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

Louisiana Tech University

2016 University Academic Rankings

Louisiana Tech University, colloquially referred to as Louisiana Tech or La. Tech, is a coeducational public research university in Ruston, Louisiana, United States. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier One national university by the 2016 U.S. News & World Report college rankings and is the only Tier One national university in the nine-member University of Louisiana System. It is a space grant college, member of the Southeastern Universities Research Association, member of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and is a "R3: Doctoral University with moderate research activity," according to the Carnegie Foundation Doctoral University. Louisiana Tech conducts research with ongoing projects funded by agencies such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Louisiana Tech is one of less than 50 comprehensive research universities in the nation and the only university in Louisiana to be designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education and Research and a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and Research by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The university is known for its engineering and science programs.

Louisiana Tech opened as the Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana in 1894 during the Second Industrial Revolution. The original mission of the college was for the education of students in the arts and sciences for the purpose of developing an industrial economy in post-Reconstruction Louisiana. Four years later in 1898, the state constitution changed the school's name to Louisiana Industrial Institute. In 1921, the college changed its name to Louisiana Polytechnic Institute to reflect its evolution into a larger and more capable institute of technology. Under the leadership of Dr. F. Jay Taylor, the college continued to grow and change over time. Louisiana Polytechnic Institute became desegregated in the 1960s and officially changed its name to Louisiana Tech University in 1970 as the school developed into a research university.

Louisiana Tech enrolled 12,414 students in five academic colleges during the Fall 2015 academic quarter including 1,718 students in the graduate school. In addition to the main campus in Ruston, Louisiana Tech holds classes at the Louisiana Tech University Shreveport Center, Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City, Barksdale Air Force Base, and on the CenturyLink campus in Monroe.

Louisiana Tech fields 16 varsity NCAA Division I sports teams (7 men's, 9 women's teams) and is a member of Conference USA of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The university is known for its Bulldogs football team and Lady Techsters women's basketball program which won three national championship titles (1981, 1982, 1988) and made 13 Final Four appearances in the program's history.

History | Early years

Ruston College, a forerunner to Louisiana Tech, was established in the middle 1880s by W. C. Friley, a Southern Baptist pastor. This institution lasted for seven years and had annual enrollments of about 250 students. Friley subsequently from 1892 to 1894 served as the first president of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, and from 1909 to 1910, as the second president of Louisiana College in Pineville.

On May 14, 1894, the Lincoln Parish Police Jury held a special session to outline plans to secure a regional industrial school. The police jury called upon State Representative George M. Lomax to introduce the proposed legislation during the upcoming session. Representative Lomax, Jackson Parish Representative J. T. M. Hancock, and journalist, lawyer, and future judge John B. Ho ... [more on wikipedia]

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Louisiana Tech University", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

Louisiana Tech University Details

Louisiana Tech University Details
detail value
stateLouisiana
conferenceConference USA
publicPublic
scores1585/1057/24
levelAverage
rank[392
overall ROI rank[213
sizemedium-small
undergrads9532
grads1693
price33273
drop49
stem39
research27
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for Louisiana Tech University?

1. number 392 for Academics.

2. number 213 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to Louisiana Tech University?

1. University of New Orleans

2. University of Colorado Colorado Springs

3. University of Maine

4. University of Idaho

5. Wichita State University

6. University of Southern Mississippi

7. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale



National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

Louisiana Tech University National Academic Rankings

Louisiana Tech University National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Conference Usa95411129925
South East Region769166586134371443
State of Louisiana474443522
Top Ten Conference Usa95410108727
Top Ten State of Louisiana474443512


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

(mathematically similar student body, size, academics, stem, salary... etc)

