Limestone Again Recognized On Best Regional Colleges List

Only two private colleges from the Palmetto State have landed on a prestigious Top 50 ranking list for the second straight year, and one of those includes Limestone.

The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings are out for 2020, and Limestone is ranked 49th in the category for Best Regional Colleges In The South.

Limestone was also ranked in the Top 50 for 2019, joining only Newberry College as private institutions from South Carolina making the list in back-to-back years.

Affordability, opportunities for low-income students, and a commitment to teaching are a few reasons that Limestone is again listed as one of U.S. News & World Report's best in the region.

“While our highest priority is providing the very best education possible to our students and not rankings, it’s certainly rewarding to be recognized,” said Limestone President Dr. Darrell Parker. “Being one of just two private institutions from South Carolina to make this highly-respected list for two years in a row speaks to the commitment of our faculty and staff and to the quality of students we are attracting to study at Limestone.”

To be considered for the U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Colleges list, schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Indicators include graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, social mobility, student excellence, financial resources, and other data.

In its listing, U.S. News & World Report also highlighted Limestone’s personal attention and close interaction between students and faculty, diverse student body, its family-friendly atmosphere, and its high-quality Online & Evening Programs.

U.S. News & World Report also ranked Limestone No.84 in Top Performers in Social Mobility. Economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for other characteristics. But Limestone was among colleges that are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.