Anoka-Ramsey earns another ‘top’ recognition: Top 50 Best Value Community Colleges

August 16, 2016

Anoka-Ramsey Community College was recently named 9^th in the Top 50 Best Value Community Colleges of 2016 by ValueColleges. This adds to Anoka-Ramsey’s previous recognition as one of the Top 150 Community College in 2016 in the U.S. by the Aspen Institute early in 2016.

To earn Top 50 Best Value recognition, Anoka-Ramsey was initially included among 1,717 community colleges across the U.S. offering two-year associate degrees. Having advanced, Anoka-Ramsey also met the following criteria: average to high graduation rates (more than 45%), low-to-average cost (less than $10k per year), more than 1,000 enrolled students and American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) membership. This data was mined from College Measures, a Gates Foundation-supported database.

The initial Top 50 Best Value list included 614 institutions. To earn its 9^th place ranking, Anoka-Ramsey was also among the highest scoring community colleges based on:

• Graduation/transfer rate (source: IPEDS database)
• Mid-level salary for graduates (when applicable; source: payscale.com)
• Actual tuition (source: IPEDS database)

“We are very pleased to be recognized for our commitment to provide our students with the best possible education at the lowest cost in Minnesota,” said Anoka-Ramsey’s Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer, Deidra Peaslee, Ph.D. “The word ‘value’ holds special meaning to those struggling to balance the rising cost of a college education against the growing need for a college education to enter a career that will afford economic and social mobility.”

Several other Minnesota State systems community colleges joined Anoka-Ramsey Community College on the Top 50 Best Value list: Normandale Community College, Lake Superior College, St. Cloud Technical & Community College, Inver Hills Community College and Dakota County Technical College.

About ValueColleges
ValueColleges offers researched, and practical answers to commonly asked questions about value and affordability when making college decisions. Further, they create feature articles intended to clear up misconceptions and confusion about college costs and benefits, as well as numerical rankings of institutions and degree programs to help college-bound readers choose financially responsible pathways. For more information about ValueColleges, visit www.valuecolleges.com.

According to ValueColleges, 45% of U.S. undergraduates are enrolled at a community college. The percentage jumps to more than 50% for African-American, Native American and Latino students enrolled in community colleges, according to the AACC Fact Sheet.

For more information about the recognitions and awards received by Anoka-Ramsey Community College, visit AnokaRamsey.edu.