Top Public College in the South for the seventh consecutive year
September 14, 2017
U.S. News & World Report ranks Citadel near the top in several categories
CHARLESTON, S.C. —The Citadel has earned the title of #1 Public College in the South offering up to a master’s degree from U.S. News & World Report for the seventh consecutive year. The 2018 Best Colleges rankings were released September 12, by the news outlet that was one of the first American publishers to produce a college rankings list. The Citadel earned high ranks in several areas:
- #1 Public College in the South offering up to a master’s degree (seventh consecutive year)
- #1 Best public college for veterans in the South (second year; #2 Best Colleges for Veterans, Regional Universities South, public and private)
- #4 College in the South offering up to a master’s degree (public and private)
- #19 for Undergraduate Engineering Programs in the nation (tie) offering up to a master’s degree (in top 25 since 2012)
“As our Corps of Cadets, students, faculty and staff return to the college after Hurricane Irma, they will be greeted with the great news that for the seventh consecutive year, The Citadel has earned recognition as the #1 public college in the South offering up to a master’s degree,” said The Citadel President, Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa. “The Citadel’s values-based, leadership-centered education continues to be highly relevant, as underscored by the steady growth we’ve seen with the South Carolina Corps of Cadets and our graduate student population. This recognition is testament to the passionate commitment of the entire Citadel family, which extends to our alumni and the families of those who learn and serve here.”
The publisher also puts The Citadel at #1 for alumni giving for regional universities in the South (public and private) at 25 percent.
“Alumni giving is an important indicator of a college’s strength and how the alumni are emotionally attached to the institution,” said Jay Dowd, Ph.D., chief executive officer of The Citadel Foundation. “Citadel graduates hold extraordinary pride in their alma mater, and we, in turn, are proud that they give back so generously to sustain the college’s mission and our Foundation for Leadershipcampaign. Each gift is a genuine vote of confidence in The Citadel’s ability to educate principled leaders, and we are grateful for their support as we continue to improve on this indicator of strong philanthropic activity.”
A new section of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges listings explores alumni starting salaries. The median starting salary for cadets and students earning undergraduate degrees from The Citadel is listed as $55,500. Additionally, the 2018 findings show the student faculty radio at 12:1, with 38.4 percent of the college’s undergraduate classes having fewer than 20 students. The average need-based scholarship or grant award at The Citadel is $16,154, with 55 percent of full-time undergraduates receiving some kind of need-based financial aid.
The U.S. News & World Report uses to up to 15 measures of quality to create the rankings, some of which include undergraduate academic reputation (with peer assessment), graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity and alumni giving. The methodology utilizes data related to those areas reported to the federal government by more than 600 colleges and universities that the institutions must submit to maintain accreditation and funding.
Information about the methodology used to create the Best Colleges lists can be read here.
About The Citadel
The Citadel with its iconic campus located in Charleston, South Carolina, offers a classic military college education for young men and women profoundly focused on leadership excellence and academic distinction. The 2,300 members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets are not required to serve in the military, but about one-third of each class commission as officers in every branch of U.S. military service. Graduates of The Citadel have served the nation, their states and their communities as principled leaders for 175 years. The Citadel Graduate College offers 26 graduate degree programs with 42 concentration options, 23 graduate certificate programs, and eight evening undergraduate programs, through an all-evening schedule with many courses now available online. The Citadel was named Best Public College in the South by U.S. News & WorldReport offering up to a master’s degree for seven consecutive years, and No. 1 Best Public College for Veterans in the South as well as Best Value out of all South Carolina colleges and universities by Forbes.
