University Earns Nod As No. 1 In Southern Region, Ranks Among Best Colleges For Veterans

U.S. News & World Report magazine has released its inaugural list of the nation’s Best Colleges for Veterans, ranking Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University No. 1 out of the 25 schools from 12 states that earned a place in the category of Southern Regional Universities.

Divided into 10 categories, only 234 colleges and universities nationwide met the initial ranking requirement of being certified for the GI Bill and participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program and the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium. The schools were then scored on their graduation rate, faculty resources, reputation and other markers of academic quality.

The U.S. News & World Report rankings provide information on schools that offer federal benefits, including tuition and housing assistance, to veterans and active-duty servicemembers to help them pursue a college education.

The latest figures show Embry-Riddle’s military and veteran enrollment at 12,239 at the Worldwide Campus, 517 at the Daytona Beach, FL, campus and 186 at the Prescott, AZ, campus.

“U.S. News & World Report has ranked Embry-Riddle No. 1 in aerospace engineering for 14 years now, so it’s just another feather in our cap that they now rank us No. 1 in delivering top-quality education and services to active-duty military and veterans,” said Embry-Riddle President Dr. John P. Johnson. “We’re particularly proud that the U.S. Department of Defense has authorized us for decades to be the sole provider of aviation-related degrees to U.S. servicemembers stationed in Europe.”

Embry-Riddle is racking up honors for its military-friendly approach. Earlier this month Military Times magazine included Embry-Riddle among the 86 four-year schools in the nation that met its Best for Vets criteria in academic quality, academic policies, financial aid and especially student support and university culture. Embry-Riddle won high marks in the categories of Yellow Ribbon and Staff Support.

Last month, for the fifth year in a row, Military Advanced Education magazine honored Embry-Riddle as one of the best schools for active-duty military and veterans in its Guide to Top Military-Friendly Colleges & Universities. In 2012, for the third straight year, G.I. Jobs magazine named Embry-Riddle a Military Friendly School, an honor granted to only the top 15 percent of 12,000 schools approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

FMI: www.erau.edu