HASTINGS, NE — The U.S. News & World Report is recognizing Hastings College as one of the leading colleges in the region.

The publication released its annual “Best Colleges” issue on Monday. The report placed Hastings College 14th out of nearly 90 Midwest colleges. The college says the ranking represents a three-spot boost from last year and the best ranking in seven years.

Hastings College came in 12th in the Best Value category for Midwest colleges. That list takes into account a school’s academic quality, as indicated by its U.S. News ranking, and the net cost of attendance.

 “Our campus is full of amazing students and incredible faculty and staff, and, while we don’t pursue rankings as an institution, we are pleased that other organizations, using available data, recognize how special Hastings College is,” Executive President Dr. Rich Lloyd said in a news release.

Washington Monthly, in its assessment of four-year institutions that award almost exclusively bachelor’s degrees and that focus on arts and sciences rather than professional programs, ranked Hastings College 62nd in the nation. This puts the College in the top 25 percent of the 259 bachelor-focused schools that made its list. The publication’s rankings are based on each school’s contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research and promoting public service.