A leading national business magazines has again acknowledged St. Cloud State as a great American university.
Forbes ranks St. Cloud State 563rd in its annual analysis of “America’s Top Colleges.”
The U.S. has 3,026 four-year colleges, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, an agency of the U.S. Department of Education.
That means St. Cloud State is . . .
- Among the elite 19 percent of the nation’s colleges and universities, based on post-graduate success, student debt, student satisfaction, graduation rate and academic success
- Among the top 1 percent most affordable of “America’s Top Colleges”
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St. Cloud State is one of just five Minnesota public schools ranked in 2016: University of Minnesota (119th), University of Minnesota-Morris (415th), University of Minnesota-Duluth (542nd), St. Cloud State (563rd) and Minnesota State University Mankato (607th). Of note, 12 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schools were not ranked, including four sister Minnesota State schools.
Other rankings of note are National Collegiate Hockey Conference rivals Colorado College (57th), University of Denver (139th), Miami University (180th), University of North Dakota (382nd), University of Nebraska, Omaha (529th) and Western Michigan University (581st).
St. Cloud State’s recent Forbes rankings include 504th in 2013, 566th in 2014 and 562nd in 2015.
St. Cloud State’s higher ranking in 2013 is attributed to that year’s methodology, which factored in competitive awards. St. Cloud State earned five nationally competitive awards in 2012 and 2013, including the Simon Award, Heiskell Award, HEED Award, Hobey Baker Award and Innovative Program of the Year Award. Get award details at the Distinctions website.
“What sets our calculation of the best 660 U.S. colleges and universities apart is our firm belief in ROI. We look at factors that directly concern students (and their families): Are current undergrads satisfied? Is it likely I’ll graduate on time or incur a ton of student debt? Will I get a good job and be a leader in my chosen profession?” said Forbes staff member Caroline Howard, who helped edit “America’s Top Colleges.”
An American business website and bi-weekly, Forbes has published since 1917. This is the ninth year Forbes has ranked colleges and universities.
The “America’s Top Colleges” methodology was developed in cooperation with Washington D.C.-based Center for College Affordability and Productivity. Data sources include the Department of Education, Payscale, and the America’s Leaders list, Forbes’ curated tally of alumni success.
Absent from the 2016 rankings are five universities in the Minnesota State system and two University of Minnesota system schools.
