Thomas Aquinas College (TAC) received high praise from the U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2016 Guidebook, as the private college was given top marks for a high retention rate, low student debt and small class size.

 Thomas Aquinas College is the only Catholic college to receive the ranking of “Least Debt” for students at graduation, ranking eighth among the top 25 national liberal arts colleges. On average, student debt among graduates of the school is $16,263  less than half the national average of $35,000.

 U.S. News also includes TAC first in the country for the highest proportion of classes under 20 students. The publication also listed the school for highest freshman retention rate (87 percent) among national liberal arts schools.

 “In these difficult economic times both students and parents need to be sure the investment they make in a college education is worthwhile,” says TAC director of admissions Jon Daly. “We are pleased to see that our college compares so favorably in the U.S. News rankings.”

 The college has received high marks in all recent annual college guides, both Catholic and secular, including the Princeton Review, the Association of College Trustees and Alumni, and the National Catholic Register.