Report names University of Portland best in the west

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The University of Portland is the top-ranked university in the western region of the United States, according to the U.S. News and World Report list released Tuesday. 

The private, Catholic university located in North Portland has consistently placed high on the annual rankings list and this is the 28th consecutive year it’s landed a top-10 position. 

“This #1 ranking is a testament to the strength of our academic offerings, the richness of our educational experience, and the brilliance and dedication of our students, staff, and faculty,” said University President Dr. Robert Kelly. 

The university was ranked second in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 listings. It was third in 2021-2022. 

There were several qualities that earned the University of Portland the number one position. Among them include the school’s freshman retention rate of 89%. In fall 2021, the university had an enrollment of 3,587 students. During the school year, the student-faculty ratio was 11:1 and more than 46% of classes had fewer than 20 students. 

In addition to claiming the top spot in U.S. News and World Report’s Regional Universities West category, the university came in third in the Best Undergraduate Teaching category and eighth in Best Value Schools. 

“I am thrilled that U.S. News & World Report has recognized the transformational education we offer at UP – an education rooted in our Catholic, Holy Cross commitment to teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership. I hope that this new ranking will inspire even more prospective students, staff, and faculty to join us on The Bluff,” Kelly said. 

The Regional University West category includes the following states: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Alaska and Hawaii. 

The U.S. News and World Report also released its overall list of 2022-2023 Best Colleges on Tuesday. 

The number one school on the national list is Princeton University, followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. There was a three-way tie for third: Harvard University, Stanford University and Yale University. 

To calculate the rankings, U.S. News and World Report says it focuses on academic quality and outcomes, including graduation rates, retention rates, graduate indebtedness and social mobility.