GAINESVILLE, Fla. — U.S. News and World Report released the publication’s annual list of best colleges and universities in the country and the state of Florida was well-represented.
The University of Florida ranked the highest among any state university in the national rankings. UF tied for 28th best overall among national universities and tied for fifth overall for any public university in the nation. The University of Florida also had the lowest tuition cost for in-state residents among any school ranked in the Top 50 national universities by U.S. News and World Report.
Other Florida schools also fared well in the annual rankings with Florida State University checking in at number 55 overall among national universities, which tied it with the University of Miami, which also was ranked 55th. Tampa’s own the University of South Florida ranked 103rd in the nation among national universities in 2022 while UCF ranked 148th in the nation.
When breaking the rankings down for “regional universities in the South,” Florida did very well with Orlando’s Rollins College ranking number one overall. Also performing well in these ratings were Stetson University (5th), Florida Southern College, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (10th).
Among “regional colleges in the South,” Florida Polytechnic University ranked third and Flagler College ranked 4th.
A major achievement for Florida Poly founded in Lakeland in 2012.
“Having a public institution start, that’s focused on STEM, that’s also affordable is really unique and I think that’s being recognized,” said Dr. Ben Matthew Corpus, vice provost for enrollment at the university.
Florida Poly is the only state university exclusively focused on science, technology, engineering and math.
The university is also ranked nationally at number 26 among public engineering programs without a Ph.D. University officials said the rankings showcase the school as a dynamic provider of stem education.
“All of our majors are core STEM, engineering and computer science and just about all of them require up to calculus III, differential equations and discrete math. Some pretty complicated stuff, but the type of work and training that’s necessary for the jobs that are very relevant to today,” Corpus said.
They are currently the only university in Florida offering cyber-security engineering as a major. Florida Poly said its small setting and job security after graduation, are a strong draw for many students.
“Our students have the capacity, are trained and are educated in those fields and their employment rate is pretty high. I think we have the second-best placement rate in the state for public universities,” said Corpus.
Florida Poly was also ranked number two in the state, as the best value school. These rankings come as the university had its largest-ever incoming class.
No Florida university or college made the Top 10 in business programs, computer science programs, engineering (with a doctorate offered), engineering (with no doctorate offered), or nursing programs. Click here for the full rankings from U.S. News & World Report
Overall National University rankings:
1. Princeton University
2. (tie) Columbia University
2. (tie) Harvard University
2. (tie) Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Yale University
6. (tie) Stanford University
6. (tie) University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. (tie) California Institute of Technology
9. (tie) Duke University
9. (tie) Johns Hopkins University
9. (tie) Northwestern University
Overall Regional Universities (South):
1. Rollins College
2. The Citadel
3. James Madison University
4. Berry College
5. Stetson University
6. (tie) Appalachian State University
6. (tie) Christopher Newport University
8. Florida Southern College
9. College of Charleston
10. (tie) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
10. (tie) John Brown University
10. (tie) Milligan University
