Concordia ranks in top 50 of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges rankings
Concordia University, Nebraska was ranked once again as a top-50 school in the “Best Regional Universities—Midwest” category of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. In the 2016 edition, Concordia Nebraska is ranked 44 of 149 universities listed in its category. Concordia Nebraska has been ranked in the top tier of the annual report for 13 consecutive years.
In addition, for the 2016 edition, Concordia University, Nebraska appeared for the first time on two additional lists compiled by U.S. News & World Report: A+ Schools for B Students and 2016 Best Colleges for Veterans.
“Concordia strives to provide an excellent, Christ-centered education that families can afford,” said Concordia Nebraska Provost Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke. “It is an honor to be nationally recognized for the quality of our academic programs, students, professors and alumni that contribute to the Concordia experience here and in life beyond graduation.”
Criteria evaluated in the U.S. News rankings include academic reputation, retention and graduation rates, faculty resources, student selectivity and alumni support.
An institution classified as a regional university provides a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs. Concordia offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and programs, as well as master’s degrees in multiple areas, including education, public health, human services and business administration. The university was tied with Butler University for having the highest alumni giving rate, 22 percent, among those in its category.
Concordia Nebraska is the highest ranked higher education institution in the Concordia University System, which comprises 10 colleges and universities affiliated with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
The alphabetical A+ list identifies schools that “admit a meaningful proportion of applicants whose test scores and class standing put them in non-A territory,” according to U.S. News & World Report. The publication says the schools on the list give non-A students a “shot at being accepted and thriving” and encourages students looking at these schools to display their individuality and seriousness of purpose as they apply.
The Best Colleges for Veterans list includes schools that U.S. News believes “offer benefits that can help [veterans] make pursuing a college education more affordable.” U.S. News ranked the qualifying schools numerically and in descending order based on 2016 Best Colleges rankings, putting Concordia University, Nebraska at number 33 for the Midwest region.
Concordia was recently named the 23rd most affordable private university in the country on the second annual list of MONEY’s Best Colleges, a value ranking that evaluates colleges on measures of educational quality, affordability and career earnings to help families find great schools that are truly worth the investment. It was also ranked 145 out of 1,223 public and private institutions on the Best Nationwide Colleges For Your Money list announced by College Factual, a publication through “USA Today” on collegefactual.com.
In addition, this summer Concordia Nebraska was recognized as the only 2015-16 Christian College of Distinction in Nebraska.
“Honors like the U.S. News & World Report ranking demonstrate that the college experience many students and parents are looking for can easily be found right here at Concordia,” said Aaron Roberts, director of admission at Concordia. “We want to help students find their calling and gain the experience they need without having to break the bank. Concordia does that for people every day, and we will continue fulfilling our mission with these goals in mind.”
Complete rankings from U.S. News & World Report are available online at usnews.com/colleges. The print edition of the "Best Colleges 2016" guidebook will be available through retail outlets later this month.
