The University of Oregon's selection this week as the state's top-ranked public university by Forbes magazine did not surprise the UO's chief enrollment officer. Nationally, the UO placed 65th among public institutions.

"Forbes is a well known, national publication that has experience looking at institutions across the country," said Roger J. Thompson, vice provost for enrollment management. "This ranking from Forbes demonstrates that the University of Oregon is not only strong academically, but we're also affordable."

    Related: UO Rankings

Forbes covered 650 public and private schools nationally in its annual rankings. Twelve Oregon universities were included. The UO and Oregon State University were sixth and seventh, respectively, in the full Oregon list, behind five private schools. Reed College placed first overall in the state. Nationally among all schools, public and private, the UO ranked 217th and OSU placed 304th.

A closer look at just public universities that were ranked by Forbes showed that the UO was 15th among public universities in the west, and 65th in the country. That national ranking, Thompson noted, puts the university among the nation's top schools. With 4,495 public institutions of higher education across the U.S., the UO's rank is in the top 1.5 percent.

The UO also excels in return-on-investment: A 2012 study by SmartMoney found that graduates' average income was 116 percent of tuition and fees, 14th best among 50 top schools.

Forbes compiled the list of top universities [http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/] in partnership with the Washington, D.C.–based Center for College Affordability and Productivity. The methodology for creating the rankings focused on a university's return on investment by taking into consideration nationally competitive awards won by students, graduation rate, student debt, postgraduate success and student satisfaction.

The acknowledgement by Forbes follows the UO's inclusion on the 2014 Fiske Guide's list of Best Buy Schools. These most recent accomplishments continue to reflect the UO's commitment to high-quality education and student success, Thompson said.

- by UO Office of Strategic Communications