USF Named in U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Colleges Rankings

Joliet, Ill. – U.S. News & World Report continues to recognize the University of St. Francis (USF) as a top university in the United States. This year’s recognition in the publication’s 2022 Best Colleges rankings marks USF’s third year in the “National Universities” category, and the eighteenth consecutive year that USF has been honored by U.S. News & World Report. According to usnews.com/education, “Schools in the ‘National Universities’ category offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs. These colleges also are committed to producing groundbreaking research.” USF was ranked 249th in the “National Universities” category of this year’s publication. The ranking placed USF ninth among the seventeen Illinois schools included in the report, sixth among private Illinois schools, and third among Illinois’ ranked Catholic schools. USF is also Will County’s only school included in U.S News & World Report’s 2022 “National University” rankings. “Annual recognition by U.S. News & World Report acknowledges the quality of a University of St. Francis education,” said USF President Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D.  “Rankings such as this help to validate the efforts of our faculty and provide us with many points of pride. However, the most important indicators of our success as educators are that our students have a great learning experience, graduate, are considered top prospects by employers, and find jobs that launch their careers.” U.S. News & World Report also ranked USF as one of the top 100 universities in the country in its “Top Performers on Social Mobility” list for a third consecutive year (up three ranking positions from 2021). The ranking recognizes USF as a school that supports and assists economically disadvantaged students. According to usnews.com, “Some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000.” “Being recognized for Social Mobility is certainly a measure of which every staff and faculty member at USF can be proud,” said USF Vice President for Admissions and Marketing, Eric Wignall. “This accolade demonstrates our continued commitment to serve people from every background and income level, while also showing how solid our educational programs are that our graduates truly make more and do more to improve their lives.” One new accolade for this year is USF’s inclusion in the publication’s Best Undergraduate Nursing rankings. USF was ranked at 432 out of close to 700 institutions. “This year, U.S. News & World Report is publishing its first-ever undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) rankings. In the spring and summer of 2021, U.S. News surveyed deans and senior faculty members at each of the 694 undergraduate BSN degree granting nursing programs that met identified criteria,” a spokesperson for U.S. News & World Report said. Visit usnews.com/colleges for more information on the U.S. News 2022 Best Colleges rankings. Visit stfrancis.edu/nationally-ranked for more information on additional national accolades earned by USF. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #