By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
For the second year in a row Northwest Missouri State University has been ranked as one of the top colleges in the Midwest.
Northwest has been ranked on US News and World Reports list of 2025 Best Colleges, ranked for a second year in a row inside the Top 25.
The university in Maryville actually even jumped a couple spots, going from #22 last year, to #20 this year in the Midwest, trailing only Truman State for a public university from Missouri.
University President Lance Tatum says it’s exciting to make the list again, especially with the hard work put into what’s being done at Northwest to serve students.
“It’s always very gratifying to know from an outside perspective that people are recognizing the quality that we provide here in terms of our collegiate experience and our education,” Tatum tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So, I was thrilled to see that we had actually improved our ranking from last year to this year.”
Tatum says a big philosophy at Northwest is being presented as a forward-facing brand, which only reaches so far. Tatum says a national publication like this helps broaden that branding
“It’s part of a national announcement that goes out, and so students who are within 150 to 200 miles of Maryville actually might be able to see this type of information as it scrolls across social media or as it is presented on a web search environment,” Tatum explains. “And so, it just helps to increase our brand notoriety, and it also helps to just communicate the quality that exists in the experience here at Northwest.”
Tatum says everyone in higher education that’s not considered a research institute, or part of the land grant group, are fighting in a crowded field for recognition and attention
“So, when you look at the rankings and you see that a Northwest Missouri State University who is located in a very rural part of the state, a very rural part of the country, you’re able to showcase what you do on campus,” Tatum says. “And so, we’re very excited to be included among the top schools in the state.”
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