The Citadel No. 1 in U.S. News & World Report for third straight year

For the third straight year U.S. News & World Report selected The Citadel the top public college in its category in the South. The college was also designated a “Best Value” and recognized for “strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.”

Highlights of The Citadel’s rankings:

No. 1 Public college in the South offering a master’s degree

• Overall score (88) highest nationally for all publics in The Citadel’s category

• Average alumni giving rate (29 percent) highest nationally for all colleges in The Citadel’s category, both public and private

No. 2 “Best Value” among public colleges in The Citadel’s category in the South

No. 22 Undergraduate Engineering program at schools without a doctoral program

No. 3 Public college in The Citadel’s category in the South for “strong commitment to undergraduate teaching”

“I am very proud of our cadets, students, faculty and staff for all the hard work that led to this distinction. This was a team effort,” said Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, president of The Citadel. “We don’t chase rankings, but endeavor to achieve our vision: Excellence in the education and development of principled leaders.”

Among the factors considered by U.S. News & World Report are (The Citadel in parentheses):

• Average retention rate (82 percent)

• Percentage of classes numbering less than 20 students (40 percent)

• Student/faculty ratio (13:1)

• Average alumni giving rate (29 percent)

All rankings are available at U.S. News online.