Oregon Institute of Technology received rankings among the best regional colleges in the West in U.S. News and World Report’s survey of undergraduate programs – “Best Colleges 2015” – released today. The report shows Oregon Tech tied at No. 8 for best baccalaureate colleges in the Western Region, which is comprised of colleges in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
In the Best Western Colleges category, Oregon Tech was among those with the highest peer assessment score at 3.7 out of 5, showing that the university maintained a high freshman retention rate, and has an average student to faculty ratio of 13:1. U.S. News & World Report bases the overall university rankings, which have been published annually since 1983, on a number of criteria, including peer assessment, retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rates, and alumni giving.
“We are pleased that the unique nature of our programs and our graduates’ success continues to be acknowledged with this ranking as a top college in the western region," said Dr. Chris Maples, president of Oregon Tech. “The applied, hands-on nature of our programs help our students succeed immediately following graduation. Nearly 90 percent of them are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months, and earn an average starting salary of more than $56,000 per year. This real-world focus gives our students a competitive and practical edge when they enter the workforce and throughout their careers.”
No stranger to accolades, Oregon Tech has appeared in a variety of rankings this year, most notably concerning the high return on investment that the university maintains. The university has been listed at No. 156 as a Top Best Value College in the United States for the value of schools based solely on how much better off graduates are financially once they earn a degree, No. 76 Best Colleges for your money by Time Money magazine, and continues to rank high in Payscale’s listings of top Annual Return on Investment at No. 34 out of 1,312 institutions in the US. Oregon Tech was also ranked among the top 20 percent of all four-year and graduate universities in the U.S. by Forbes’ magazine annual ranking of Top Colleges.
In addition to internships and externships providing hands-on experience, Oregon Tech also offers a wide variety of student clubs and organizations that offer career-related opportunities. Recent studies by USA Today Colleges and ThinkAdvisor list Information Technology, Engineering, Nursing, and Applied Mathematics as some of the highest paying college majors, all of which are degrees that Oregon Tech offers. ThinkAdvisor also lists App Developer, Information Security Analyst, Management Consultant, Civil Engineer, and Dental Hygienist among the best jobs of the future, just a few of the occupations entered into by graduates of Oregon Tech.
Highlights of the rankings of more than 1,800 four-year schools in the United States are available today at www.usnews.com/colleges and the 2015 “Best Colleges” guidebook will appear on newsstands Sept. 23. To view a full list of Oregon Tech accolades, please visit www.oit.edu/news/university-accolades-rankings.
About Oregon Tech
Founded in Klamath Falls in 1947, Oregon Institute of Technology is the only public 4-year institute of technology in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Tech provides degree programs in engineering and health technologies, management, communication, and applied sciences that prepare students to be effective participants in their professional, public, and international communities through hands-on learning. Oregon Tech has a full-service, residential campus in Klamath Falls and an urban, industry-focused campus in Wilsonville. Visit www.oit.edu to learn more about Oregon Tech.