Louisiana Tech University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Louisiana Tech University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
98.34
University of New OrleansLouisianaSouthland ConferencePublicAverage405309
93.27
University of Colorado Colorado SpringsColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePublicAverage451347
93.20
University of MaineMaineAtlantic 10 Conference / Ameri...PublicAverage248245
93.16
University of IdahoIdahoSun Belt Conference / Big Sky ...PublicAverage379216
91.97
Wichita State UniversityKansasMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage382307
91.96
University of Southern MississippiMississippiConference USAPublicAverage493423
91.39
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleIllinoisMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage368278
86.36
University of Minnesota-DuluthMinnesotaNorthern Sun Intercollegiate C...PublicAverage464346
86.28
University of WyomingWyomingMountain West ConferencePublicAboveAverage250152
86.16
Tennessee Technological UniversityTennesseeOhio Valley ConferencePublicAverage374212
85.56
Southern Illinois University-EdwardsvilleIllinoisOhio Valley ConferencePublicAverage438368
85.40
The Richard Stockton College of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicAverage350429
85.37
Cleveland State UniversityOhioHorizon LeaguePublicAverage440299
85.24
North Dakota State UniversityNorth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...PublicAverage261196
85.18
Rutgers University-NewarkNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicAverage371392
84.95
University of Michigan-FlintMichiganNo Conference AffiliationPublicAboveAverage189264
84.78
Montana State UniversityMontanaBig Sky ConferencePublicAboveAverage217168
84.50
CUNY Brooklyn CollegeNew YorkCity University of New York At...PublicAverage296394
84.50
University of North FloridaFloridaAtlantic Sun ConferencePublicAboveAverage219214
84.50
University of Hawaii at ManoaHawaiiMountain West Conference / Big...PublicAverage204245
83.95
California State University-ChicoCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage392409
83.95
University of ToledoOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage405285
82.84
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage288356
82.62
The University of Texas at San AntonioTexasConference USAPublicAverage330180
82.49
Florida Atlantic UniversityFloridaConference USAPublicAverage305303
82.22
Texas Tech UniversityTexasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage176104
82.12
University of Illinois at SpringfieldIllinoisGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAverage403397
81.55
Florida International UniversityFloridaConference USAPublicAverage163170
79.41
University of Missouri-Kansas CityMissouriWestern Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage197155
79.30
University of DaytonOhioPioneer Football League / Atla...PrivateAboveAverage278138
79.22
Marquette UniversityWisconsinBig East ConferencePrivateAboveAverage197121
78.77
University of Alabama at BirminghamAlabamaConference USAPublicAboveAverage153148
78.62
Rowan UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage306392
78.30
New Mexico State UniversityNew MexicoSun Belt Conference / Western ...PublicBelowAverage486360
78.23
University of Massachusetts-LowellMassachusettsAmerica EastPublicAboveAverage247275
77.45
Northern Illinois UniversityIllinoisMid American ConferencePublicAverage435289
77.11
University of Nevada-RenoNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage289340
77.09
Drexel UniversityPennsylvaniaColonial Athletic AssociationPrivateAboveAverage120134
76.84
Regis UniversityColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage360303
76.62
Boise State UniversityIdahoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage389329
76.54
The University of Texas at El PasoTexasConference USAPublicBelowAverage499294
76.46
Kansas State UniversityKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage249168
76.37
Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage182124
76.36
Wentworth Institute of TechnologyMassachusettsCommonwealth Coast ConferencePrivateAverage348352
76.25
University of New MexicoNew MexicoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage265153
76.20
Portland State UniversityOregonBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage308408
76.19
University of North Carolina at CharlotteNorth CarolinaDivision I-AA Independents / C...PublicAverage292207
76.00
University of the PacificCaliforniaWest Coast ConferencePrivateAboveAverage251344
75.99
Oregon State UniversityOregonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage152202
75.76
Manhattan CollegeNew YorkMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage460378


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

Louisiana Tech University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Louisiana Tech University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
97.36
Great Lakes Valley Conference (Low)-Great Lakes Valley Conference-Conf-Average-319
95.38
California State University-ChicoCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage392409
95.08
Conference USA (Low)-Conference USA-Conf-Average-272
94.74
Boise State UniversityIdahoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage389329
91.63
Harding UniversityArkansasGreat American ConferencePrivateAboveAverage395316
90.62
Taylor UniversityIndianaMid - States Football Associat...PrivateAboveAverage391261
89.62
Berry CollegeGeorgiaSouthern Athletic AssociationPrivateAboveAverage390412
89.57
Gordon CollegeMassachusettsCommonwealth Coast ConferencePrivateAboveAverage394475
89.24
Pratt Institute-MainNew YorkNo Conference AffiliationPrivateAboveAverage396460
87.90
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (Average)-Southern Collegiate Athletic C...-Conf-AboveAverage-426