February 03, 2015
Thom Carroll /PhillyVoice
Drexel University is beginning to transition after an intense period of growth.
Two area universities are among the most underrated schools in the nation, according to Business Insider.
Widener University in Chester, Delaware County, was ranked seventh on the list of "50 Most Underrated Colleges In America."
In order to determine the rankings, Business Insider compared U.S. News' best university and national liberal arts colleges in the nation with the "2013-2014 PayScale Colleges Salary Report." Schools that were low on the U.S. News list but high on the PayScale list were specifically analyzed.
Widener's U.S. News rank is 189, while its PayScale rank is 202. Mid-career Widener graduates earn an average of $84,600 in salary.
Drexel University, the 15th largest private school in the nation with about 26,000 students, just made the list at No. 48.
The school ranked 95 on the U.S. News list, but 142 on the PayScale list. According to PayScale, the average mid-career Drexel University graduate earns a salary of $88,600.
Business Insider cited Drexel's co-op program, in which students alternate six months of study with six months of full-time work in a field of study. Students can do one, six or no co-op work cycles, according to Drexel's website.
