U.S. News & World Report ranks Adrian College No. 1 in Most Innovative Schools
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Author: Mickey Alvarado
Adrian College is ranked No. 1 in the Most Innovative Schools for Regional Colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025 rankings and also listed No. 2 in both Best Value and Undergraduate Teaching.
Adrian College placed 32nd in U.S. News & World Report’s best “Regional Colleges, Midwest” category, making this the 11th-consecutive year the institution has been featured by the media company.
“We strive to foster an environment where innovation and quality teaching thrive, and it’s encouraging to see that our efforts are making a meaningful impact,” said Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking. “These accolades reflect our commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience for our students.”
U.S. News & World Report ranked Adrian College No. 4 in Best Colleges for Veterans in the Midwest and 41st for First-Year Experience.
The Most Innovative Schools designation recognizes colleges and universities that are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, students, campus life, technology, or facilities.
Best Value Colleges are determined by calculating a school’s academic quality, and the 2023-2024 net cost of attendance for an out-of-state student who received the average level of need-based financial aid.
“The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal,” U.S. News says in its category description. “Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included because U.S. News considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically.”
“These recognitions reinforce our mission to make quality education accessible and impactful, and we are proud to be part of a community that prioritizes student success,” said Frank Hribar, Adrian College Vice President of Enrollment and Student Affairs.
U.S. News & World Report asked top academics to name the institutions they believe have faculty with an unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching. The rankings are based solely on the responses to this separate section of the 2024 peer assessment survey.
The rankings for Best Undergraduate Teaching focus on schools whose faculty and administrators are committed to teaching undergraduate students in a high-quality manner. College presidents, provosts and admissions deans who participated in the annual U.S. News peer assessment survey were asked to nominate up to 15 schools in their Best Colleges ranking category that have strength in undergraduate teaching.
“Our faculty’s passion and dedication play a crucial role in shaping the future of our students, and we’re proud to see their contributions highlighted on a national level,” said Andrea Milner, Adrian College Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs.
U.S. News publishes the Best Colleges rankings each year to provide prospective students and their families with helpful data and information on factors such as graduation rates, social mobility, and graduate indebtedness.
Adrian College is a traditional four-year residential institution offering a focused undergraduate education and traditional two-year Master’s programs as well as advanced 3+2 Master’s programs. The college currently offers 71 undergraduate programs, 13 graduate programs, six pre-professional programs, and 62 minors and certificates, with a 1-to-15 faculty to student ratio. Adrian College has 50 sports teams and has 10 institutes dedicated to a diverse and personalized approach to education. Adrian College features state-of-the-art facilities, small class sizes and an innovative approach to the academic and personal growth of its students.
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and their communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, Real Estate, News and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
To see how Adrian College compares to other institutions and how the rankings are calculated, go online to usnews.com.
