When looking at Christian colleges, parents and students want to find Christian universities that not only rank well in terms of their Christian counterparts, but also rank well overall.
College Choice named these Christian colleges the seven "Best Christian Colleges" in 2015.
The College Choice list was assembled after surveys of freshmen to determine what criteria they used to make their decision, which were "academic reputation, financial aid offerings, overall cost, and success of graduates in the post-college job market."
These schools consistently rank at the top of the class when it comes to preparing students for success after graduation.
In its "Best Colleges" rankings, U.S. News & World Report also graded these Christian colleges with high marks.
1. Valparaiso University
At the top of the College Choice Best Christian Colleges list for 2015 is Valparaiso.
This Indiana institution of higher learning also ties as No. 5 on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Universities list for Midwest schools.
This university of about 3,200 students also houses an interdisciplinary honors program in Christ College that invites fewer than 100 incoming freshmen every year.
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2. Samford University
Of Samford, College Choice shares that the school has an 86 percent retention rate and a low 12:1 student/faculty ratio. It also has an academic reputation score of 90.
According to the Birmingham, Alabama, university, it was Kiplinger’s 67th Best Value Private University in the U.S. in 2014.
U.S. News placed Samford as the fourth best Southern regional university.
3. Union University
This Jackson, Tennessee, school has been around since 1823, making it the "oldest institution affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention."
Union enjoys a ranking of No. 14 on the U.S. News & World Report’s Southern Regional Universities list.
4. Pepperdine University
It doesn’t get more picturesque than Pepperdine University’s campus, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean from posh Malibu, California. This school not only ranks high among Christian colleges; it actually ranks as No. 54 nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Businessman George Pepperdine founded the school nearly 30 years after another successful venture known as Western Auto; it's no wonder that Forbes rates Pepperdine as the 10th-most entrepreneurial university.
5. Whitworth University
Small class sizes and 60 degree programs help attract about 2,300 undergrads to this Presbyterian university annually.
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The Spokane, Washington, school has made the top 10 in U.S. News & World Report's Best Private Colleges and Universities in the West for nearly two decades.
In 2015, Whitworth was first among Washington Monthly's top master's level universities in the Pacific Northwest for the fourth consecutive year and 12th among the more than 600 reviewed across the nation.
6. Augsburg College
Located in Minneapolis, Augsburg is "the only college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in the heart of a large urban area."
Tied for 20th among all Midwest schools by U.S. News, Augsburg provides a liberal arts education and gives financial aid to 98 percent of its full-time students.
Frequently recognized for its commitment to service learning, Augsburg was one of five interfaith community service finalists named to
the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction in 2014.
7. Belmont University
Another Tennessee university that ranks well both nationally and among its Christian peers is Belmont University in Nashville.
U.S. News & World Report places Belmont at No. 5 among universities in the South and calls it one the "Most Innovative" in the nation.
With more than 7,200 students and growing, Belmont claims the title of "the largest ecumenical Christian university in America."
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