EIU Media Relations

EIU Again Ranked Among Best in Its Class by U.S. News & World Report

For the ninth consecutive year, Eastern Illinois University has been named one of the top Midwestern public universities in its class by U.S. News & World Report.

EIU is again ranked 14th among all Midwestern public universities offering a full range of undergraduate degrees and some master's degree programs. The region encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin .

The rankings - part of the magazine's 2009 edition of "America's Best Colleges" - are based on schools' academic reputations, student selectivity, faculty resources, graduation and retention rates, financial resources and alumni giving.

The numbers show that EIU has retained its focus on personal attention. For example, the student-faculty ratio dropped to 15:1 (from 16:1 the previous year), and only 4 percent of all classes have 50 or more students.

In addition, EIU touts the highest freshman retention rate and the highest graduation rate among all Illinois public universities in its class.

" Eastern Illinois University consistently ranks well among our peers, and for good reason," said EIU President Bill Perry. "Our dedicated faculty and staff make each student's experience here an overwhelmingly positive one. We continue to improve the Eastern experience by enhancing our academic programs and integrating the academic and personal development of our students."