Winona State University is ranked second among public universities in Minnesota in the Midwest category of “Best Regional Universities” in U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 edition of “Best Colleges.”

The university also is ranked seventh overall in Minnesota, 16th among public universities in the Midwest, and as the 62nd regional university in the entire Midwest.

Of the 110 institutions ranked in the Midwest category, seven are public institutions located in Minnesota; of these, six are members of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. WSU is the highest-ranked MnSCU institution.

U.S. News & World Report ranks more than 1,600 schools nationwide, including 626 regional universities divided into four geographic categories (North, South, Midwest and West). The rankings compare accredited four-year schools on a set of up to 16 widely accepted indicators of excellence, including peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, and alumni giving.

The annual ranking of schools is available for review online.