SLCC ranked 3rd community college in the nation

TAYLORSVILLE — Salt Lake Community College ranks as the third highest associate degree-producing college in the country, officials said Friday.

The rankings will be published Monday in Community College Week, which releases an annual list of its top 100 colleges. SLCC ranked fourth in 2011.

"As you can see, we are standing out among standouts throughout the country and have been in the top 5 for the last five years," SLCC president Cynthia Bioteau said in a statement released by Taylorsville City. "It is because of our remarkable faculty who are creative, courageous and constant in their crafting of the learning that occurs within the virtual and physical classrooms."

The rankings are compiled from data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics and includes all associate-degree institutions from the 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to Bioteau.

Completing the top five, in order, are Northern Virginia Community College, Houston Community College, Lone Star College System and Tarrant County College District.

— Benjamin Wood