KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney once again is in the top Midwest Public Regional Universities in the 2017 U.S. News and World Report annual rankings, released today. The popular annual magazine rankings put UNK 12th in public Midwest regional universities.
Further, UNK for the first time in recent years made a Top Five list for Least Debt, and was also included on the Best Colleges for Veterans (Regional) list. Below are details on the USNWR lists for UNK:
Regional Universities Midwest
Among all regional universities in the Midwest (public and private), UNK was tied at 56th. That compares to last year: UNK was ranked 46th overall among all regional universities and 11th among public regional universities.
A+ Schools for B Students Regional Midwest
“A+ Schools for B Students,” where “you’re a scholar with lots to offer and the GPA of a B student, and your heart is set on going to a great college. No problem.” The A+ Schools compilation is based on a proportion of applicants whose test scores and class standing put them in “non-A territory” yet with high overall retention and graduation rates. The A+ Schools list is an alphabetized list, not ranked.
Student Loan Debt at Graduation Regional Midwest
UNK is fourth of five listed in this ranking for low student-loan debt among Midwest universities, with only 56 percent of students graduating with debt. The average debt load at graduation is $20,412.
Best Colleges for Veterans Midwest Regional
UNK was ranked 34th in Best (Regional) Colleges for Veterans. UNK is certified for the GI Bill and participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. To qualify for the ranking, a university needs to be in the top half of the magazine’s Best Colleges ranking and have 20 or more enrolled students using the GI Bill.
According to U.S. News and World Report, UNK’s overall score was 59, with a peer assessment of 2.9. UNK scores well on a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1, with a graduation rate of 57 percent, and a freshman retention rate of 79 percent. Forty-one percent of freshmen finished high school in the top fourth of their class.
Among other measures: 48 percent of UNK classes are smaller than 20 students, and only 3 percent of its classes are larger than 50 students.
The rankings also include other listings on criteria such as diversity, price and student debt, focus on students and commitment to teaching.
UNK’s overall ranking position is highest in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association, second-highest on UNK’s Coordinating Commission peer group, and third-highest on the Board of Regents’ peer group.
The rankings, published since 1983, are not a comprehensive indicator of quality but do provide magazine readers a glimpse into comparable data. The data includes a subjective peer assessment, and objective measures such as retention rate, graduation rates, class size and student to faculty ratio, SAT or ACT scores and class rankings of incoming freshmen, acceptance rates and alumni giving rates.
Among numerous rankings, ratings and other commercial lists, U.S. News and World Report is historically treated by colleges and universities as the most credible because of its methodology and tradition.
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