Franciscan among top-ranked universities
STEUBENVILLE -- The Franciscan University of Steubenville again has been ranked among the top schools in the Midwest in the U.S. News & World Report's 2022 Best Colleges Guide.
Franciscan is tied for 19th among all Midwest universities with Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind., and Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill. Among the leading factors for Franciscan's top-tier ranking are an 87 percent first-year retention rate, a 77 percent six-year graduation rate and a 13-1 student/faculty ratio.
The Rev. Dave Pivonka, TOR, president of the university, said the high rankings in these and 14 other categories speak to the school's excellent academics as well as its campus culture.
"Students come here and stay here to complete their education because of our academic rigor, vibrant faith life, and strong Catholic identity that infuses all aspects of our academics and student life programs," he said.
Underscoring the 2022 Best Colleges findings, this semester the university welcomed to campus its second-largest incoming class on record--more than 700 full- and part-time students--and its largest class of returning undergraduate students--more than 1,530. Including on-campus part-time, full-time, graduate and online graduate and undergraduate students, total enrollment for fall 2021 is more than 3,400.
U.S. News ranked the university ninth among Best Value Universities. Best value considers academic quality relative to the amount of financial aid a student receives that does not need to be paid back, mainly need-based scholarships and grants.
The magazine also ranked the school ninth among Best Colleges for Veterans, which lists top-ranked schools that make pursuing a college education more affordable for veterans and active-duty service members.
U.S. News & World Report has ranked Franciscan University of Steubenville in the elite top-tier of Midwest universities each year since 1998.
Butler University in Indianapolis is the top-ranked school in the Midwest. It's followed by Bradley University in Peoria, Ill.; John Carroll University in University Heights; Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Xavier University in Cincinnati; Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.; University of Evansville in Evansville, Ind.; Milwaukee School of Engineering; Baldwin Wallace University in Berea; Augustina University in Sioux Falls, S.D.; Dominican University in River Forest, Ill.; Drury University in Springfield, Mo.; Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn.; Kettering University in Flint, Mich.; Otterbein University in Westerville; Webster University in St. Louis; Cedarville University in Cedarville and Elmhurst University in Elmhurst, Ill.
Princeton ranked at the top of the nationwide list.