U.S. News and World Report named Loyola College in Maryland the Number Three master’s university in the North region in its 2010 “America’s Best Colleges” survey. Loyola has ranked among the Top 10 institutions in its category for more than a decade.

Loyola was also included in three additional categories: “Great Schools, Great Prices,” “Schools to Keep an Eye On,” and “A Strong Commitment to Teaching.” “Great Schools, Great Prices,” in which Loyola ranked 13th in the North region, considers the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included because the survey assumes that the most significant values occur at schools that are above average academically.

“Schools to Keep an Eye On” recognizes institutions whose peers have cited them for making promising and innovative changes. In this category, Loyola tied for fourth in the North region with the University of Scranton.

“A Strong Commitment to Teaching,” notes institutions whose peers have indentified their faculty as having an unusually strong focus on undergraduate teaching. Here, Loyola ranked sixth among its peer institutions. 

"I am delighted that Loyola continues to be recognized for the overall quality of its undergraduate education," said Loyola's president, Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J.. "I am particularly pleased that Loyola was also singled out for our commitment to excellent teaching and for our mission-driven need-based financial aid policies in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category.  In addition, Loyola’s inclusion in the “Schools to Keep an Eye On” listing affirms our increasing reputation among peer institutions."

Loyola was also included among the top 20 in a listing of 100 colleges and universities with the greatest percentage of students participating in study abroad. At Loyola, which offers study abroad programs in 12 countries, 68 percent of students study abroad as undergraduates. The university's four-year graduation rate of 81% also earned recognition.

The recognition in U.S. News follows Loyola’s inclusion in the Princeton Review’s Best 371 Colleges guide. In addition, the Princeton Review ranked Loyola’s residence halls second in the country, its athletic facilities 10th, and its study abroad program 14th. 

Additional information about this year’s rankings is available at www.usnews.com. Survey highlights will be published in the September 2009 print issue of the magazine, on newsstands Aug. 25.