Ashland named a “Best College” by U.S. News & World Report, ranked among top 35 in three categories

Published on Sep. 13, 2021

Student Affairs

ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland University has been selected as a “Best College” by the forthcoming U.S. News & World Report annual guidebook, ranking 54th out of the 157 schools in the Regional Universities – Midwest category. The latest edition of the highly-respected university rankings were released Monday.

Upon closer examination, Ashland placed among the top-10 private universities in Ohio (tied for ninth) and 42nd among all privates within the Midwest Region.

Ashland also excelled in some of U.S. News’ distinctive categories, including three top-35 ratings among the Midwest Region:

No. 23 in “Best Colleges for Veterans,” which provides veterans and active-duty service members data on which top-ranked schools make pursuing a college education more affordable
No. 29 in “Best Value Schools,” which factors academic quality and cost after accounting for total expenses and financial aid
No. 32 in “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” which measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants.

“I am very pleased that U.S. News & World Report has once again recognized Ashland University as one of the top universities in the nation,” stated Dr. Carlos Campo, president of Ashland University. “We believe this recognition is a reflection of the University’s continued commitment to providing its students with an impressive balance of educational, social, and extracurricular activities.”

Campo noted that Ashland takes seriously the responsibilities of teaching and learning. “Ashland works hard to create an environment that is truly both supportive and challenging, and the AU faculty are committed to helping students succeed and grown in every way possible,” he said.

The editors of U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges calculate 10 distinct overall rankings where colleges and universities were grouped by their academic missions (national universities, national liberal arts colleges, regional universities, regional colleges). Each school’s ranking is the sum of 17 widely accepted indicators of excellence, such as peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and graduation rate performance. The print edition of the “Best Colleges 2022” guidebook will be available in bookstores and on newsstands on Nov. 2.

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland, and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.