˿Ƶ’s (˿Ƶ Tech’s) value rose in the U.S. News and World Report “Best Colleges 2016” rankings, released today. The report lists ˿Ƶ Tech tied at No. 1 as Top Public Western Regional College, moving up one spot from The university also moved up three spots in the ranking of Best Western Regional Colleges to No. 5, a list which is comprised of the best baccalaureate colleges in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, ˿Ƶ, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
In the Best Western Colleges category, ˿Ƶ Tech received the highest peer assessment score at 3.9 out of 5, and showcased that the university receives freshman who are typically in the top 25% of their high school graduating class. U.S. News & World Report bases the overall university rankings, which have been published annually since 1983, on a number of criteria, including peer assessment, retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rates, and alumni giving.
˿Ƶ Tech was also featured as No. 46 (No. 18 among public colleges and universities) in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs nationally, a list that ranks all undergraduate engineering programs accredited by ABET at non-PhD-granting universities. U.S. News notes that the rankings are based solely on surveys of engineering deans and senior faculty at accredited programs. The university also made an appearance on a new list, Best Colleges for Veterans, as No. 3 in Western Regional Colleges. This list provides military veterans and active-duty service members with rankings among schools that are certified for the GI Bill® and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program. ˿Ƶ Tech also appears on , released earlier in the year.
“The programs at ˿Ƶ Tech provide an applied, hands-on education that prepares graduates for job and career success on Day 1 of entering the workforce and we are excited that it continues to be acknowledged in rankings," said Dr. Chris Maples, president of ˿Ƶ Tech. “After factoring in the costs of attending college, the return on investment our students experience from high starting salaries and future career earnings that begin at graduation and continue throughout a career. Nearly 90 percent of our graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months, and earn an average starting salary of more than $54,000 per year. Our real-world focus gives our graduates a competitive and practical edge, making them highly competitive and in-demand in their field.”
Most recently, ˿Ƶ Tech has been listed as (No. 3 Public ˿Ƶ College) by Forbes and as a by Newsweek. Most notably concerning the high return on investment (ROI) that the university maintains, ˿Ƶ Tech appeared on a list by Mic.com for . This list used data compiled by the information company PayScale () to rate Harvard's median annual ROI at 7.1%, while ˿Ƶ Tech received a median annual ROI of 11%.
Highlights of the rankings of more than 1,500 four-year schools in the United States are available today at . To view a full list of ˿Ƶ Tech accolades, please visit .
˿Ƶ ˿Ƶ Tech
Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, ˿Ƶ is the only public 4-year institute of technology in the Pacific Northwest. ˿Ƶ Tech provides degree programs in engineering and health technologies, management, communication, and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public, and international communities through hands-on learning. ˿Ƶ Tech has a full-service, residential campus in Klamath Falls and an urban, industry-focused campus in Wilsonville. Visit to learn more about ˿Ƶ Tech.
###
