For immediate release: August 22, 2008

BLOOMSBURG — U.S. News and World Report’s annual ranking of U.S. colleges and universities once again lists Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania as one of the best.

In data released this week, U.S. News lists BU as number 81 Best Universities – Master’s for the northern region. BU is tied with Southern New Hampshire University, SUNY – Oswego, the University of New England in Maine and, for the second year in a row, SUNY College – Brockport.

Best Universities – Master’s ranks institutions that offer a full range of undergraduate degrees and some master’s degree programs but few, if any, doctoral degrees.

BU’s consistent 81 percent retention rate (the percentage of freshmen who return for additional years of study) exceeds several colleges that earned higher overall ratings, such as King’s College and St. Bonaventure, Marywood and Wilkes universities. BU’s six-year graduation rate of 63 percent tops Arcadia, Rutgers, Rider and Towson universities, all ranked higher in the listing.

With 96 percent full-time faculty, BU matches Slippery Rock and Kutztown universities and is surpassed by just three institutions in the northern region listing with 97 percent, Edinboro and Lock Haven universities and Husson College in Maine. BU also rates favorably among public universities in the percentage of alumni who make financial donations to their alma mater, 12 percent.

Five hundred seventy-two universities are included in Best Universities – Master’s. Highlights of the college rankings will be published in U.S. News and World Report’s Sept. 1 issue and the America’s Best Colleges guidebook. Of the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities, Millersville and Shippensburg were among seven universities listed at number 58; West Chester was one of four universities tied at number 69.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Professional Studies, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.