U.S. News releases 2013 best colleges report

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - U.S. News and World Report released it's annual best college rankings Wednesday. Approximately 1,600 schools were included using various compilations of data and research methods.

Several northeast Indiana colleges and universities were included.

Taylor University was ranked the number one Midwest University within the Best Regional Colleges category for the sixth year in a row. Taylor has been ranked in the top three for the last sixteen years.

Within the same category, Taylor also ranked first in peer assessment score, freshman retention rate, graduation rate, and its ability to attract freshmen from the top 25% of their high school class.

Taylor also received recognition within “Great Schools at Great Prices,” and “A Schools for B Students.”

IPFW's overall ranking was calculated but not published, which was the case for the previous year's rankings. The school did score in the top 150 for two graduate school programs. The part-time M.B.A. program ranked 102nd and the Public Affairs program ranked 149th. The school was also recognized for its undergraduate engineering program.

The school ranked in the top 100 for Top Online Programs. IPFW ranked 10th for Faculty Credentials and Training, 19th for Student Engagement and Assessment and 97th for Student Services and Technology.

The University of Saint Francis ranked 80th overall for Midwest Regional Universities. The graduate school programs for Physician Assistant ranked 84th, while nursing ranked 99th.

The Midwest category includes schools from 13 states.

Indiana Tech, classified in the business school category, garnered recognition for its undergraduate engineering program. It also ranked high for it's online bachelor's program. Student Engagement and Assessment ranked 140th and Student Services and Technology ranked 136th. It's online business programs also ranked in the top 150.

Outside of Fort Wayne, Huntington University ranked 13th in the Midwest Regional College category. It also includes schools across 13 states. HU ranked 9th in the previous year's rankings.

Manchester College ranked 18th, up one spot from the 2012 rankings. Manchester was also ranked 4th as a "Best Value School."

Trine University ranked 34th, down two spots from 2012. It also received recognition for its undergraduate engineering program.

Bigger schools in Indiana saw Notre Dame leading the Hoosier state. Notre Dame ranked 17th nationally, followed by Purdue (65th), Indiana (83rd), and Ball State (184th).

Harvard and Princeton tied for the top spot in the national overall rankings.