University Benchmarks

Ranking the Top 100 Academic Universities

UniversityBenchmarks.com ranks the universities that attract and produce the best academic students.

There are many 'University Rankings' on the internet. Most rankings rely heavily on subjective metrics like 'reputation' and 'selectivity'. UniversityBenchmarks is purely an academic ranking model. The rankings are based on the reported academic and financial metrics of the colleges. There are no subjective factors like 'reputation' that are used. The calculations are performed using normal statistical models. All universities are considered equal and there is no weighting of the ranking categories.

The university 2014-2015 dataset is comprised of over 2400 US Universities & Colleges and comes from multiple sources using the most favorable reported metrics for a university.

The universities are ranked against each other in each filtered set. It is an iterative process whereby lower ranking universities are removed and the set is re-ranked until the final set of 100 is reached.

Selecting 'Rank Top 10 Only' will show the Top 10 for each filter category ranked against each other.

The academic rankings of the universities within the major conferences (ACC, Big12, Big10, Pac12, SEC) are available.

The 2017 rankings will be available in August.

Notes:
  • It is possible for universities to be ranked higher/lower than one another depending on the filter set.
  • Conference averages are based on the top 8 schools in the conference.
  • Public Schools are highlighted
  • Clicking on the university's seal icon will take you to the university's website.

Ranking Fields

Rank - Overall rank based on the average of the ranking fields (Scores, Difficulty, Smartest, Brainpower, Faculty and Research).

Scores - SAT & ACT scores. The university's test scores are corrected for dropout rate when score level is Good, Excellent or Elite. This will slightly boost scores for highly competitive schools.

Difficulty - Academic rigor is estimated based on how difficult it is to get an "A" at the university. An estimated GPA at the university is calculated for the average US Student. University grade inflation, average GPA, and STEM density are factors.

Smartest - University that can field the highest scoring students based on the average US University size. Higher Smartest Rank = "Smartest for the Average University"

Brainpower - The average "smartest" rank using 5 reference populations (CalTech, MIT, Stanford, GaTech and Berkeley). Higher Brainpower Rank = "Higher Density of Smart Students". The university ranked higher can mathematically field 'X' number of smarter students than universities ranked below them.

Faculty - Ranking based on number of % of faculty with awards and academy membership.

Research - Ranking is achieved by iteratively ranking the average of 3 research metrics (r-pop, r-stem, r-other ). The lowest ranked college is then removed and the new set is re-ranked. The result is the schools with potentially the strongest research environments per student bubble up to the top regardless of size or research budget.

  • r-pop - Average research spending for student population
  • r-stem - STEM research spending
  • r-other - Other/Medical/Health research spending

Salary ROI - "Salary Return on Investment" is not used in the overall ranking but is provided for additional information. Using the undergraduate average starting and mid-career salaries, the rank is based on a 20yr salary accumulation (with raises) minus the cost of a 4 year education at the university. Salaries are normalized across the country using the average COLA for the university's geo-economic region (7 regions total). The COLA effect is diminished by the level of the university. Elite, Excellent and Good universities have a greater distribution of graduates across the country and a diminishing COLA effect. The resultant value would be the graduate's spending potential over the 20yr period.

Overall ROI - "Overall Return on Investment" is not used in the overall ranking but is provided for additional information. The average of Overall Rank and Salary ROI. This would be the "Best academic bang for the buck". Colleges that produce the best education, at the best price, with the best return will be ranked higher.

Color Key - ranks are colorized as follows 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 50 100

