KINGS POINT, N.Y., September 30, 2015 — President Obama announced the launch of the U. S. Department of Education’s new College Scorecard, meant to help students and parents identify which schools provide the biggest bang for your buck earlier this month. Not surprisingly, the United States Merchant Marine Academy scored very high.

Among the 251 schools offering transportation programs, USMMA was number one for “Salary after Attending” and “Percent Earning Above HS Grad.” The Academy is seventh best for “Graduation Rate”, and in the top 10% for “Average Annual Cost.”

“These are indicators that we provide a topnotch quality education, tremendous career opportunities for our midshipmen, and that they are in high demand both in industry and within the Armed Forces,” said Rear Adm. James A. Helis, USMS, Ph.D. “Our ratings show that we are a great value for our students and we provide great return on investment for the taxpayer.”

The College Scorecard is a new Department of Education admissions tool designed to provide the clearest, most accessible, and reliable national data on college cost, graduation, debt, and post-college earnings. As announced by the department, this new tool can empower Americans who are considering colleges, to rate them based on what matters most to them; to highlight colleges that are serving students of all backgrounds well; and to focus on making a quality, affordable education within reach. It offers new comprehensive and updated data on higher education institutions. For the first time, the public can access the most reliable and comprehensive data on students’ outcomes at specific colleges, including former students’ earnings, graduates’ student debt, and borrowers’ repayment rates.

President Obama said, "the status quo serves some colleges and the companies that rank them just fine. But it doesn't serve our students well – and that doesn't serve any of us well. There are colleges dedicated to helping students of all backgrounds learn without saddling them with debt. We should hold everybody to that standard. Our economic future depends on it."