NMU in 'Top Tier' of Midwest Public Universities

Northern Michigan University is one of the best public universities in the Midwest, according to the 2005 college rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. NMU is ranked 13th in the “top tier” among master’s-level public institutions. The Midwest region is composed of 12 states that span from the Dakotas in the west to Ohio in the east and as far south as Missouri.

"It is exciting to see Northern in the top tier of these competitive rankings,” said NMU President Les Wong. “The university has gained national recognition through its university-wide notebook computer program, which creates a more connected learning community. But it has always enjoyed a reputation for personalized attention and effective teaching. This high-tech, high-touch combination is what convinced me to come to Northern and it is obvious the U.S. News & World Report radar has picked up on these strengths as well.”

NMU shares the 13th ranking among Midwest public universities with Southwest Missouri State and Western Illinois. The magazine ranked NMU 55th among all Midwest institutions – public or private – in the master’s category. Schools that fall within this designation offer a comprehensive range of undergraduate and master’s degree programs and typically recruit students from their own state or surrounding states.

U.S. News & World Report collected data from more than 1,400 accredited four-year colleges related to “15 indicators of academic excellence.” These measures – assigned various weight based on judgments about their degree of importance – include peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, class sizes, academic credentials of incoming freshmen, financial resources and alumni giving. For the regional rankings, U.S. News & World Report compared 572 schools in four geographic areas.

Complete 2005 rankings will be included in U.S. News & World Report's “America’s Best Colleges” guide. Highlights are also included in the Aug. 23 newsstand issue and on the magazine's Web site.