Louisiana Tech University has been recognized as being among the top public institutions in the nation according to recently-released rankings by multiple media outlets. US News & World Report released its 2011 Best Colleges list on Tuesday with Louisiana Tech ranked seventh in the nation and first in the state for graduating students with the least amount of debt.  This was the second consecutive year that Louisiana Tech has achieved a top ten national ranking in this category. Louisiana Tech, classified as a National University, landed in Tier 2 overall in the newly-configured rankings and was one of only four public institutions in the state and the only university in north Louisiana to earn a spot on the 2011 Best Colleges National Universities list. Louisiana Tech also ranked as the top public university in the state for mid-career median pay for graduates, according to the newly-released 2010-11 College Salary Report from PayScale.com.  In addition to its top spot in Louisiana, Tech was ranked among the top 30 of all universities in the southern United States in mid-career median pay for graduates. “The national recognition that Louisiana Tech continues to receive is a clear example of what can be accomplished when an institution’s mission is embraced and executed by a dedicated group of faculty and staff,” said Louisiana Tech President Dan Reneau. “The product of this level of commitment from our people is a better Louisiana Tech for our students and a stronger Louisiana for everyone.” US News & World Report recognizes institutions designated as a “national university” according to criteria from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.  The Best Colleges survey criteria include metrics such as peer assessment, retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rates, assessments by high school counselors, and alumni giving. The mid-career median pay ranking by PayScale.com is based on comparisons of annual salaries of employees that have graduated from an institution, have at least ten years of experience in their career or field, and who hold a bachelor’s degree but no higher degrees.