Williams Baptist College has made a big leap in the latest US News & World Report rankings, coming in at 23rd among liberal arts colleges in the South. This is the highest ranking Williams has received, after seven consecutive years in the magazine’s “top tier” of Southern colleges. WBC was 51st in last year’s rankings.

“This is great news, and it is very gratifying for the people who have worked hard to keep Williams Baptist College moving forward,” said Williams President Tom Jones. “The US News rankings demonstrate that WBC’s reputation continues to grow.”

The magazine issued its annual college edition Tuesday, September 13. The US News rankings are based on a wide ranging series of criteria, including class sizes, student-to-teacher ratio, student retention and peer reputation score.

“WBC provides an outstanding educational experience for its students, and recognition such as these rankings reflect a number of good things that are happening at Williams. They help the college continue the momentum,” said Jones.

Williams is a four-year, liberal arts college in Walnut Ridge. The college, which was founded in 1941, is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2016. It is owned and operated by the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.