North Central Kansas Technical College (NCK Tech), with campuses in Beloit and Hays, was recently ranked the #7 two-year college in the United States by Create a Career, a leading resource for career information. This is the third national ranking for NCK Tech in 2013, following the #6 ranking by the TheBestSchools.org and the #7 ranking by Bankrate.com announced earlier this year, and the second year of national recognition — the college earned a #5 ranking by CNN Money and was included in the the Aspen Institute’s “Top 10% in the U.S.” in 2012.

Create a Career selected the award-winning two year colleges based on an evaluation of several studies and ratings of two year institutions located throughout the nation. The company considered factors such as student retention rates, percentage of students who graduate or transfer to another school within three years, student-to-faculty ratios, student support, the types of programs provided and the schools’ reputation. In the “The 25 Best Community Colleges in the United States” article, NCK Tech’s graduate placement rate, which averages over 90 percent every year, and the above-average salaries of graduates were identified as key factors in the national ranking. In addition, NCK Tech’s Kansas Institute of Underground Technology, which features a state-of-the-art up-to-date curriculum and hands-on practical training opportunities, was cited as an example of innovative collaboration with the Kansas Department of Commerce and local businesses.

The Create a Career website provides important information about specific occupations, including a realistic career overview, education, certification and license requirements, employment growth outlook, salary information and major employers. The full listing of selected institutions, as well as further information on the Create a Career organization, may be found at: http://createacareer.org/best-community-colleges-united-states/.