings.
It’s the fifth straight year Keiser has landed high on the Best Colleges Social Mobility list, which recognizes college and university efforts to foster upward economic movement of students. The U.S. News social mobility ranking assesses colleges and universities based on their ability to graduate pupils of humbler economic means. Among its considerations: the comparative six-year graduation rate of Pell Grant recipients, first-year retention rates, graduation rate performance, first-generation student graduation rates and performance, and peer assessment.
Keiser also again ranked among the 300 best U.S. universities in the National Universities category, under which schools are evaluated for their range of undergraduate majors, master’s and doctoral programs, and emphases on faculty research and professional practice doctorates.
Chancellor Arthur Keiser said in a statement that he and other faculty at Keiser are “deeply honored” to earn high positions on the annual list.
“At Keiser University, our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for diverse learners remains unwavering,” he said. “We strive to provide an education that empowers our students to achieve meaningful socioeconomic success and enrich their lives.”
Keiser and his mother, Evelyn, created the institution that would become Keiser University in 1977 to prepare students for jobs in Florida’s growing business and health care industries. It began as the Keiser School, was renamed the Keiser Institute of Technology in 1982 with the addition of paralegal and computer programs, and was rechristened as Keiser College four years after that, when it began awarding associate degrees.
It’s been called Keiser University since 2006 and today is accredited to award certificates and degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels, with some 20,000 students attending classes in person and online.
The school also competes in 26 intercollegiate varsity sports including basketball, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, wrestling and volleyball.
Amid rising college and university tuition costs, there’s been increased scrutiny in recent years of how well schools of higher education prepare low-income students. Enrollment nationally has declined over the past decade, with 1.2 million fewer students 18-24 signed up for college classes in 2022 than the peak in 2011.
One way to demonstrate a strong return on investment is graduation rates, a benchmark where Keiser shines. Since 2020, the first year U.S. News included a separate ranking for social mobility, Keiser has been near the top of the list.
Keiser ranked No. 1 in 2023 and held the No. 5, 11, 21 and 34 spots in 2022, 2021, 2024 and 2020, respectively.
“Central to Keiser University’s mission is our unwavering dedication to student success and career advancement,” Keiser said. “We take great pride in continually developing resources that are uniquely tailored to our students’ needs, helping them achieve the American Dream. Our commitment to improving the lives of individuals and strengthening communities throughout Florida and across the nation remains as strong as ever.”
