McPherson College has been named to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-25 “Best Colleges” list of Midwest Regional Colleges for the ninth consecutive year. This year, the college moved up six spots in the rankings. Additionally, McPherson College was also named to the “Best Value Schools” and “Top Performers in Social Mobility” lists.
Only schools that rank at or near the top half of each category appear on the “Best Value Schools” list. In evaluating colleges for this list, U.S. News & World Report considers academic quality and cost as the most important value among academically above-average colleges.
McPherson College was also recognized as a college that has been successful in promoting social mobility by enrolling and graduating a large number of Pell Grant recipients. In addition to Pell Grants, McPherson College performed highly on U.S. News social mobility ranking factors, which include borrower debt and college graduate earnings.
“It is an honor to be included on such a prestigious list,” said President Michael Schneider. “This is further evidence of McPherson College’s recognition of the work our faculty and staff do to ensure quality education, an excellent student experience, and value.”
Schneider said initiatives such as the college’s Student Loan Repayment Project, aimed at helping students graduate with little to no debt, and the college’s excellent job placement rate are just a few of the reasons McPherson was named to the “Best Colleges” list.
“Our employment rate is among the best in the nation, with nearly three-quarters of our graduates entering employment or graduate school before graduating,” said President Schneider. “That, combined with our focus on forgiving student loan repayment, proves to students and their families that a McPherson College education is the best choice. And our campus improvements are putting student needs first, creating a 21st century living and learning environment.”
U.S. News & World Report has been publishing its college rankings for more than 35 years. U.S. News uses 17 criteria to measure academic quality, but its primary focus is outcomes, including a college’s ability to retain and graduate students from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as the average debt load of graduates. Other data points collected to develop this year’s rankings include class size, undergraduate academic reputation, and a college’s investment in instruction and student services.