Huntington University on Friday announced it was named the sixth-safest school in the country and the safest school in the state by Colleges.Niche.com.

The 2016 Safest College Campuses ranking is based on key statistics and student reviews, the university said in a news release. According to the Niche website, “top ranked colleges offer a safe and healthy environment with little or no campus crime, drugs or alcohol usage.”

Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, was the top ranked. Baptist Bible College & Seminary in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, ranked second; Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, ranked third; Corban University in Salem, Oregon, ranked fourth; and Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, ranked fifth.

At the time of analysis, the database of Colleges.Niche.com contained records for 1,713 public and private, traditional four-year colleges and universities across the United States.

“We are thankful to be recognized as a safe campus,” Ron Coffey, vice president for Student Life, said in a statement.

The ranking, he said, is a result of diligence by campus police, combined with responsive students, faculty and staff. Campus police also work closely with the Huntington Police Department.

"Huntington University continues to be a place where students can receive a high-quality, Christ-centered education within the context of a safe learning environment,” Coffey said in a statement.

The university noted it has ranked well on other lists. U.S. News & World Report, for example, ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest, and Forbes.com has listed it as one of America’s Best Colleges.

Of the accredited, non-profit U.S. colleges that met the required qualifications,1,682 schools were graded and 1,261 were ranked, Huntington's news release said. The Niche ranking information is available online at colleges.niche.com/rankings/safest-colleges/.