Springfield, Ohio - The U.S. Department of Education recently added a new feature to its website - college-scorecard.ed.gov - where students and parents can compare colleges based on several factors, including debt, average alumni earnings and loan repayment rates. The extended data is part of President Barack Obama’s push to increase transparency in higher education.

When looking at this website – the question is how are Wittenberg University graduates doing? The answer to that question is – great!

According to an article in the Dayton Daily News, a handful of area colleges rank among the best in the state. Students who enroll at Wittenberg University slightly earn more than Ohio State University graduates, while University of Dayton alumni, 10 years after enrolling, earn a median salary of $52,300 - the third-highest among colleges in Ohio. The median salary for Wittenberg graduates is $42,700 with the percentage of those earning above $25,000 six years after enrolling is 68 percent. Wittenberg’s graduation rate is above average at 64 percent.

After researching colleges in the area, Wittenberg students were third on the list of paying off student loans. Of the approximate 68 percent of Wittenberg students receiving federal loans, 90 percent of those students are paying down their debt according to the data released by the U.S. Department of Education. In our region, the University of Dayton, Cedarville and Wittenberg had the best payback rates. The data also reflected that the typical student loan debt is $27,000 and the average monthly loan payment is $300.

The website information includes: the average annual cost of the school, the graduation rate, the average salary after attending, areas of study available at each school, most popular programs and more. To see additional Wittenberg statistics go to https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?206525-Wittenberg-University.