Florida universities climbed on U.S. News and World Report’s annual college ranking list, with the University of Florida cracking into the top 10 ranking for public universities while UF and the University of Miami ranked in the top 50 of colleges nationwide.
The Gainesville-based University of Florida broke into the top 10 for public universities this year, the first time UF has achieved this honor in its history.
US News put UF at No. 9 for top public universities this year.
The University of Florida came in at No. 42 in the national universities rankings, tying with University of California, Irvine, the University of California, San Diego, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.
UF President Kent Fuchs called the rankings a “significant milestone” which happened as a result of “years of focused work and a keen sense of purpose.”
“Our faculty – the core of our academic reputation – and staff deserve tremendous credit for lifting us up to get us here, as do previous leaders, particularly Bernie Machen, and UF’s Board of Trustees,” Fuchs said. “We also owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Legislature, Gov. Rick Scott and the Board of Governors for their continued support to ensure that the nation’s third most-populous state has the world-class university it deserves.”
Florida State University jumped five spots to No. 33 on the public universities list, where it ranked No. 38 last year.
On the national universities list, other Florida schools also made the rankings, with the University of Miami coming in at #46 overall.
Tallahassee’s Florida State University also fell in the top 100 universities nationwide, coming in at #81.
Florida A&M University maintained its No. 1 status as the country’s best historically black public college or university and improved from No. 6 to No. 7 of the list’s top HBCUs.
US News graded colleges and universities on several factors, including undergraduate academic reputation, selectivity and graduation rate performance.
UF began its quest to become a top-10 public research institution in 2013, when the Florida Legislature passed a special bill giving the university extra funding to help it reach the top 10 in public universities.
The bill, signed into law by Scott, gave UF an extra $15 million each year for five years to lift UF into the top 10. The university also launched a fundraising initiative to match that amount.
“The Board of Governors, through performance funding and other initiatives, has helped define what it means to be a Florida university,” said , State University System chancellor Marshall Criser III. “Above all, it means a focus on outcomes and an absolute commitment to student success.”
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
