Mars Hill University Climbs in U.S. News Rankings

September 13, 2018

One of the country’s top college rankings guides gives Mars Hill University high marks. U.S. News and World Report’s annual Best Colleges ranking lists Mars Hill among the top colleges in the south, as well as a Best Value School for the region.

“I’m excited that we moved up two spots from last year in the rankings,” said Mars Hill University President Tony Floyd. “Being ranked in the company of innovative and cutting-edge institutions validates our hard work.  It confirms that we are building on our previous successes and embracing the future. We’re pleased to be seen as a leader in liberal arts education in our region.”

U.S. News defines regional colleges as those with a strong focus on the liberal arts and programs such as business and nursing, and with a primary focus on undergraduate education. The rankings are based on 16 measures of academic quality, including graduation rates, faculty expertise, class size, first-year student retention, and incoming students’ college entrance exam scores. The Best Value Schools category is calculated based on the colleges’ overall rankings and the cost of attendance for a student receiving the average amount of need-based financial aid.

Mars Hill University ranked 22nd in the Regional Colleges South category–up from 24th last year–as well as 21st in the Best Value Schools in the region. Complete rankings from U.S. News and World Report are available on the magazine’s website at