Christian Brothers University (CBU) continues its long standing status as one of the 25 best Southern universities according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2014 edition of “America’s Best Colleges.” In addition to being ranked among the best Southern universities, CBU ranked ninth in the South for “Best Value” among regional universities. This ranking recognizes colleges that provide the highest quality education for the lowest price; making CBU a great school at a great price.

For students who are interested in studying with people of different backgrounds, CBU ranked fourth in in the South for Campus Ethnic Diversity among its peers. The Ethnic Diversity ranking identifies colleges where students are most likely to encounter undergraduates from ethnic groups different from their own.

CBU was also selected as an “A+ Option for B Students.” This distinction recognizes the fact that CBU welcomes and challenges serious B students with a desire to achieve. These good students excel and thrive at CBU because of its engaged faculty, caring environment and academic support systems. Finally, CBU was recognized for its economic diversity. This designation notes the percentage of undergraduates who receive federal Pell grants.

The annual rankings – in which U.S. News groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching – provide a resource for parents and students contemplating one of life’s most challenging financial decisions.

Using a proprietary methodology, the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings represent the most comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 16 widely accepted indicators of academic excellence, and help parents and students evaluate and compare the relative quality of institutions based on such widely accepted indicators of excellence from more than 1,300 accredited four-year schools.. Colleges and universities in each category are ranked against their peers, based on their composite weighted score.

This year’s indicators fall into seven broad categories: graduation and retention rates; faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving.

CBU, a four-year, private university founded in 1871 by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, is recognized as one of America’s finest Catholic universities. It was the first university in Memphis to award a college degree in 1875, and currently provides a comprehensive education to students from 27 states and 25 countries.