Jenelle Bayus
Hiram College has been recognized as a top college according to the newly released 2020 U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Hiram was ranked number 14 among Midwest Regional Colleges in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. The Midwest Regional category includes institutions from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Additionally, the College ranked fifth among Midwest Regional Colleges for social mobility, a ranking that measures graduation rates of Pell-awarded students and sixth for Best Value, a category that looks at both academic quality and cost of education.
Hiram has long been committed to making a liberal arts degree affordable. Just this week, the College announced a new tuition model that will reduce the published cost of tuition and mandatory fees, starting in fall 2020, by 35 percent. Along with lower tuition, the model provides Hiram students with the option to take up to two free summer courses each year. This feature allows students to accelerate or decelerate their studies during the fall and spring semesters. For some students, these free courses will allow them to shave a semester or whole year off their undergraduate journey. Additionally, the new tuition model has been designed to further enhance opportunities for experiential learning. Thanks to a substantial gift made by a generous donor and graduate of Hiram, the College will significantly expand the number of paid internships it offers starting in summer 2020.
“Seeing such high rankings at a time when we are rolling out our next big change is really gratifying,” said Liz Okuma, Ph.D., vice president and dean of students. “The rankings are validation that our changes are making a real difference in the lives of our students. We know that our students are benefitting from an enriched educational experience, but it is rewarding to receive this external validation. The tuition model we rolled out this week will provide our students with additional benefits, while helping them pave a pathway from college to career.”
Along with rankings from U.S. News & World Report, Hiram College is recognized by several other publications that highlight outstanding colleges and universities. The 2019 edition of Washington Monthly’s College Guide and Rankings has listed Hiram College as number four in the country among colleges and universities that award bachelor’s degrees almost exclusively. The College is also recognized as a College of Distinction by national college rating guide, Colleges of Distinction, for its high-impact education practices, highly-engaged students, quality education, vibrant community, and successful outcomes. Hiram has also been named one of the best colleges in the Midwest according to The Princeton Review and listed as one of Forbes Top Colleges for 2019.
