Kettering University jumped six spots to No. 6 in the Midwest on U.S. News & World Report’s 38th annual Best Colleges rankings. Kettering was No. 12 last year.

The honor wasn’t the only one for the University, however. Kettering improved to No. 12 nationally among engineering programs at schools that do not offer doctorates and No. 14 among mechanical engineering programs. The report also recognized Kettering in several other categories.

• No. 3—Most Innovative Regional Universities, Midwest
• No. 13—Best Colleges for Veterans Among Regional Universities, Midwest 
• No. 43—Best Value Schools, Regional Universities, Midwest

“This honor year after year is a testament to our students, faculty, staff and, most importantly, the educational philosophy of our founders more than a century ago,” said Tracie Jones, Interim Vice President of Enrollment and Co-op at Kettering University. “We are building—and have built—something special here. The Kettering community should not only be proud but also be inspired to keep working to reach our greater potential together.”

This year, the annual Best Colleges rankings evaluated a record 1,500 colleges and universities on up to 17 measures of academic quality, including class sizes, graduation and retention rates, student-to-faculty ratio and the average federal loan debt of graduates.

"For nearly 40 years, the Best Colleges methodology has continuously evolved to reflect changes in the higher education landscape and the interests of prospective students," said Kim Castro, U.S. News editor and chief content officer. "Guiding that evolution is U.S. News' mission of providing useful data and information to help with one of life's biggest decisions."

In addition to the above categories, Kettering placed among the nation’s best schools in a few other categories.

• No. 19—Programs to Look For: Co-ops/Internships
• No. 81—A-Plus Schools for B Students, Regional Universities
• No. 98—Social Mobility Among Regional Universities, Midwest