KEARNEY, NE — The University of Nebraska at Kearney is touting its rankings in the new U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” issue.

UNK is tied for seventh on the list of best public regional universities in the Midwest. That mark makes the school the highest-ranked in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the highest among the eight other Nebraska schools in that section. 

The publication listed UNK second in the list of “Best Value Schools” for midwest regional universities. That list is based on academic quality, cost of attendance and the percentage of full-time undergraduate students receiving need-based financial aid and scholarships.

“In addition to being top 10-ranked in the Midwest, being listed as the second-best value among comparable colleges and universities validates what we’re known for – outstanding quality at an affordable price,” UNK Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management said in a news release. “Value is more important than ever as families consider their investment in higher education. We’ll continue to start conversations with prospective students with our value proposition.”

University officials say UNK is the most affordable Nebraska university. UNK students received more than $28 million in scholarships and grants in the 2020-21 school year. Nearly 90% of all full-time freshmen received some type of aid.