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MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Sept. 14, 2020) — U.S. News & World Report positioned Milligan University at No. 18 among the “Best Regional Universities” in the South in their 2021 “Best Colleges” report released today. In addition, Milligan was ranked No. 5 in the “Best Value Schools” and advanced seven spots to No. 36 among “Top Performers on Social Mobility” in the same category.
Milligan was the only institution in Northeast Tennessee to be named among the top 20 regional universities in the South, and one of only five Tennessee institutions listed among the top 20 in any category for private or public colleges and universities.
“Milligan strives for high quality and affordability, all while championing our core values of scholarship, community and faith,” said Milligan President Dr. Bill Greer. “With a commitment to small class sizes and personalized attention, these rankings are a testament to our faculty and staff’s dedication to helping every student succeed.”
U.S. News’ methodology is informed by a variety of metrics that gage student success. Milligan’s retention and graduation rates remained well above other private colleges and state universities. Also, nearly 100% of Milligan graduates are employed or in graduate school within one year of earning their degree.
U.S. News ranks “Best Value Schools” by assessing a university’s academic quality and price, as well as the percentage of need-based scholarships and grants the university offers to offset total cost. The higher the quality and the lower the actual cost, the greater the value.
The total cost of a Milligan education is $6,500 below the national average for private colleges and universities. Additionally, Milligan students’ average federal loan debt at graduation is $3,300 below the national average.
The “Top Performers on Social Mobility” category measures each school’s success in graduating students who receive federal Pell Grants, primarily students whose household incomes are less than $50,000 annually.
U.S. News’ rankings, data, tables and lists—including profiles for each school and a search tool to enable prospective students and parents to find the college that best fits their needs—is available online at www.usnews.com/colleges.