Bluffton University has risen in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of the top tier of “regional colleges” in the Midwest.

The 2013 edition of the magazine’s Best Colleges guidebook ranks Bluffton 21st among 99 comparable Midwestern institutions in the “Best Regional Colleges” listing, up from 25th last year. Now listed in the U.S. News rankings for 15 consecutive years, Bluffton has consistently been ranked in the top quarter of Midwest colleges.

“Bluffton is honored to once again be recognized for our strong academic environment,” said Ron Headings, vice president for enrollment management and marketing. “This ranking represents the difference between just getting a degree and the value of the full Bluffton educational experience.”

Regional colleges are defined as institutions that focus on undergraduate education and offer a broad range of liberal arts programs, though those programs account for fewer than half of all bachelor’s degrees awarded.

For the magazine’s purposes, the Midwest encompasses 12 states, from Ohio west to the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas.