September 12, 2012

For the 18th straight year, Xavier University is among the top 10 Midwest colleges and universities, according to the U.S. News & World Report rankings released September 12.

The 2013 edition of America’s Best Colleges ranks Xavier number four among 142 Midwest universities ranked by the publication in this category. Sister Jesuit University Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, holds the number one spot. Butler University in Indianapolis is ranked number two. Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa receives a number three ranking. Xavier and Indiana’s Valparaiso University are tied for number four.

U.S. News & World Report designated National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities and Regional Colleges. Xavier is ranked under Regional Universities, sorted by geographic location. Xavier is in the Midwest region. Institutions under the regional category provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs, but unlike national universities, offer few, if any, doctoral programs.  U.S. News & World Report also ranks for-profit universities.

Other Xavier rankings by U.S. News & World Report for 2013:

• Xavier is number one in the Midwest for average graduation rate with 78
percent. This is the fourth year in a row Xavier has had the top Midwest
graduation rate.

• Xavier is tied for number three in the Midwest in alumni giving for the
third year in a row.

• Xavier is among Midwest schools in the category of 2013 Up-and-Comers.

U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on several key measures of quality. Peer assessment (25%), graduation and retention rates (25%), faculty resources (20%), student selectivity (15%), financial resources (10%) and alumni giving (5%).  A detailed report on the rankings and methodology may be found at the U.S. News and World Report website at www.usnews.com.