U.S. News ranks area colleges among the best in Midwest

Drury, Missouri State and Evangel universities and College of the Ozarks ranked among the best schools in the Midwest in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings published yesterday.

The report analyzes schools based on academic value, tuition, first-year student retention, graduation rates, faculty strength, financial aid availability and other factors. The report defines regional universities as those offering undergraduate and some master's degree, but few doctoral programs. Regional colleges are defined as focusing on undergraduate degrees.

Locally, Drury University landed at No. 11 on the report’s list of regional universities in the Midwest.

The school has 1,454 enrolled students paying 2015-16 tuition and fees of $24,905 each, according to its profile. The university’s admission rate is 81 percent, and its student-faculty ratio is 10 to 1. The average freshman retention rate is 83 percent.

Also on the list of best regional universities in the Midwest is Missouri State University, which tied at No. 64.

In-state tuition for the 2015-16 academic year is $7,060, with out-of-state students paying $13,930. At the school, 18,517 are enrolled, representing an acceptance level of 85 percent, according to its profile. MSU has a student-faculty ratio of 20 to 1, and the average retention rate is 75.5 percent.

College of the Ozarks ranked No. 4 on U.S. News’ list of the best regional colleges in the Midwest. While 2015-16 tuition is $18,730, students can work on campus to pay off their debt. About 1,400 students are on campus, and the admissions rate is 8.3 percent, according to its profile. The student-faculty ratio is 15 to 1, and the retention rate is 86 percent.

Evangel University tied for 55th on the list of the best regional colleges in the Midwest. With nearly 1,800 students at a 64.5 percent admission rate, tuition for the 2015-16 year is $21,316, according to its profile. The freshman retention rate is 72 percent, and the class ratio is 14 students per faculty member.

Southwest Baptist University and Ozarks Technical Community College were not ranked by U.S. News.