Renton Technical College is the best two-year college in the country for adult learners, according to Washington Monthly, a Washington, D.C.,-based magazine. RTC ranked No. 1 on the 2019 College Guide and Rankings.

The ranking seeks to recognize schools that are meeting the needs of adult students, many with jobs and families. Factors measured include tuition and fees, the strength of transfer policies, the percentage of students over age 25, average post-college earnings, and quality of services for adult students.

RTC’s completion rate of 65 percent is the highest in the state and among the highest in the country. The college also boasts an 85 percent job placement rate nine months after graduation.

While rankings are only one measure of success, RTC President Kevin McCarthy is gratified by the recognition because it highlights the college’s commitment to meeting adult students where they are and helping them move forward to greater opportunity.

“We watch students succeed at RTC,” McCarthy said. “They leave RTC prepared for careers in high-demand fields or further education.”

In 2016, the Washington Monthly became the first publication to rank colleges according to how well they cater to adult learners. The magazine uses data from two federal government sources, as well as the College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges, and combined them into seven measures of colleges’ openness and responsiveness to adult students and of how well those students fare once they leave.

View the two-year schools on the list and the methodology for ranking.