AU one of 75 in America’s Best Value Small Colleges and Universities by SmartAsset

ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland University has been recognized again as one of the top values in higher education, ranking No. 58 overall in SmartAsset’s top-75 list of America’s Best Value Small Colleges and Universities. The data-driven ranking was released earlier this week.

Using data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, SmartAsset evaluated more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities with undergraduate enrollments of fewer than 5,000 students and identified those that deliver a strong balance of affordability and long-term outcomes. After filtering for schools with attendance costs less than the median of their peers, SmartAsset assessed the remaining 527 institutions based on graduation rates and median earnings 10 years after initial enrollment to determine the top 75.

Ashland was one of only three Ohio institutions to earn a place on the list.

The ranking highlights Ashland’s continued focus on delivering a strong return on investment for students and their families. In addition to this latest honor, the university has received multiple recognitions during the 2025-26 academic year, including being named a “Best College” by U.S. News & World Report, one of Money’s “Best Colleges for 2025,” a College of Distinction and a “Best Midwest" institution by The Princeton Review.

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