Penn State Behrend has once again been recognized among the nation’s top regional colleges.
According to newly released rankings from U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News ranks Penn State Behrend among top regional colleges, Penn State Behrend ranks No. 11 among regional colleges in the North and No. 6 among public schools in the region. The college also earned a No. 15 ranking among Best Value Schools and was ranked No. 3 for veterans.
College leaders say the rankings reflect the strength of Behrend’s hands-on approach to education, which emphasizes partnerships with businesses and industries to solve real-world problems through internships, capstone projects, and undergraduate research opportunities.
The U.S. News rankings evaluate colleges using factors such as student-to-faculty ratio, financial aid, graduation rates, and graduate earnings.
The latest recognition comes on the heels of recent Carnegie Classifications that designated Penn State Behrend as both a “Research College and University” and a “Higher Earnings” institution. The research designation is awarded to colleges that generate at least $2.5 million annually in research and development spending. Behrend reports nearly $10 million in sponsored research each year.
The Higher Earnings designation recognizes institutions whose graduates earn strong salaries years after enrollment. Only about 10 percent of colleges and universities nationwide received that distinction.
Chancellor Ralph Ford said the rankings and classifications highlight the success of Behrend graduates and provide reassurance to prospective students and families looking to make a smart investment in higher education.