Limestone Makes Big Jump In Regional Rankings, Scores High In Value By U.S. News & World Report

The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges report is out for 2022-2023, and Limestone University made one of the greatest jumps in the regional rankings while also scoring highly in affordability.

Moving up eight spots to No.45 in the grouping of Best Regional Colleges In The South, Limestone is one of the top 10 movers in this year’s rankings. Limestone is one of only four private institutions from South Carolina ranked in the top 50 in the grouping of Best Regional Colleges In The South.

The Best Regional Colleges ranking highlights institutions that focus on undergraduate education but grant fewer than half their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.

One of only three private institutions from South Carolina in the top 30, Limestone ranked No.23 in the Best Value Schools category for Regional Colleges In The South.

The Best Value Schools rankings incorporate the overall ranking, but also credit schools for the amount of financial support made available to students with need.

For all of its rankings this year, U.S. News & World Report assessed 1,500 United States bachelor's degree-granting institutions on 17 measures of academic quality. Some of the ranking indicators include student-faculty ratio, average federal loan debt of graduates, academic majors offered, application requirements, tuition, financial aid policies, student body demographics, campus life, and post-graduate earnings data by undergraduate focus.

“These latest rankings accentuate the forward momentum that continues to build here at our University,” said Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker. “We are certainly proud to be one of the biggest movers in the regional rankings, while also continuing to score highly when it comes to value. The latest rankings are a testimony to the commitment of our faculty and staff and to the quality of students we are attracting.”

In the area of affordability, Parker noted that Limestone provides extensive scholarship opportunities and financial aid packages to assist students and families. He pointed out that in the past four years, Limestone has invested approximately $49 million in student scholarships.

“With the South Carolina LIFE Scholarship, the South Carolina Tuition Grant, and Limestone’s own institutional aid, we can be more affordable for full-time in-state students than many of the area public institutions,” Parker explained. “We are continually striving to make Limestone more affordable than ever.”