Tennessee Wesleyan Again Ranked in U.S. News and World Report

The 2020 fall edition of the US News and World Report Best Colleges Rankings again ranked TWU, naming the University No.23 in the Regional Colleges South category, No.17 in Best Value Schools South, and No.43 in Top Performers on Social Mobility.

“We are pleased to be named on the U.S. News rankings again this year,” said TWU President Dr. Harley Knowles. “Together with the record enrollment, we believe many people are seeing what we already know, that Tennessee Wesleyan is an affordable and welcoming place for students to learn.”

The No.23 Regional Colleges South ranking represents an overall ranking that takes into account the school’s performance in a variety of categories. The highest-ranking category is Outcomes (40%), which includes graduate debt, social mobility, graduation and retention rates. The remaining factors taken into account include Faculty Resources (20%), Expert Opinion (20%), Financial Resources (10%), Student Excellence (7%), and Alumni Giving (3%). More info on U.S. News ranking categories is available here.

The Best Value School distinction is based on four categories related to affordability: academic quality (overall Best College score), percentage receiving need-based scholarships and grants, average discount, and a percentage of those who received both need-based aid and a scholarship or grant.

Social Mobility rankings seek to show which schools enroll and graduate disadvantaged students, based on Pell Grant data.

“The value of a Tennessee Wesleyan education, as well as our commitment to underserved populations are both points of emphasis on our campus, and will continue to be,” added Dr. Knowles. “This fall, 39% of our student body is first-generation college students, which frequently includes underserved populations. While we’re pleased with the rankings, we believe they will only get better in the years to come.”