CANTON — Money Magazine ranked St. Lawrence University at number 29 on its list of Best Liberal Arts Colleges and number 10 on its list of Best Private Colleges for Merit Aid.

Money’s profile of St. Lawrence includes information on its first-year program, one of the first in the nation to assist students with their transition from high school to college and still one of only a handful with both an academic and residential component. The magazine touted the university’s high student outcomes, including its 85 percent graduation rate and a strong connection to its alumni.

The Time, Inc., publication quoted one student who said, “The alumni network is the biggest reason I came to SLU – there are so many programs and meet-and-greets that, if you take advantage of them, are great ways to network for internship opportunities.”

At St. Lawrence, 55 percent of students receive some form of need-based financial aid, while another 35 percent of students receive a form of merit aid.

St. Lawrence ranked 95th overall in Money’s list of Best Colleges, which includes all types of higher educational institutions. It ranked schools based on information from the U.S. Department of Education, Peterson’s list of top universities, and PayScale.com as well as their own calculations, which include quality of education, affordability and outcomes.

Nearly 97 percent of recent St. Lawrence University graduates surveyed were either employed or attending graduate school less than one year after graduation.

Early career earnings for St. Lawrence graduates comes in at nearly $50,000 per year, according to a press releasefrom SLU.

Money’s Best College ranking can be viewed online at new.money.com/money/best-colleges.