DECATUR, Ill. – has recognized ǿý University as a leading institution in higher education in its 2024 "Best Colleges" guidebook, released on Sept. 18, 2023. ǿý is ranked No. 15 in the Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest category, making ǿý the second highest-ranked college in Illinois included on the list.
ǿý was recognized for distinction in several categories, including Best Value Schools in the Midwest at No. 22 and Top Performers on Social Mobility at No. 36, both improving three places from the 2023 list.
"It is always an honor to be ranked among the very best Midwestern institutions of higher learning by U.S. News & World Report. ǿý's ranking this year places us among the top three schools in Illinois for Best Value and the top five for Social Mobility, demonstrating that ǿý is a university where students from any background or financial need can succeed,” ǿý President Jim Reynolds said. “As we continue to advance our mission at ǿý to prepare students for professional success, democratic citizenship, and lives of meaning and value, these rankings remind us of the importance of that work.”
The U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Colleges category is comprised of 266 schools that are divided and ranked in four geographical groups: North, South, Midwest and West. ǿý has participated in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges" publication and data collection for over 20 years. For the majority of those years, ǿý has been ranked in the top 15 or higher.
Best Value
At No. 22, ǿý is the third-highest-ranked college in Illinois for Best Value Schools in the Midwest. To determine which colleges and universities offer the best values for students, U.S. News & World Report factors academic quality and cost. The ratio of quality to price accounted for 50% of the overall score; the percentage of all full-time undergraduates receiving (federal/state) need-based grants accounted for 20%; the average discount accounted for 10% and the percentage of full-time undergraduates receiving need-based aid who also receive (institutional) grant or scholarship aid accounts for 20%.
Social Mobility
U.S. News & World Report recognized ǿý as a Top Performer on Social Mobility in the Midwest, listing ǿý in the top five of ranked colleges in Illinois on this list at No. 36. Social mobility measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants – those typically coming from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000.
