SLU is One of the Nation’s Most-Trusted Universities According to a New Survey
In a recent nationwide survey, more than 11,000 adults and 1,000 high school students ranked Saint Louis University as the No. 39 most-trusted university among the nation’s leading 135 doctoral universities. SLU was also rated No. 5 among Hispanic adults.
The survey was conducted in June by the global decision intelligence company Morning Consult as part of its latest Most Trusted Brands report, which also examined other industries, including automotive and mobility, financial services, food and beverage, retail and e-commerce, and travel and hospitality.
Respondents were asked how much they trusted each university to “do the right thing.” SLU was the highest-rated university in Missouri and No. 4 among national Jesuit institutions listed.
“Of all the recognitions we have received, this one is particularly meaningful because trust is one of our core values as a leading Jesuit research university,” said SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D. “This impressive finding is a function of how we at SLU go about our dedication to excellence in all that we do in our mission-focused work that serves a higher purpose and contributes to the greater good.”
“Morning Consult’s Most Trusted Brands 2022 is the definitive measure of brand trust across industries, showcasing the companies and products that have earned or maintained consumer trust in 2022,” wrote study author Rahul Choudaha, Ph.D., managing director of higher education at Morning Consult.
Morning Consult also explored trust in these institutions among underrepresented groups. Among Hispanic adults, SLU was only preceded by Harvard University, Brown University, Duke University and UCLA.
“Higher education institutions in general, and research universities specifically, are complex entities that serve multiple stakeholders through their teaching, research and service mission,” Choudaha wrote. “Trust is one of the leading metrics of a university’s overall brand health.”
Most survey respondents said that public trust will play a more important role in determining the academic reputation of a college or university 10 years from now. According to Morning Consult, another key takeaway is that universities are more trusted than other major American institutions.