For a full two decades, Truman has been the No. 1 public university in the Midwest region.

As the school year kicked off last fall, Truman earned the top spot in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings for the 20th year in a row. Truman has been No. 1 for so long that nearly 40 percent of the University’s living alumni attended at some point during the school’s reign.

In the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings, Truman also tied for the No. 8 spot overall in the Midwest region among both private and public institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs. Truman far outpaced the other Missouri public schools on the list, the closest of which was more than 50 spots lower.

High praise for Truman came in several supplemental categories. It was the only public school in the Midwest to earn a spot in the “A Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” section, coming in tied for No. 2. Truman was the only Missouri school to make the section.

The University’s dedication to student research led to Truman’s inclusion in the “Programs to Look For” section in the category of “Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects.” Schools on the unranked list were cited as institutions where “students do intensive and self-directed research or creative work that results in an original or scholarly paper or project that can be formally presented on or off campus.”

Another appearance for Truman came on the “A-Plus Schools for B Students” list. Schools in this unranked category were acknowledged as institutions where such students “have a decent shot at being accepted and thriving” because “spirit and hard work could make all the difference to the admissions office.”

Truman also earned a spot on the “Best Colleges for Veterans” list, coming in as the No. 1 public school in the Midwest, No. 8 overall for the region. To qualify for this list, schools must participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program and have 20 or more students who used GI Bill benefits to finance their educations.

The U.S. News & World Report honor came just weeks after Washington Monthly named Truman the No. 1 master’s university in the nation.

The Washington Monthly rankings are unique in that they place an importance on social mobility, research and service. Along with traditional benchmarks such as graduation rates and costs, schools are rewarded for criteria including the number of first-generation students enrolled and the number of students contributing to community service projects, serving in ROTC and going on to serve in the Peace Corps. Additionally, Washington Monthly looks at the number of bachelor’s recipients who go on to earn a Ph.D. and the success rates and earning potential of students 10 years after enrollment. Truman was the only Missouri school to be included in Washington Monthly’s top 100.

Truman’s affordability led to another distinction in the Washington Monthly rankings. In the “Best Bang for the Buck” category, Truman was recognized as the No. 3 public school, and No. 9 overall, in the Midwest region.

Another notable accomplishment came when ValueColleges.com rated Truman at No. 10 on its list of the “Top 50 Best Value Colleges for 2017.” Schools were ranked based on return on investment, cost and reputation. Truman was the only Missouri school to be included and placed ahead of such nationally known institutions as Stanford, Vanderbilt, Michigan, Virginia and Princeton. Editors of the list said that Truman “is one of the best educational investments in the Midwest.”

For more Truman accolades, visit truman.edu/about/facts-about-truman/points-of-pride.