Howard Payne University was again named one of the “Best Regional Colleges of the West” in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges by U.S.News & World Report released Wednesday. HPU was also named to the “Great Schools at Great Prices” list, in which the publication determines the value of education received by comparing the quality of the programs offered to the cost of attendance.

In the “Best Regional Colleges of the West” category, HPU maintained its 2012 ranking, tying for 13 out of 35 ranked institutions. The university ranked eighth among “Regional Colleges of the West” in the “Great Schools at Great Prices” category.

“HPU continues to add new academic programs, extracurricular activities and other opportunities for students, all of which contribute to the high-quality education we provide at the university,” said Dr. Bill Ellis, president. “HPU’s faculty, staff and administrators are dedicated to offering these opportunities at an incredible value to our students.”

To determine a school’s ranking on the “Best Colleges” list, U.S.News & World Report measures a number of objectives including peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving. Schools are ranked within four geographic regions: North, South, Midwest and West.

The “Great Schools at Great Prices” rankings are determined through a formula that relates the school’s academic quality, as indicated by its 2013 “Best Colleges” ranking, to the 2011-12 academic year net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid.