UIS ranked 4th best in the Midwest for 2nd straight year

U.S. News & World Report’s 2010 Edition of America’s Best Colleges ranks the University of Illinois Springfield as the best public university - Master’s category - in the state of Illinois and the fourth best public university in that category in the entire Midwest. This is the second straight year that UIS has achieved those rankings. The Master’s category includes colleges and universities that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs but only a few, if any, doctoral programs.

The prestigious rankings placed UIS at 27 on a list of 71 top public and private colleges and universities in the 12-state Midwest region that includes, in addition to Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota. UIS was ranked fourth best among the 15 public universities on the list.

“With this being the second straight year we have received such high marks, it reflects how UIS is being established as one of the best public universities in the country. Once again, we are thrilled to be recognized in such elite company,” said UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen.

U.S. News also gave UIS a high ranking in a category called “Great Schools, Great Prices” for being among only five universities in the Master’s category in the Midwest with students who graduate with the least debt. UIS was the fourth best on the list with a total of 76 percent of its students graduating with an average debt of $15,138.

UIS was not eligible to be ranked by U.S. News until two years after the university graduated their first class of freshmen. UIS enrolled its first class of freshmen to the Capital Scholars Honors Program in fall 2001.

The rankings are based on several key measures of quality including peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

Ringeisen credited Provost Harry Berman, the deans and faculty in UIS’ four colleges, and the enrollment management staff for their hard work and dedication towards building the quality and reputation of the university.

UIS offers 22 bachelor’s degrees, 20 master’s degrees and one doctoral degree in Public Administration.