The Lincoln University ranked 21st among the top Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), falling one place from last year, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual HBCU rankings released this month.

In total, there were 81 HBCUs; 70 of which were ranked and 11 of those were unranked.  Schools designated as such by the U.S. Department of Education were compared only to one another for this ranking and were ranked based on quantitative measures that education experts have proposed as reliable indicators of academic quality, and is based on U.S. News & World Report’s nonpartisan view of what matters in education.

 “Changes associated with Parent Plus loans and Pell grants have severely affected retention and financial resources for most small colleges, but especially HBCUs – key indicators in this ranking,” said Dr. Robert R. Jennings, president of The Lincoln University.  “Our commitment to enhancing the quality of our academic programs, resources and the environment for our students has allowed us to maintain.”

The indicators used to capture academic quality fall into six categories: assessment by administrators at peer institutions, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

Last year, Lincoln who was ranked 20, had advanced seven places from the year before. 

According to U.S. News, the data that were used in the HCBU rankings – except the peer survey results, which used a separate HBCU peer assessment survey – were the same as those published and used in the 2015 edition of the Best Colleges rankings.

This year, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the only other HBCU in the state, ranked 44.