U.S. News Names Three USF Online Programs Best Among Private Schools in 2024

Joliet, Ill. – U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2024 Best Online Programs rankings, and the University of St. Francis (USF) is proud to announce that five of its online programs – including three named as the best private programs in Illinois – were honored this year.

Recognized USF programs included:

  • Online Graduate Business Programs (excluding MBA) – #1 ranked private program overall in Illinois (46th percentile nationally);
  • Online Graduate Education Programs – #1 ranked private program in Illinois (12th percentile nationally);
  • Online MBA Programs – #1 ranked private program in Illinois (40th percentile nationally);
  • Online Nursing Programs – #4 ranked private program in Illinois (41th percentile nationally), and;
  • Online Bachelor’s Programs – #3 ranked private program in Illinois (27th percentile nationally).

As online education programs gain in popularity and demand, USF continues to leverage its comprehensive history of offering quality options that meet the changing needs of students interested in earning undergraduate and graduate degrees. Visit stfrancis.edu/admissions-aid/online for more information on USF’s online programs.

For more information on U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Online Programs rankings, click here.

About U.S News & World Report’s Ranking Methodology

U.S. News has been publishing school rankings in the education sector since 1983 and has done so specifically for online degree programs since 2013. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, U.S. News calculates rankings based on a variety of factors, which hold different weights depending on the ranking category. A program’s score for each factor, or ranking indicator, is calculated using data that online programs report to U.S. News in an annual survey. The rankings methodologies for online programs are separate from those for U.S. News’ Best Colleges and Best Graduate Schools rankings. Ranking methodologies are typically updated on an annual basis.

Additional details are available here.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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U.S. News & World Report Names USF in 2023-2024 Best Colleges Rankings

Joliet, Ill. – U.S. News & World Report continues to recognize the University of St. Francis (USF) as a top university in the United States. This year’s recognition in the publication’s 2023-2024 Best Colleges rankings marks USF’s fifth year in the “National Universities” category, and the twentieth consecutive year that USF has been honored by U.S. News & World Report.

According to usnews.com/education, “Schools in the ‘National Universities’ category offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs. These colleges also are committed to producing groundbreaking research.”

USF moved up in this year’s rankings to place among the top 280 schools in the “National Universities” category of this year’s publication. The ranking placed USF twelfth among all Illinois schools included in the report, seventh among private Illinois schools, and third among Illinois’ ranked Catholic schools.

USF is also once again Will County’s only school included in U.S News & World Report’s 2023-2024 “National Universities” rankings.

“U.S. News & World Report’s continued recognition of USF acknowledges the quality of a University of St. Francis education,” said USF President Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D. “Rankings such as this help to validate the efforts of our faculty and provide us with many points of pride. These rankings are also more important now than ever before as high school students critically weigh their post-graduation options. USF graduates are considered top prospects by employers, and find jobs that launch their careers. This certainly validates our value proposition of the return on investment realized by USF graduates.”

U.S. News & World Report also ranked USF as one of the top 100 universities in the country in its Top Performers for Social Mobility list for fifth consecutive year. The ranking recognizes USF as a school that supports and assists economically disadvantaged students. According to usnews.com, “Some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000.”

USF was also included in the publication’s Best Undergraduate Nursing rankings for a third consecutive year.

Visit usnews.com/colleges for more information on the U.S. News and World Report 2023-2024 Best Colleges rankings.

National Recognition Continues

USF continues to receive high praise from a variety of national ranking agencies.

Most recently, USF ranked #130 overall and #8 in Illinois in WSJ/College Pulse’s 2024 Best Colleges in America. Visit wsj.com/rankings/college-rankings/best-colleges-2024 for more information.

Also, Niche.com released its 2024 Best Colleges in America rankings and placed USF as the #5 Best Value College in Illinois and #112 Best Value College (top 7%) in the nation. Visit niche.com/colleges/university-of-st-francis-illinois/ for more information on USF’s other categorical placement in the 2024 Best Colleges in America rankings by Niche.com.

Visit stfrancis.edu/nationally-ranked for more information on additional national accolades earned by USF.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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USF Recognized in 2023-2024 Best Graduate Schools Rankings by U.S. News

Joliet, Ill. – U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2023-2024 Best Graduate Schools rankings, and the University of St. Francis (USF) was recognized on four lists in the report. Lists on which USF is recognized includes: Education – one of thirteen Illinois schools recognized; Nursing (DNP) – one of seven Illinois schools recognized; Nursing (Master’s) – one of nine Illinois schools recognized; and Physician Assistant. “USF offers incredibly valuable, nationally-recognized graduate degree programs, which is certainly validated through recognition from organizations such as U.S. News & World Report,” USF President Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D., said. Visit stfrancis.edu/admissions-aid/graduate-students/ for a full list of graduate programs available at USF. Visit stfrancis.edu/nationally-ranked/ for a comprehensive listing of USF’s national recognition. Visit usnews.com and search “best graduate schools rankings” to review the U.S. News & World Report 2023-2024 Best Graduate Schools rankings. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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USF Programs Shine in Online Program Rankings by U.S. News

