For the fifth straight year, the University of Illinois Springfield has been ranked as the sixth-best public regional university in the Midwest, and tops among Illinois schools, by U.S. News & World Report.
The 2023 Best Colleges rankings were released Monday.
According to the site, regional universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs and some master's programs but few doctoral programs.
Some of the factors that determined the rankings include academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources (such as class size and faculty salary), financial resources available to students, how well students performed academically in high school, alumni giving and graduate indebtedness.
UIS was also ranked highly by U.S. News in the following categories:
- Best Value Schools: UIS was ranked the ninth best-value school in the Midwest regional category. The ranking is based on academic quality, the number of need-based aid and scholarships awarded and other factors.
- Best Colleges for Veterans: UIS was ranked the 10th best college for veterans in the Midwest regional category. Colleges in this category must be certified for the GI Bill, participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program or be a public institution.
- Top Performers on Social Mobility: UIS was ranked 43 out of 164 institutions in the Midwest regional category for giving students from diverse social and economic backgrounds the ability to earn a higher education through the use of Pell Grants.
“We take pride in our consistent recognition as one of the nation's top public universities,” said UIS Chancellor Janet L. Gooch. “This underscores our unwavering dedication to student achievement and reaffirms UIS as a top choice for students seeking a high-quality education, whether they opt for online courses or choose to study on campus, supported by exceptional faculty and staff.”
Since 2006, UIS has been ranked consistently among the top 15 best public regional universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report.
Millikin University in Decatur is ranked 15th in the Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest category, making Millikin the second highest-ranked college in Illinois included on the list. Millikin University is a private, comprehensive university with a student population of approximately 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students.
"Millikin's ranking this year places us among the top three schools in Illinois for Best Value and the top five for Social Mobility, demonstrating that Millikin is a university where students from any background or financial need can succeed,” Millikin President Jim Reynolds said. “As we continue to advance our mission at Millikin to prepare students for professional success, democratic citizenship, and lives of meaning and value, these rankings remind us of the importance of that work.”
Blackburn College in Carlinvillewas listed as the 41st best Midwest regional college.
Illinois College in Jacksonville was ranked 124 among national liberal arts colleges.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was listed number 12 nationally among top public universities.
