Bethel climbs U.S. News & World Report, Washington Monthly rankings
Earlier this month, the school received welcomed news on the national rankings front.
Earlier this month, Bethel College announced that it had received welcomed news regarding the school’s national standing in the U.S. News & World Report and Washington Monthly rankings.
In the U.S. News & World Report’s list, “[Bethel] jumped seven places in the annual ‘Best Colleges’ issue,” the announcement read. “In the list of ‘Best Regional Colleges - Midwest,’ Bethel lands at [No. 24].”
Bethel checks in at ninth for “Undergraduate Teaching,” No. 28 (up from No. 31) for “Best Value Schools,” and No. 37 (up from No. 41) for “Top Performers in Social Mobility.” And for Washington Monthly’s annual list of Best Bachelor’s Colleges, Bethel moved up one spot to No. 14 — the highest-ranked Kansas institution.
Bethel also placed sixth in the rankings for “service” and fourth for “research.” It also made the list of “Best Bang for the Buck - Midwest” colleges. This category ranks schools “according to how well they help non-wealthy students earn marketable degrees at affordable prices.”
These are huge accomplishments for both Bethel itself and its students. “Anytime you move up in a national ranking, you’ve obviously done something positive and something that people noticed and took note of and sort of rewarded you,” Heidi Hoskinson, Vice President for Enrollment Management, said. “It also means that the data you’re reporting to external sources is improving, so that can be a good sign as well.”
And while Bethel leadership is proud of all the new rankings, some stand out more than others. “I think the Washington Monthly [rankings] stand out,” Hoskinson said. “It reflects that we’re doing some things that are manifesting themselves and really catching fire and showing up in the data.
I think our financial position is better. It [shows that we’re] not only a quality four-year bachelor degree-granting institution but [we’re] also strong.”
Hoskinson’s team believes these trends will continue with strong returning — and incoming class of — students for the fall of 2023.