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Loyola ranks among the top master’s universities in the nation

campus building with Loyola sign

Loyola University Maryland was ranked No. 29 in Washington Monthly’s 2021 Master’s University Rankings—placing Loyola as the highest-ranking of 13 Maryland colleges and universities. Washington Monthly ranks schools based on “what they do for the country,” measuring “their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and providing opportunities for public service,” according to the publication.


“At Loyola, we aspire to the Jesuit ideals of service, justice, and integrity,” said Robert Kelly, Ph.D., vice president and special assistant to the president. “Whether by providing a thoughtful, ethical education or through direct service for the public good, such as our York Road Initiative, we live our values every day, which is why we’re proud to be recognized by Washington Monthly.

Washington Monthly’s ranking equally weights social mobility, research, and public service, accounting for graduation rates, student diversity, Pell Grant awards, cost to attend, income after graduation, AmeriCorps and Peace Corps data, and spending on research and community service, among other measures.

In addition, Loyola made Washington Monthly’s list of Best Colleges for Student Voting, recognizing “the schools doing the most to turn students into citizens,” according to the publication. Washington Monthly assembled the list based on school participation in voting engagement programs and voter registration rates.

“We’re proud of our students for taking public life seriously and engaging in the U.S. election process,” said Pat Cassidy, associate director of programs at Loyola’s Center for Community, Service, and Justice, which works to build a more just and equitable world through community service. “We want the best for our students and their communities, and voting is one step toward that goal.”

Loyola recently received the Platinum Seal for the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for nonpartisan student voter participation efforts in the 2020 Election. According to a report from the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), creators of the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, or NSLVE, Loyola experienced a significant increase in student voting during last year’s presidential election, rising to 79.7% in 2020 from a rate of 47.2% in 2016.

Washington Monthly is an independent, nonprofit magazine covering U.S. politics and government.