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Northwest Tech Moves Up National Graduation Rankings

Northwest Tech is moving up the national graduation rate rankings according to a recent report published by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Almanac, an annual publication produced by The Chronicle of Higher Education, provides national insights on data and trends throughout higher education. While the college has had steady success with graduation rates, this year Northwest Tech was ranked as #9 among 876 two-year publicly-funded colleges in the United States. The new ranking places the college on the verge of breaking into the top 1% of colleges nationwide. It also reflects a 10 position jump from the prior year.

“We are excited about the top-10 ranking, and it serves as a reflection of the commitment by our faculty and staff to help our students reach graduation,” said Northwest Tech President Ben Schears. “We are small, responsive, and can provide a personalized, hands-on experience for our students that larger institutions simply cannot deliver.” Schears indicated the small campus and classes, combined with the high amount of contact time students have with faculty members is the real key for the college. “When students walk down our hallways, we know them and often know elements of their personal story. If they miss class, we are willing and able to reach out and see why,” said Schears.

According to the latest Almanac, Kansas two-year colleges gained added attention for having more colleges land in the top 25 list for graduation success than any other state, with five colleges making the cut. Worthy of note, all five of the Kansas colleges to make the list were technical colleges: Salina Tech (#2), NCK Tech (#4), Northwest Tech (#9), Flinthills Tech (#12), and Manhattan Area Tech (#25). “Kansas technical colleges have the highest success rates of any sector of higher education in the state,” said Schears. “Our role is to develop skilled labor for the Kansas workforce, and we have demonstrated for years we are good at it.”