SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A study has named two Utah college towns to a list of the nation’s top destinations for students.

The 2009-2010 College Destinations Index ranked Salt Lake City sixth among midsize metropolitan areas. Northern Utah’s Logan was ranked No. 13 among small college towns.

The survey by the American Institute for Economic Research categorized more than 360 metropolitan areas by population and then assessed each city using criteria that included social and economic factors and educational and cultural amenities. The index report was released last week.

Study authors say the index is designed to help students consider location along with academics, sports programs and costs when deciding where to attend college.

Salt Lake City has several private schools and two large public institutions — the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College. The index found that 71 of every 1,000 city residents are students.

The index found diversity was relatively low in Salt Lake City but high in Logan, where 13.4 percent of the nearly 25,000 Utah State University students are from other parts of the world.  Index data showed 30 percent of Logan’s overall population holds a bachelor’s degree, while 26.3 percent of Salt Lake City residents claim the same.

The earning potential is greater in Salt Lake City, where the per capita income sits at about $36,000. In Logan, per capita income is about $23,200, based on 2007 data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

But amenities such as free transportation and a large selection of restaurants and entertainment venues make Logan a desirable location, USU spokesman John DeVilbiss said.

New York City was first in the index ranking for major metros. Other favorable college destinations were Chicago, Phoenix, Washington and Honolulu.