BizFeed: The 10 Best Philly Colleges For The Money
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1. Best Colleges for the Price
The News: Money magazine has determined which colleges deliver the most value. It looked for schools that deliver “a great education, at an affordable price, that helps students launch promising careers.” Money used 21 factors in three equally weighted categories — educational quality, affordability, and alumni earnings — to rank each school.
Here’s how Philly colleges stacked up:
| Overall Ranking | College | Net Price of a Degree | Average Early Career Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | University of Pennsylvania | $194,148 | $59,200 |
| 75 | Villanova University | $204,047 | $54,400 |
| 89 | Swarthmore College | $184,806 | $47,600 |
| 141 | La Salle University | $153,234 | $46,800 |
| 147 | Haverford College | $188,152 | $40,800 |
| 162 | St. Joseph's University | $169,349 | $48,300 |
| 201 | Holy Family University | $153,117 | $46,700 |
| 265 | Bryn Mawr College | $163,181 | $45,200 |
| 268 | Gwynedd Mercy College | $155,375 | $44,300 |
| 328 | Neumann University | $108,901 | $45,200 |
Honorable mention:
- Temple University ranked 399.
- Drexel University ranked 546.
Why It Matters: With the high cost of college, students are increasingly evaluating the return on such a large investment. What kind of job prospects will I have after leaving school? Am I paying $50,000 per year to drink beer, skip classes and occasionally have an intellectual discussion? Expect similar examinations in the future.
2. Money vs. Time Off? That’s an Easy One.
The News: A recent 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll, shows that most people would choose money over increased time off. In fact, when asked to choose between an extra $20,000 per year and an extra four weeks of vacation, 66 percent of respondents said they’d take the money.
“Even six out of 10 Americans earning more than $100,000 annually said they would take the money,” said the publications. “It appears that for a solid majority of Americans, cash is still king.”
Why It Matters: Sure, experts might suggest that taking more vacation time leads to a relaxed worker that won’t be burned out. But having money problems and bills stacking up can create its own type of burnout.
So people choose to work and get paid over all else. 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair said: “Whether it is fear of losing their job or falling too far behind when they return to work, the resulting burnout and fatigue often end up costing businesses more in lost productivity in the long run. It has been said that too much of anything is not good for you, perhaps that includes working too much.”
3. Facebook Testing “Moneypenny,” A Virtual Assistant
The News: You might know the name “Moneypenny” as a character in the James Bond movies. (It’s his boss’ assistant). But soon, the name may take on a whole new connotation, as Facebook is testing out a new virtual assistant with the same name. According to Fortune, “the virtual helper would work inside the company’s Messenger app and connect users to real people who could help them order products, or book services.”
Why It Matters: Virtual assistants haven’t quite caught on mainstream yet, but when a tech giant like Facebook jumps into the pool, the water certainly gets warmer. Fortune explains that “Moneypenny” would compete with “existing services such as Magic and Operator, among others, which connect users to real people who help them procure or book whatever they need. All of these virtual assistants use simple messaging interfaces that are akin to sending text messages to a personal assistant.”
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