<p>Agree with J’Adoube- these rankings could tell us more about Chicago 20 years ago than Chicago today.</p>
<p>The high ranking of Stevens/Babson seem a bit of a lark, but they may tell a good story-- that is, the lower-ranked private schools are worth it if you plan to live in a high-cost-of-living area and are going for a professional undergraduate degree. I imagine there are many employers in New York who would be happy to take a Stevens alum but might not know Swarthmore; and employers in Boston who would be happy to hire Babson but might not know Bates.</p>
<p>(Excuse my examples, I’m going for alliteration here.)</p>
<p>Not to mention that most academic researchers-- which I imagine many alumni are-- do not make much money relative to their level of education.</p>