For the fourth consecutive year, Shippensburg University’s John L. Grove College of Business is ranked in the top 40 nationally in the success rate of its graduates taking the certified public accountant exam.

According to the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), SU ranked 26th out of 858 schools whose graduates passed the national CPA exam on their first try last year.

“SU is the only public institution in Pennsylvania to make the top 40 list. I am very proud of our faculty and the graduates for this outstanding achievement,” said Dr. John Kooti, dean of Grove College.

Shippensburg graduates had a passing rate of 77.8 percent in 2016. The overall passing rate nationally was 54.4 percent, and for programs in Pennsylvania the first-time passing rate was 55.7 percent.

SU also was ranked fifth among first-time takers across 294 medium programs, according to NASBA. This ranking encompasses programs that have between 21 and 60 graduates taking all or some of the four-part exam.

SU offers BSBA degree in accounting and a five-year BSBA/MBA program in accounting. The accelerated BSBA/MBA program is designed for students who are qualified on the basis of scholastic aptitude, academic performance and accounting work-related experience.

Grove College was established in 1971 and has earned a reputation as one of the premier business schools in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Various national publications continually rank the college among the best in the nation.