Welch College received notification that the institution ranks 13th among “Best Regional Colleges” (South Region) in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 edition of America’s Best Colleges rankings, according to Welch president Matt Pinson. The numerical ranking of 13 in the 2019 South Region indicates a rise of 13 places above the 2018 edition ranking of 26. Welch had the fifth highest ranking of all the colleges and universities in Tennessee in the “Best Value” category, which combines quality and price.
“This is a tremendous blessing!” President Pinson said. “Although one of our eventual goals was to move this high in the rankings, it was a pleasant surprise that we were able to do so this year. This ranking demonstrates our quality to not only our students and supporters but also those outside the Welch family. It also reassures prospective students and their parents that Welch remains a top-quality institution of higher learning that delivers on their educational investment, while keeping Christian learning and spiritual formation at the heart of their college experience.”
The “Best Regional Colleges” category where Welch is ranked includes 248 institutions that focus on undergraduate education and offer a range of degree programs in the liberal arts and in professional fields such as business, nursing, and education. Colleges in this category are ranked within four geographic regions: North, South, Midwest, and West.
U.S. News rankings offer opportunities to judge the relative quality of institutions based on widely accepted indicators of excellence: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, and more.
Welch received especially high marks in four strategic areas—percent of classes with under 20 students (90%), student/faculty ratio (9/1), first-year student retention rate (72%), and freshmen in the top 25% of their high school class (66%). Welch’s peer reputation ranking also increased from 2.4 to 2.7.
Provost Matthew McAffee said, “I am excited to see such a remarkable increase in our ranking this year. Welch College is committed to excellence in our academic programs, and our momentous rise in this national ranking underlines our efforts. We thank the Lord for His continued favor upon the ministry of Welch College.”
More information is available about the rankings and methodology in the annual America’s Best Colleges guidebook at: www.usnews.com/collegemeth. For more information about Welch, email gotowelch@welch.edu or visit www.welch.edu.