GALLATIN, TN—Welch College recently received notification that it ranks 17th among “Best Regional Colleges—South” in the 2023 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges, according to President Matt Pinson. The Regional Colleges—South category comprises 105 other colleges and universities in the South.
“We’re so glad to have Welch’s academic quality recognized by U.S. News,” President Pinson said. “This is another reminder to students and parents that Welch College is a top-quality institution of higher learning that delivers its educational promise.”
The “Best Regional Colleges—South” category where Welch College is ranked includes 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.
Most of these institutions award fewer than fifty graduate degrees annually. This year, thirteen colleges and universities were added to this category, moving from last year’s total of 93 to 106 total schools.
“Colleges go up and down in these rankings each year,” Pinson said. “When we first entered the rankings twelve years ago, we were ranked 52nd. Then four years ago we got up to 26th, after which we’ve consistently been in the top 20. Our ranking at 17th is exciting.”
“To be ranked in the top 16% of all colleges and universities in our category is remarkable,” Provost Matthew McAffee said. “Our faculty and staff strive diligently to give our students an excellent Christian educational experience, and this ranking is a testament to their determination and hard work.”
U.S. News rankings judge the relative quality of institutions based on widely accepted indicators of excellence in higher education: what peer institutions think of the institution, how many freshmen return their sophomore year, how many of them go on to graduate, student-faculty ratio, faculty quality, financial resources, alumni giving, and more.
“To put our ranking in perspective,” Pinson said, “the ten institutions ranked directly above and below us have an average enrollment three times higher than Welch’s and an average endowment eight times higher than Welch’s. We are good stewards of the resources God has given us.”
Welch received especially high marks in three strategic areas, ranking as follows:
- 1st in student-faculty ratio (tied)
- 3rd in graduation rate
- 3rd in classes under 20 students
- 6th in ACT/SAT scores
- 7th in alumni giving
For more information about Welch, email gotowelch@welch.edu or visit www.welch.edu.