Althea Johnson, University Communications and Marketing
For the sixth consecutive year, the University of South Florida has been ranked among the top 50 public universities in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the best colleges. In the rankings released today, USF ranks 45th among public universities and 91st overall among public and private universities. Over the past decade, USF has risen 39 places among public universities, from 84th to 45th, and 65 places among all universities, from 156th to 91st.
“The University of South Florida’s continued success as a top 50 public university underscores the strong return on investment that our degree provides to students and the impact it has on the Tampa Bay region, state and beyond,” said USF President Leah Law. “This recognition is a testament to the dedication and collaborative efforts of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, partners and all those who support our university.”
U.S. News also ranked USF as the “best value” among public and private universities in Florida for the second year in a row. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities, comprised of the top 3% of universities in the U.S. and Canada, offering in-state students the opportunity to earn a degree from a highly ranked institution at nearly half the cost of the national average for public universities. USF’s value has led to a record number of undergraduate applications this year, up 35% compared to three years ago.
Isadora Caswell Wallace, a senior majoring in finance and business administration from Cape Coral, said USF was one of her first choices, in part due to the quality of education and low tuition. “With in-state tuition, the Bright Futures scholarship and significant grant funding, it’s nice to be able to earn not one but two bachelor’s degrees debt-free,” she said. Caswell Wallace hopes to earn a master’s degree in USF’s Vinik Sports and Entertainment Management program.
U.S. News also ranks USF 22nd in the nation for social mobility, which, according to U.S. News, measures an institution’s success in graduating Pell Grant recipients.
The publication’s methodology for ranking universities combines a number of factors that also align with USF’s mission and strategic goals, including student graduation and retention rates, student-to-faculty ratios, graduate employability, research activity, faculty excellence and academic reputation.
Today’s U.S. News announcement follows recent recognition from other major publications: Among public universities, Washington Monthly last month ranked USF 22nd in the nation, Forbes ranked USF 41st (up 22 places from the previous year), and the Princeton Review ranked USF 38th on its list of best value colleges.