The 2016 University Academic Rankings

Missouri Valley Conference Academic Rankings

Search :
examples: Yale "Wake Forest" "Big Ten" TX NC

2016 Missouri Valley Conference : No Conference Affiliation Academic Rankings

2016 Missouri Valley Conference : No Conference Affiliation Academic Rankings
rank value image public university state conference scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research r pop r stem r other salary ROI overall ROI scores value difficulty value smartest value brainpower value faculty value research value salary ROI value overall ROI value scores level stem drop gpa avg research undergrads grads salary price scores valid
-1.00
-Conf-Ivy League (Average)-Ivy League111111111112209|921.20|702241|932183|9118|941.00|991491251|751.00|992209/1473/33Elite2843.43580824691005957563427True
-1.00
-Conf-Ivy League (Low)-Ivy League111111111112127|891.96|512172|912090|8735|881.00|991491251|751.00|992127/1418/32Elite2843.43217824691005957563427True
13.00
PrivateLoyola University ChicagoIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference2323356541361730|722.67|331875|781684|70164|464.67|951241366|627.00|931730/1153/26AboveAverage20292.95441032255804420053322True
24.31
PublicNorth Dakota State UniversityNorth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...625551111311643|682.65|341832|761618|67192|361.00|991345507|672.50|981643/1095/25Average30432.801321212426234940030953True
35.67
PublicUniversity of Northern IowaIowaMissouri Valley Conference3544999991481710|712.71|321856|771660|69300|09.00|911207886|608.50|921710/1140/26AboveAverage22312.9501014217864240030057True
45.83
PublicIllinois State UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference873287767831600|672.75|311861|781762|73200|346.67|931294725|656.00|941600/1067/24Average21272.80181815524604350034608True
55.92
PublicMissouri State University-SpringfieldMissouriMissouri Valley Conference7611999991281620|682.73|321876|781782|74300|09.00|911250156|638.50|921620/1080/24Average12432.8001851732993980026506True
-6.00
-Conf-Missouri Valley Conference (Average)-Missouri Valley Conference546597767531678|702.70|321828|761622|68257|146.67|931326592|665.50|951678/1119/25AboveAverage21322.8924995422884495038920True
66.40
PublicSouthern Illinois University-CarbondaleIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference1096613125751585|662.77|311805|751576|66156|482.00|981301425|656.50|941585/1057/24Average52542.80711346145284590038606True
76.50
PrivateDrake UniversityIowaPioneer Football League / Miss...1191099999121780|742.59|351693|711430|60300|09.00|911476095|744.00|961780/1187/27AboveAverage13252.950336416984430046316True
87.40
PublicWichita State UniversityKansasMissouri Valley Conference88777213310111600|672.77|311798|751571|65197|351.67|981276860|649.00|911600/1066/24Average32512.80541197730184130028325True
97.50
PrivateBradley UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference4410999999231695|712.70|321692|711435|60300|09.00|911475999|745.50|951695/1130/25AboveAverage30242.95045887125010043630True
107.67
PublicSouth Dakota State UniversitySouth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...12108844142681560|652.80|301752|731514|63188|372.33|981305269|658.00|921560/1040/23Average24382.80691093716064470027783True
-8.67
-Conf-Missouri Valley Conference (Low)-Missouri Valley Conference8128897777581600|672.84|291766|741538|64300|07.00|931326592|668.00|921600/1067/24Average21322.8918995422884495038920True
1110.33
PrivateUniversity of EvansvilleIndianaMissouri Valley Conference511141499999471645|692.82|301274|531164|48300|09.00|911339751|677.50|931645/1097/25AboveAverage21372.95024201474590045970True
1210.60
PublicUniversity of South DakotaSouth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...131211116657615151550|652.86|281672|701389|58194|365.67|941153995|5813.50|871550/1033/23Average9512.8031754125203990023029True
1311.00
PublicIndiana State UniversityIndianaGateway Football Conference / ...15141212287889131350|563.09|231589|661291|54158|487.67|921288965|6411.00|891350/900/20BelowAverage15552.8021088123024440030863True
1412.33
PublicYoungstown State UniversityOhioMissouri Valley Conference / H...11151515999995121565|654.00|0-2400|0-2400|0300|09.00|911318802|669.50|911565/1043/23Unknown0602.8001126712364220021994False
1512.79
PublicWestern Illinois UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference / T...141313139999911141367|573.06|241575|661279|53300|09.00|911274351|6413.00|871367/911/21BelowAverage20452.800964518134200029550True

Common Questions...

What are the best colleges in the Missouri Valley Conference?

1. Loyola University Chicago

2. North Dakota State University

3. University of Northern Iowa

4. Illinois State University

5. Missouri State University-Springfield

6. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

7. Drake University

2016 Top 10 Missouri Valley Conference : No Conference Affiliation Academic Rankings

2016 Top 10 Missouri Valley Conference : No Conference Affiliation Academic Rankings
rank value public name state conference scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI scores level stem drop gpa avg research undergrads grads salary price
-1.00-Conf-Ivy League (Average)-Ivy League111111112209/1473/33Elite2843.43580824691005957563427
-1.00-Conf-Ivy League (Low)-Ivy League111111112127/1418/32Elite2843.43217824691005957563427
12.83PrivateLoyola University ChicagoIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference232325931730/1153/26AboveAverage20292.95441032255804420053322
23.95PublicNorth Dakota State UniversityNorth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...525541311643/1095/25Average30432.801321212426234940030953
35.00PublicUniversity of Northern IowaIowaMissouri Valley Conference3544771081710/1140/26AboveAverage22312.9501014217864240030057
45.03PublicMissouri State University-SpringfieldMissouriMissouri Valley Conference661177861620/1080/24Average12432.8001851732993980026506
55.17PublicIllinois State UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference773266631600/1067/24Average21272.80181815524604350034608
-5.50-Conf-Missouri Valley Conference (Average)-Missouri Valley Conference546576431678/1119/25AboveAverage21322.8924995422884495038920
65.83PrivateDrake UniversityIowaPioneer Football League / Miss...1191077121780/1187/27AboveAverage13252.950336416984430046316
76.20PublicSouthern Illinois University-CarbondaleIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference996613561585/1057/24Average52542.80711346145284590038606
86.80PublicWichita State UniversityKansasMissouri Valley Conference7877527101600/1066/24Average32512.80541197730184130028325
96.83PrivateBradley UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley Conference4410977231695/1130/25AboveAverage30242.95045887125010043630
107.17PublicSouth Dakota State UniversitySouth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...10108834491560/1040/23Average24382.80691093716064470027783
-7.83-Conf-Missouri Valley Conference (Low)-Missouri Valley Conference71188764101600/1067/24Average21322.8918995422884495038920