Southwestern University is one of the best undergraduate colleges in the country according to a new ranking of America’s Top Colleges published by Forbes magazine.

The Forbes ranking looks at colleges the way a consumer might look at them, with an emphasis on factors such as teaching quality, four-year graduation rate, success after graduation, and the amount of debt that students graduate with.

Southwestern placed in the top 100 colleges and universities in the United States on the Forbes list and second in Texas. Rice University is the only other Texas college − public or private − that ranked in the top 100 on the Forbes list.

“This survey validates what we have known for a long time – that Southwestern is an outstanding investment as well as an extraordinary experience,” said President Jake B. Schrum. “With so many families looking at whether colleges are worth the investment, this outcomes-based ranking couldn’t be more timely.”

Dr. Robert W. Karr, chair of Southwestern’s Board of Trustees, echoed President Schrum’s reaction to the Forbes ranking. “This is an unadulterated confirmation of our value in the marketplace,” he said.

Many other liberal arts colleges also ranked high on the list, due largely to its emphasis on teacher quality as reported by students.