Doane College ranked among the top 25 liberal arts colleges nationwide in U.S.News & World Report's "Least Debt" category, released Aug. 22 as part of the 2009 College Guide. The category lists liberal arts colleges from which the class of 2007 graduated with the heaviest and lightest debt loads.
Doane was ranked 14th nationwide for a 2007 class in which the average debt upon graduation totaled $14,171. The average amount of debt is the average cumulative amount borrowed by those students who incurred debt, not the average for all students.
The data include loans taken out by students from colleges, from private financial institutions, and from federal, state, and local governments.
Doane also was ranked in the top 150 national Best Liberal Arts colleges. The annual college guide categorizes schools by mission and region. The Best Liberal Arts category includes 265 colleges nationwide who emphasize undergraduate education and award at least half of their degrees in the arts and sciences.
Doane earned high marks on several specific measurements used to develop the rankings, including a nearly 40 percent alumni giving rate and an ideal student-to-faculty ratio with less than 20 students in 82 percent of Doane classes.