For the 25th consecutive year, Winona State University has been named among America’s 100 Best College Buys.
Only three higher education institutions within Minnesota have been given the distinction this year, and of those three – Winona State University is the most affordable. No institutions in Wisconsin were selected.
The listing 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 Best College Buys, institutions must meet specific requirements. Colleges 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 2020, IRE researched 1,422 accredited U.S. colleges and universities. Of the institutions surveyed, 1,076 responded. As previously noted, Winona State University is one of only three Minnesota schools included in the 25th annual report of America’s 100 Best College Buys, with the others being University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and University of Minnesota-Duluth. WSU is the most affordable of the three.
About Winona State University
Founded in 1858, Winona State University is a comprehensive, regional public university with over 7,600 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 17 years in a row, and has been featured as one of America’s 100 Best College Buys for quality and value for 25 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.
