How this school serves students from different economic backgrounds, including Pell students, first-generation pathways, and long-term mobility outcomes.
Rust College enrolls a student body with substantial economic need. 71.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and 46.0% are first-generation college students. The institution's 84.4% freshman retention rate and 11.8% six-year graduation rate reflect the academic support required to serve this population. Transfer enrollment is limited, at 46.9%. Azimuth ranks Rust College #155 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects Rust College's mission: the institution enrolls a predominantly low-income and first-generation student body on a small campus, creating a high-access environment where economic barriers to entry are minimal. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $25,700 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Rust College in the 4.2 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Rust College #1085 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects a fundamental constraint: while Rust College serves a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students, the earnings outcomes for low-income graduates remain modest relative to peer institutions. The gap between the institution's access scale and its graduate earnings performance defines the mobility challenge — Rust College opens doors widely but faces headwinds in translating that access into strong post-graduation financial outcomes.
Rust College enrolls a student body with substantial economic need. 71.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and 46.0% are first-generation college students. The institution's 84.4% freshman retention rate and 11.8% six-year graduation rate reflect the academic support required to serve this population. Transfer enrollment is limited, at 46.9%. Azimuth ranks Rust College #155 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects Rust College's mission: the institution enrolls a predominantly low-income and first-generation student body on a small campus, creating a high-access environment where economic barriers to entry are minimal. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $25,700 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Rust College in the 4.2 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Rust College #1085 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects a fundamental constraint: while Rust College serves a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students, the earnings outcomes for low-income graduates remain modest relative to peer institutions. The gap between the institution's access scale and its graduate earnings performance defines the mobility challenge — Rust College opens doors widely but faces headwinds in translating that access into strong post-graduation financial outcomes.
Rust College enrolls a student body with substantial economic need. 71.5% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and 46.0% are first-generation college students. The institution's 84.4% freshman retention rate and 11.8% six-year graduation rate reflect the academic support required to serve this population. Transfer enrollment is limited, at 46.9%. Azimuth ranks Rust College #155 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The access ranking reflects Rust College's mission: the institution enrolls a predominantly low-income and first-generation student body on a small campus, creating a high-access environment where economic barriers to entry are minimal. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $25,700 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Rust College in the 4.2 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Rust College #1085 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects a fundamental constraint: while Rust College serves a large share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students, the earnings outcomes for low-income graduates remain modest relative to peer institutions. The gap between the institution's access scale and its graduate earnings performance defines the mobility challenge — Rust College opens doors widely but faces headwinds in translating that access into strong post-graduation financial outcomes.
