Howard Payne University has received the university’s rankings in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges by U.S. News Media Group. For the third consecutive year, HPU was named #2 in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category of the “Regional Colleges of the West” division. HPU is the top-ranked private university in this category.

“Great Schools, Great Prices” rankings are determined through a formula that relates the school’s academic quality, as indicated by its 2011 Best Colleges ranking, to the 2009-10 academic year net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid.

“We are proud to consistently be listed among the region’s top schools,” said HPU President Dr. Bill Ellis. “This ranking confirms that we are continuing our tradition of providing a quality liberal arts education.”

Best Colleges was made public at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, August 17, 2010.

More than 1,400 schools are ranked within four geographic regions: North, South, Midwest and West. HPU ranked 16th out of 45 institutions listed in the “Regional Colleges of the West” category.