Students - September 12, 2022

What a great start to the week!

I’m happy to share some very good news with you. 

This morning, U.S. News & World Report released its annual “Best Colleges” guidebook, and we should all be very proud to see that Winthrop retained, for the third year in a row, its highest ranking yet among public universities in the South. 

Winthrop also was recognized in additional categories for our undergraduate business and computer science programs as well as our commitment to veterans, value, undergraduate teaching and the social mobility of our alumni. I encourage you to read more about these recognitions in the press release below.

These accolades are a reflection of, in some cases, years’ worth of hard work from individuals all across this campus. I thank you for your contributions. 

It’s a great feeling to know that our peers and U.S. News recognize what we already know: that Winthrop is a unique place, and our mission is to provide a first-class and well-rounded education to each student we serve.

Thank you again for your contributions and for being a part of this achievement. 

Edward

Edward A. Serna

President

U.S. News Places Winthrop Among South’s Best Public Higher Education Institutions

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA — For the third year in a row, Winthrop University is ranked sixth overall among public universities in the South, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 edition of “Best Colleges.”

The high ranking, along with appearances in subcategories for best undergraduate teaching, best value, best for veterans and for social mobility, reflects the university’s demonstrated commitment to providing a quality, and affordable, education for its students. Winthrop is listed as 18th among regional public and private universities in the South, according to rankings released on Sept. 12.

“As a comprehensive teaching institution that has a 137-year history in South Carolina, we want to continue to offer students a high quality education at an affordable price. We frequently hear success stories from our alumni, like me, about how Winthrop made a significant impact on their lives. Whether they are legacy students or first-generation, our alumni learned from top educators to be the best version of themselves. While we do not actively chase these rankings, they validate the continued hard work of the Winthrop community and highlight our strengths,” said President Edward A. Serna ’02.

For instance, Winthrop moved from 15th to 7th place in the category of “best undergraduate teaching,” which is measured by the university’s reputation among its peers as having faculty members dedicated to teaching undergraduates.

Winthrop further stood out among the newsmagazine’s Best Regional Universities in the South in the following categories:

  • Rose from 43rd to 40th place as a Best Value.

  • Ranked among the best undergraduate business programs.

  • Ranked among the best undergraduate computer science programs.

  • Moved to 6th place among best colleges for veterans.

  • Moved to 19th place for social mobility, which measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants (those typically coming from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually).

U.S. News & World Report has published its “Best Colleges” rankings since 1983. The rankings can be used as a starting point for families searching for the best educational experience for their student.

According to its methodology, U.S. News measures academic quality in nine broad areas, including first-year student retention and graduation of students, graduate indebtedness, social mobility, expert opinion, faculty resources, student excellence, financial resources, alumni giving and graduation rate performance.

For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or e-mail her at longshawj@winthrop.edu.