Winona State University has been named among America’s 100 Best College Buys for the 24th consecutive year.

The publication is an independent ranking of the value and quality of colleges and universities across the nation, conducted by Institutional Research and Evaluation (IRE) of Rome, Georgia. The report profiles the schools that are the highest rated academically, but also have the greatest value as a function of academic quality, cost of attendance and financial aid available.

To be considered for America’s 100 College Buys, a college must meet specific requirements. The college must be an accredited four-year institution offering bachelor’s degrees; offer full residential facilities including residence halls and dining services; have an entering freshman class with a high school grade point average and/or SAT/ACT score equal to or above the national average; and have an out-of-state cost of attendance that is below the national average.

In 2019, IRE researched 1,431 accredited U.S. colleges and universities. Of the institutions surveyed, 1,049 schools responded. Winona State University is one of only three Minnesota schools included in the 24th annual report of America’s 100 Best College Buys. (The others are University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and University of Minnesota-Duluth.)

About Winona State University

Founded in 1858, Winona State University is a comprehensive, regional public university with approximately 8,000 students on campuses in Winona and Rochester. Around half of WSU students are first-generation, meaning neither parent has a four-year bachelor’s degree. The oldest member of the Minnesota State system, WSU offers more than 80 undergraduate, pre-professional, licensure, graduate and doctorate programs in five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Science & Engineering. Winona State is ranked as the second public institution in Minnesota by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges,” has been named among the “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review for 15 years in a row, and has been featured as one of America’s 100 Best College Buys for quality and value for 23 consecutive years. The University generates $447.9 Million in economic impact for the region per year. The University’s mission is to enhance the intellectual, social, cultural and economic vitality of the people and communities we serve: a community of learners improving our world. For more information, visit winona.edu.