The Princeton Review has recognized Willamette as a “Best Value College” based on the university’s commitment to affordability, the quality of its academic programs and the success of its graduates.
“Students who attend these schools don't have to mortgage their futures to pay for their degrees,” the popular guidebook noted, “and we believe they will graduate with great career prospects.”
The Princeton Review published the 2020 list after reviewing institutional and student surveys and collecting data from PayScale.com, which features extensive alumni career and salary statistics. Only schools with an exceptional return on investment were selected as a “Best Value School.”
Willamette students gave professors high marks for their dedication to undergraduates. “I have felt intellectually pushed outside my comfort zone while still being incredibly supported in all of my academic classes,” one survey respondent said. Another remarked that professors are “very willing to help students find internships, jobs and research opportunities.”
An ethos of service — embodied in the school motto, “Not unto ourselves alone are we born” — inspires students to serve others and advocate for social justice. “There is a lot of emphasis on how to make an impact on the community and the school as a whole,” one student said, describing their classmates as “politically involved and civic minded.”
Willamette students are welcoming and open-minded as well. “They share a friendliness that's evident the moment you step onto campus,” a survey respondent noted. Students embrace the idea of being unique, and they’re proud of it. But to get the most out of Willamette, “you have to be willing to challenge yourself and be accepting of the community you are a part of.”
About Willamette University
Based in Salem, Oregon, Willamette is the premier private university in the Pacific Northwest. Willamette’s beautiful, historic campus — located across the street from the Oregon State Capitol and co-located with Tokyo International University of America — features a residential undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and two professional graduate schools: the College of Law and the Atkinson Graduate School of Management.