Saint Leo University was named as one of the best regional universities and best values in higher education in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges, which was released Sept. 10. In addition, Saint Leo was named one of the Best Colleges for Veterans.

The university was No. 14 among Best Value Schools in the South. To determine which colleges and universities offer the best value for students, U.S. News takes into account both academic quality and cost.

This year, Saint Leo also claimed its spot in the top 50 “Best Regional Universities” and ranked 47th among Southern universities. This rank is up from last year’s rank of 61st among universities in the South. Regional universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs and provide graduate education at the master’s level. Saint Leo also offers three doctoral programs.

To receive a “Best Value School” ranking, U.S. News calculated the university’s academic quality as indicated by its 2019 U.S. News Best Colleges ranking, and the 2017-2018 net cost of attendance for a student who received the average level of need-based financial aid. “The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal,” U.S. News & Report stated in its listings. “Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included because U.S. News considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically.”

The university also was named one of the Best Colleges for Veterans among regional universities in the South, ranking 31st. Saint Leo has a proud history of educating veterans and military students. Schools named to the list participate in federal initiatives helping veterans and active-duty servicemembers pay for their degrees.

“Saint Leo University provides a terrific educational value for students of all ages and from all backgrounds, and we are pleased that the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings recognize the quality and excellence offered by the university,” said Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese, university president. “We’re proud of our Catholic heritage and commitment to higher education. These rankings point to our student-centered mission, our caring faculty and staff, and our dedication to student success.”

For information about Best Colleges 2019, visit https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges

About Saint Leo University

Saint Leo University (www.saintleo.edu) is a modern Catholic teaching university that is firmly grounded in the liberal arts tradition and the timeless Benedictine wisdom that seeks balanced growth of mind, body, and spirit. The Saint Leo University of today is a private, nonprofit institution that creates hospitable learning communities wherever students want to be or need to be, whether that is a campus classroom, a web-based environment, an employer’s worksite, a military base, or an office park. Saint Leo welcomes people of all faiths and of no religious affiliation, and encourages learners of all generations. The university is committed to providing educational opportunities to the nation’s armed forces, veterans, and their families. Saint Leo is regionally accredited to award degrees ranging from the associate to the doctorate, and the faculty and staff guide all students to develop their capacities for critical thinking, moral reflection, and lifelong learning and leadership.

The university remains the faithful steward of the beautiful lakeside University Campus in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, where its founding monks created the first Catholic college in the state in 1889. Serving more than 13,000 students, Saint Leo has expanded to downtown Tampa, to other sites in Florida and beyond, and maintains a physical presence in seven states. The university provides highly respected online learning programs to students nationally and internationally. More than 93,000 alumni reside in all 50 states, in Washington, DC, in three U.S. territories, and in 76 countries.