Houghton College has been recognized as one of the nation’s 300 Best College Values by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

Ranked 86th among liberal arts colleges and 215th among both private and public institutions, Houghton’s inclusion in this nationally recognized list reflects the college’s commitment to providing quality education at an affordable cost. Houghton was one of 10 member schools of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and one of two Western New York Consortium schools to be included in the 2017 edition of the list. Of the 10 CCCU schools, Houghton ranked third.

In order to create its annual ranking, Kiplinger reviews 1,200 four-year universities and colleges according to a variety of measurable standards. Quality measures—which include admission rates, the percentage of students who graduate in four years, and student-to-faculty ratios—are given greater emphasis than cost measures such as tuition price, financial aid packages, and the average debt and salary levels among graduates.

Eighty-six percent of Houghton freshman return for their second year and 97 percent of the class of 2015 reported being employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation, putting Houghton well above the national four-year retention rate of 80 percent.

“We are pleased to continue to receive external accolades for what our students and alumni experience firsthand—a high-quality education that truly prepares them for life,” said Ryan Spear, director of admission at the college.

For more information on the Best College Values list, click here.