Augustana ranks among the nation's best colleges

Augustana College has once again been named a nationwide top 100 liberal arts college and improved its placement in the U.S. News & World Report 2020 rankings by three spots.

The rankings include data for 1,900 institutions and rankings for nearly 1,400 institutions, making it a leading resource for families on the college search path.

“The ranking as a top 100 liberal arts college is excellent validation for the work that our faculty, staff and administrators do to provide outstanding experiences and prepare students for a meaningful life,” said Augustana President Steve Bahls. “We believe we prepare students not only for their first job but their last job. Being able to point families to our U.S. News and World Report ranking helps us tell that story.”

In addition, Augustana was recognized as a Best Value school, and a Top Performer in Social Mobility, a new category in 2020. More than 20% of the incoming class received a Pell Grant which means their Expected Family Contribution is less than $5,500 annually. 

“Being recognized for the value we provide as well as being included on the first ranking of social mobility means quite a lot because of how it reflects our own goals,” said W. Kent Barnds, executive vice president for external relations. “

Improving access for students of all socioeconomic backgrounds is foundational to our work both from an admissions perspective and from a fundraising perspective, encouraging our alumni to support future generations of students so they can make the dream of an Augustana education a reality.”

Augustana also ranks in the top 50 for First-Year Experiences, which recognizes colleges and universities that go above and beyond to create programming and connect incoming students to faculty and staff on a regular basis.

“One of the benefits of an Augustana education is the close relationships our students can have with faculty members and we start building those relationships before they even step foot on campus for the first day of class,” said Dr. Wendy Hilton-Morrow, provost and dean of the college. “Our first-year programs coupled with our hands-on approach to advising makes sure students aren’t left behind while they’re still getting acclimated to college.”

Augustana also has been recognized by other ranking institutions as a best value and best in the Midwest. See more on Rankings and Recognition.