STEUBENVILLE — Franciscan University of Steubenville has been ranked 19th out of 165 Midwest universities in the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2018 guidebook — the university’s highest ranking ever.

The U.S. News & World Report guidebook has listed the university in the top tier of Midwest universities every year since 1998.

The ranking factors 12 indicators of college success, including first-year retention rates, graduation rates and strength of the faculty.

“The top-tier ranking from U.S. News & World Report, coupled with high rankings earlier this year by other national organizations, demonstrates the effectiveness of a mission that combines academic excellence in a passionately Catholic environment. Our move up into the top 20 is the result of our dedication to ongoing institutional renewal in service to the Catholic Church,” said the Rev. Sean O. Sheridan, university president

In August, the university was included in the Forbes list of America’s 650 Top Colleges, ranking in the top 10 percent of all degree-granting institutions.

Forbes used outcome-based criteria that included academic success, high graduation rate and post-graduate success, according to Sheridan.

In July the university was cited in Money Magazine’s “Best Colleges for Your Money 2017.”

The university was among only 18 colleges to be included in the Cardinal Newman Society’s Guide to Choosing a Catholic College 2017-18 in April.

Newman schools demonstrate strong Catholic identity in academic quality, faculty, theology, core curriculum, campus ministry and other areas.

The university also is ranked in the top 50 of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s list of the Top 300 Best College Values of 2017.

Approximately 2,500 students attend the university.