Joliet, Ill. – U.S. News & World Report recently released its 2023 Best Online Programs rankings, and the University of St. Francis (USF) is proud to announce that its online graduate business programs (excluding MBA) were ranked the best in Illinois. The publication also recognized four other online programs offered by USF, including two named as the best private programs in Illinois (online graduate education programs and online MBA programs). Recognized USF programs included:
  • Online Graduate Business Programs (excluding MBA) – #1 ranked program overall in Illinois (36th percentile nationally);
  • Online Graduate Education Programs – #1 ranked private program in Illinois (18th percentile nationally);
  • Online MBA Programs – #1 ranked private program in Illinois (36th percentile nationally);
  • Online Nursing Programs – #3 ranked private program in Illinois (35th percentile nationally), and;
  • Online Bachelor’s Programs – #4 ranked private program in Illinois (24th percentile nationally).
As online education programs gain in popularity and demand, USF continues to leverage its comprehensive history of offering quality options that meet the changing needs of students interested in earning undergraduate and graduate degrees. Visit stfrancis.edu/admissions-aid/online for more information on USF’s online programs. Visit usnews.com/education/online-education for more information on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Online Programs rankings. About U.S News & World Report’s Ranking Methodology U.S. News & World Report (U.S. News) has been publishing school rankings in the education sector since 1983 and has done so specifically for online degree programs since 2013. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, U.S. News calculates rankings based on a variety of factors, which hold different weights depending on the ranking category. A program’s score for each factor, or ranking indicator, is calculated using data that online programs report to U.S. News in an annual survey. The rankings methodologies for online programs are separate from those for U.S. News’ Best Colleges and Best Graduate Schools rankings. Ranking methodologies are typically updated on an annual basis. Additional details are available at usnews.com/education/online-education. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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U.S. News Recognizes USF on Its 2023 Best Education Schools Listing

Joliet, Ill. – U.S. News & World Report released its 2023 Best Education Schools listing today, and the University of St. Francis (USF) is proud to announce its inclusion in the annual publication. According to USF College of Education dean John Gambro, Ed.D., USF effectively prepares teachers to excel as they begin their respective careers. “We focus on excellence and prepare teachers to excel on their first day in the classroom. Our graduates have confidence that allows them to be successful in helping students reach their fullest potential. USF has one of the best teacher education programs in Illinois with 100% pass rates on all required tests. This reputation for excellence sets our graduates apart and results in USF teacher candidates being highly sought-after for employment after graduation,” Gambro said. Although the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to have a lingering effect on the teaching profession, Gambro believes the preparation that USF teaching students receive positions them to succeed even as the needs of students, parents and schools change. “Preparing the next generation of teachers is more important now than ever before. Due to the pandemic, the challenges that educators face require that they are highly skilled in differentiating to meet the academic and social emotional needs of students.  This level of skill requires a student-centered approach that affirms and values the diversity and individual differences that each student brings to a learning experience. To that end, our programs develop teachers who educate the whole person and design developmentally appropriate learning environments that allow all students to maximize their potential,” Gambro said. “We place a high priority on real-world experience and getting students involved in actual teaching as soon as possible.  After their first semester freshman year, students are able to complete a field experience in a classroom every semester.  That’s a very unique feature not available in other schools,” Gambro added. Visit stfrancis.edu/education for more information on USF’s undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. Click here for more information on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 Best Education Schools listing. About U.S News & World Report’s Ranking Methodology According to U.S. News & World Report, the organization “evaluated education schools on research activity, academic excellence of entering students, faculty resources, and opinions on program quality from education school deans and school hiring professionals. In fall 2021 and early 2022, U.S. News collected statistical and reputation data directly from education schools for the overall Best Education Schools ranking. The data was also used for nine distinct rankings in education specialty areas and for populating each education school’s individual directory page. Altogether, 457 schools granting doctoral education degrees were surveyed. Among them, 274 responded, providing the data needed to be eligible for inclusion in the overall graduate education rankings.” Additional details are available here. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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USF Named in U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Colleges Rankings

Joliet, Ill. – U.S. News & World Report continues to recognize the University of St. Francis (USF) as a top university in the United States. This year’s recognition in the publication’s 2022 Best Colleges rankings marks USF’s third year in the “National Universities” category, and the eighteenth consecutive year that USF has been honored by U.S. News & World Report. According to usnews.com/education, “Schools in the ‘National Universities’ category offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs. These colleges also are committed to producing groundbreaking research.” USF was ranked 249th in the “National Universities” category of this year’s publication. The ranking placed USF ninth among the seventeen Illinois schools included in the report, sixth among private Illinois schools, and third among Illinois’ ranked Catholic schools. USF is also Will County’s only school included in U.S News & World Report’s 2022 “National University” rankings. “Annual recognition by U.S. News & World Report acknowledges the quality of a University of St. Francis education,” said USF President Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D.  “Rankings such as this help to validate the efforts of our faculty and provide us with many points of pride. However, the most important indicators of our success as educators are that our students have a great learning experience, graduate, are considered top prospects by employers, and find jobs that launch their careers.” U.S. News & World Report also ranked USF as one of the top 100 universities in the country in its “Top Performers on Social Mobility” list for a third consecutive year (up three ranking positions from 2021). The ranking recognizes USF as a school that supports and assists economically disadvantaged students. According to usnews.com, “Some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000.” “Being recognized for Social Mobility is certainly a measure of which every staff and faculty member at USF can be proud,” said USF Vice President for Admissions and Marketing, Eric Wignall. “This accolade demonstrates our continued commitment to serve people from every background and income level, while also showing how solid our educational programs are that our graduates truly make more and do more to improve their lives.” One new accolade for this year is USF’s inclusion in the publication’s Best Undergraduate Nursing rankings. USF was ranked at 432 out of close to 700 institutions. “This year, U.S. News & World Report is publishing its first-ever undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) rankings. In the spring and summer of 2021, U.S. News surveyed deans and senior faculty members at each of the 694 undergraduate BSN degree granting nursing programs that met identified criteria,” a spokesperson for U.S. News & World Report said. Visit usnews.com/colleges for more information on the U.S. News 2022 Best Colleges rankings. Visit stfrancis.edu/nationally-ranked for more information on additional national accolades earned by USF. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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