U.S. News Ranks Canisius University 20th in Top Tier

September 13, 2011
Buffalo, NY – For the second consecutive year, Canisius earned its highest ranking in college history with the 20th spot in the top tier of U.S. News and World Report’s 2012 rankings of America’s Best Colleges, Regional Universities – North.

The college’s scores increased in the categories of peer assessment, average graduation rate and average freshman retention rate.

“It is an honor to be consistently ranked among the top regional colleges in the Northeast,” said Richard A. Wall, PhD, interim vice president for academic affairs. “Our placement is a result of the expertise of our faculty and rich academic programs that lead Canisius students to active careers that contribute to the betterment of society and their professions.”

Canisius also moved up four spots in “Great Schools, Great Prices” for regional universities in the North, earning the sixth position.

“This ranking is a testament to the great value of a Canisius education,” added Wall. 

The U.S. News annual rankings are one resource that students and parents use to evaluate their college choices. The results are based on a proprietary methodology of statistics for 15 areas related to academic interest. Each indicator is assigned a weight and expressed as a percentage. Colleges are then ranked based on their composite scores. The categories in which schools are listed are based on the classifications created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

The rankings are available online at www.usnews.com and available on newsstands on Tuesday, September 20. For more information, contact the Canisius University Office of Public Relations at 716-888-2790.

Founded in 1933, the weekly national news magazine U.S. News & World Report is devoted to reporting and to analyzing national and international affairs, politics, business, health, science, technology and social trends. Through its annual editions of America’s Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools, America’s Best Hospitals, America’s Best Health Plans and America’s Best Leaders, as well as its News You Can Use® brand, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. The U.S. News website (www.usnews.com) extends that brand promise and delivers the best, most accurate information on-line, organized in an easily accessible way.

Canisius University is one of 28 Jesuit colleges in the nation and the premier private college in Western New York. Canisius prepares leaders – intelligent, caring, faithful individuals – able to pursue and promote excellence in their professions, their communities and their service to humanity.