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For the second consecutive year, Truman State University has earned the No. 2 spot in the Master’s University category of the annual Washington Monthly College Rankings.

Truman was again the No. 1 public school on the Master’s University list and is the only Missouri public institution in the entire top 100.

As is the case with several other publications, Truman has become a fixture in the Washington Monthly College Rankings, which are unique in that they are based primarily on civic engagement, research and social mobility. Schools receive high marks for contributing to society, enrolling low-income students, helping them graduate and keeping costs affordable.

“As a public university, I feel we have a duty to not only prepare our graduates, but also to instill in them the belief that they have the ability and the obligation to contribute to the greater good,” University President Troy D. Paino said. “It’s great to see a publication recognizing that important aspect of education, and the fact that Truman rates high on this list just reaffirms what we have been trying to accomplish here for years.”

Truman garnered additional praise in the overall introduction to this year’s rankings. In the “Hidden Gems” section, Washington Monthly editors noted that many universities across the country “serve as the workhorse institutions of American higher education, providing affordable degrees with strong ties to regional economies,” and specifically praised Truman for its graduation rates, affordable tuition and success at enrolling students in both the Peace Corps and the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).

Washington Monthly is a bimonthly nonprofit magazine covering politics, government, culture and the media. The college guide and rankings appear in the magazine’s September/October issue. The complete 2015 rankings and feature stories can be found at washingtonmonthly.com/college-rankings.

For the 20th year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has named Truman State University as the No. 1 public university in the Midwest region.

This recognition comes from the newly released 2017 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. Truman also tied for the No. 8 spot overall in the Midwest region among both private and public institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs. Truman far outpaced the other Missouri public schools on the list, the closest of which was more than 50 spots lower.

“We are thrilled Truman’s dedication to an exceptional educational experience has resulted in this distinction for two decades,” University President Dr. Susan L. Thomas said. “We have proven time and again that student success is our highest priority and it is fantastic to be recognized for our culture of excellence. We are honored every time we achieve this recognition and it is something we never take for granted.”

High praise for Truman came in several supplemental categories. It was the only public school in the Midwest to earn a spot in the “A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” section, coming in tied for No. 2. Truman was the only Missouri school to be recognized in this area.

The University’s dedication to student research led to Truman’s inclusion in the “Programs to Look For” section in the category of “Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects.” Schools on the unranked list were cited as institutions where “students do intensive and self-directed research or creative work that results in an original or scholarly paper or project that can be formally presented on or off campus.”

Another appearance for Truman came on the “A-Plus Schools for B Students” list. Schools in this unranked category were acknowledged as institutions where such students “have a decent shot at being accepted and thriving” because “spirit and hard work could make all the difference to the admissions office.”

Truman also earned a spot on the “Best Colleges for Veterans” list, coming in as the No. 1 public school in the Midwest, No. 8 overall for the region. To qualify for this list, schools must participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program and have 20 or more students who used GI Bill benefits to finance their educations.

U.S. News & World Report bases its regional rankings on peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, graduation rate performance, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving. Complete listings are available at usnews.com/colleges.
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For the third time this year, Truman has received national attention as one of the nation’s best college values.

The editors of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranked Truman at No. 3 on their list of “25 Best College Values Under $30,000 a Year” for 2014. Truman was also ranked No. 3 on their “30 Best College Values in the Midwest” for 2014. Truman was the only Missouri school on the list, which was recently published online at kiplinger.com. In the eight states that border Missouri, only five schools made the list.

Truman comes in well below the $30,000 threshold established for the list. The average annual tuition at Truman is $7,096 for in-state students and $12,968 for out-of-state students.

This is the second time this year representatives from Kiplinger’s have put a national spotlight on Truman. In January, Truman was recognized as one of the nation’s best values in public education, coming in at No. 12 on the magazine’s list of 100 “Best Values in Public Colleges.” Truman was the highest-rated Missouri school on that list, and the only university in the state to be included in the top 65.