If you’re a student who wants an excellent education at a great price, Kalamazoo College will provide it, according to Forbes magazine. Forbes also says choosing K means you’ll follow in the footsteps of successful entrepreneurs and countless influential leaders in their fields.

The magazine last week chose K as the top private college in Michigan, ranking it third in the state overall and No. 183 in the country among its picks of the top 500 schools in the U.S.

To choose this year’s top schools, Forbes focused on factors including whether students graduated on time, secured high salaries after graduation and found successful careers. A student’s average post-graduation debt was also a guiding statistic.

“We know that a college degree is a significant investment for any student, and one that’s been compounded by recent years of financial turmoil for many,” Forbes Senior Education Reporter Emma Whitford said. “This list reflects the public and private universities that are going above and beyond to deliver on that investment.”

Forbes used data from federal government databases and its own publications as well as the data company PayScale, the public policy think-tank Third Way, and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics to compile its rankings, which include profiles of each institution.

“Kalamazoo’s academics are centered on the K-Plan, an individualized, four-year study plan that incorporates an open curriculum, study abroad, experiential learning and a senior-year capstone,” Forbes says of K. “The competitive Heyl Scholarship covers full tuition for students from the Kalamazoo area who study the sciences. Kalamazoo’s Theatre Arts department has produced some prominent names in entertainment, including Tony Award-winning playwright Lisa Kron, actor Steven Yeun and comedian Jordan Klepper.”

The recognition from Forbes is the latest K has received in a plethora of national rankings and honors distributed this summer. Reputable sources such as Money magazine, the Princeton Review, the Fiske Guide to Colleges and the Colleges of Distinction online guide are just a few to extol K.

“These honors are a credit to the exceptional students we admit, and the faculty and staff responsible for their opportunities from academics to study abroad, leading to outstanding post-graduation outcomes,” Dean of Admission Suzanne Lepley said. “We’re not surprised to receive the recognition, although we’re extremely proud of it.”