U.S. News University Directory Highlights 2015 Best Colleges Rankings Published by the U.S. News & World Report

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report is pleased to announce the 30th edition of its flagship Best Colleges rankings. The 2015 Best Colleges list once again provides education seekers with the nation's most trusted and authoritative college rankings.  The rankings are now available online at USNews.com and USNewsUniversityDirectory.com, while the print edition will hit newsstands on Sept. 23, 2014.

In 2015 Best Colleges, institutions fall into one of ten categories:  National liberal arts colleges, national universities, regional colleges (North, South, Midwest and West), and regional universities (North, South, Midwest and West).  Schools are ranked according to a variety of criteria that indicate academic excellence, such as faculty resources, graduation and retention rates, student selectivity and undergraduate academic reputation.

New this year, U.S. News has published campus crime and security information annually reported to the U.S. Department of Education to make it far more accessible to parents and students. These Clery Act data – which most colleges are mandated to report annually and which include criminal offenses on campus and in off-campus properties used by students – are not factored into the rankings, but are available on each school's profile page.

"The security of students on campus has become a major concern in the world of higher education, and we're proud to make it more accessible to parents and students," said Matt Speer, Director of Sales and Marketing for U.S. News University Connection.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), workers who hold a bachelor's degree have considerably higher average wages than those who hold only a high school diploma.  They are also far less likely to find themselves unemployed.  In 2013, bachelor's degree holders had a median monthly income of $4,432 and an unemployment rate of 4%.  Workers with only a high school diploma had median monthly earnings of $2,604 and an unemployment rate of 7.5%.

Earning a bachelor's degree also provides advantages that go beyond wages and job security.  College graduates usually receive better benefits, have more career mobility and often find a sense of personal achievement that comes from challenging themselves to excel.  Anyone looking to take their education to this level will find that the 2015 Best Colleges rankings are an exceptional resource and a powerful tool. The rankings, coupled with USNewsUniversityDirectory.com, allow you to quickly compare schools and see which ones excel according to certain criteria – making them a great place to start your school search.

About U.S. News University Directory

U.S. News University Directory provides comprehensive and unbiased information on more than 1,900 academic institutions directly from U.S. News & World Report, the most trusted source for college and university rankings since 1983. Prospective students can search America's best colleges and America's best graduate schools offering associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's and MBA degrees, doctoral and PhD degrees, and certificate programs.  And because U.S. News is the leading ranking resource for anyone seeking an on-campus or online degree, students who use the directory can be confident that they are getting the best education advice and information available.

Contact:
Matthew Speer, Director, Sales and Marketing
U.S. News University Connection
http://www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com
866-442-6587

SOURCE U.S. News University Connection