NWC ranked among best-value colleges

Northwestern College is ranked 34th out of 1,223 colleges and universities in College Factual’s Nationwide Best Colleges for the Money list, www.collegefactual.com/rankings/best-colleges-for-money.

The ranking, published in partnership with USA Today, is based on colleges’ total cost—which includes yearly net cost and average years to graduation—compared to their academic quality. “College Factual’s Best Colleges for the Money ranking identifies which colleges and universities offer the best bang for your buck—delivering quality education and economic value,” says a statement on the organization’s website. “[These colleges] offer a great education at a reasonable price.”

Only nine Iowa institutions made the rankings’ top 100, including Iowa State University, 30; Northwestern College, 34; Wartburg, 53; University of Northern Iowa, 58; Luther, 60; Faith Baptist Bible College, 61; Coe, 79; Loras, 83; and Cornell College, 92. Within College Factual’s seven-state Best Colleges for the Money in the Plains States rankings, Northwestern is ranked eighth out of 131 institutions.

“We are pleased to receive another high ranking that indicates the strong value Northwestern provides our students,” says Mark Bloemendaal, dean of enrollment and marketing. “This joins other recent data-driven best-value rankings by Money magazine, ChristianUniversitiesOnline.org  and GreatValueColleges.net in pointing out that Northwestern works hard to be affordable and offers a strong return on investment.”

College Factual’s overall rankings are based on criteria that include educational resources (expenditures per student, the percentage of full-time faculty, student-faculty ratio and compensation); degree completion (freshman retention and graduation rate); post-graduation earnings (average salaries and student loan default rate); and the caliber of the student body.