MSU-Northern has been named one of the Best Colleges for Rural America, ranking No. 36 in the nation in Washington Monthly magazine’s first-ever ranking of colleges serving rural students and communities.
Washington Monthly says its rankings focus on what colleges do for the country rather than prestige.
The magazine started with more than 1,000 rurally located institutions nationwide before narrowing the field to 225 four-year nonprofit colleges and universities. Northern came in at No. 36.
The ranking considers affordability, student debt, alumni earnings, access for lower-income students, the number of students who come from within their home state and the number of graduates who stay there. Schools also receive credit for preparing graduates for careers that are in high demand in rural America, including education, health care, engineering, agriculture, natural resources, and public and social services
