Atchison, Kan. (Sept. 9, 2019) – Benedictine College has jumped up three spots in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings of “America’s Best Colleges” and is now in the top 10. The rankings, published by U.S. News Media Group, list 91 colleges in the Midwest Division of the Best Regional Colleges and Benedictine is listed at #10 in the region, the highest ranked Catholic college in the division, and the #1 school for alumni giving. U.S. News & World Report also lists Benedictine College as a Best Value school and a top school for Pell Grant recipients (under $50,000 family income) to succeed. The complete rankings are available online at www.usnews.com/colleges.

The annual rankings – in which U.S. News groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching – provide a resource for parents and students considering higher education opportunities. Using a proprietary methodology, the annual U.S. News rankings represent the most comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 15 widely-accepted indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,900 accredited four-year schools.

“Benedictine College is pleased to be named a Top 10 college by U.S. News & World Report,” said Stephen D. Minnis, president of Benedictine College. “Additional recognition from the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s, Forbes, The Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College, and others is a clear indication that we are becoming one of the great Catholic colleges in America.”

The completion of Westerman Hall, the science and engineering building, gives Benedictine College the finest science and engineering facility of any small college in America. That $24 million project also included the construction of the Daglen Observatory on a ridge west of campus. At the same time, Benedictine has earned full ABET accreditation for its mechanical, chemical and civil engineering programs. Benedictine has continued to expand its Nursing School and Architecture is now firmly established on the Atchison, Kan., campus. Benedictine College has nearly doubled in enrollment in the past 10 years and is now the largest private college in Kansas according to the Kansas Independent Colleges Association.

Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts colleges located on a wooded 120-acre campus in Atchison, Kan. The school prides itself on outstanding academics, strong athletic programs, and an exceptional sense of community and belonging. The college traces its roots to 1858 and has a mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship. More information is available on the Benedictine website at www.benedictine.edu.