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

Mid - American Conference (Low)

2016 University Academic Rankings

The 2014 Mid-American Conference football season was the 69th season of college football play for the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and was a part of the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season.

Previous season | References

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This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mid - American Conference (Low)", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

Mid - American Conference Details

Mid - American Conference Details
detail value
state-
conferenceMid American Conference
public-Conf-
scores1535/1023/23
levelAverage
rank[-
overall ROI rank[266
sizemedium
undergrads19632
grads5516
price37386
drop39
stem22
research17
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for Mid - American Conference (Low)?

1. number - for Academics.

2. number 266 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to Mid - American Conference (Low)?

1. Kent State University at Kent

2. University of Akron Main Campus

3. Old Dominion University

4. Middle Tennessee State University

5. Kansas State University

6. Oklahoma State University

7. Eastern Michigan University



National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

Mid - American Conference National Academic Rankings

Mid - American Conference National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Conferences709492423958623756
Mid - American Conference-81188121067
Top Ten Mid - American Conference-810889847


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

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

Mid - American Conference Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Mid - American Conference

Mid - American Conference Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Mid - American Conference
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
98.94
Kent State University at KentOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage347358
93.31
University of Akron Main CampusOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage331251
93.17
Old Dominion UniversityVirginiaConference USAPublicAverage356368
93.13
Middle Tennessee State UniversityTennesseeConference USAPublicAverage384372
93.11
Kansas State UniversityKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage249168
92.91
Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage182124
92.89
Eastern Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicAverage445385
92.67
University of New MexicoNew MexicoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage265153
92.55
East Carolina UniversityNorth CarolinaAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAverage312325
92.48
Indiana University-Purdue University-IndianapolisIndianaThe Summit LeaguePublicAverage427342
92.47
West Virginia UniversityWest VirginiaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage320192
92.46
University of MemphisTennesseeAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAverage359314
92.42
Oakland UniversityMichiganHorizon LeaguePublicAverage417270
92.38
Sam Houston State UniversityTexasSouthland ConferencePublicAverage472383
92.22
Ohio UniversityOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage215174
92.15
Washington State UniversityWashingtonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage189193
92.13
University of ToledoOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage405285
92.09
University of LouisvilleKentuckyAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAverage258224
91.91
Northern Illinois UniversityIllinoisMid American ConferencePublicAverage435289
91.83
Georgia State UniversityGeorgiaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage253230
91.80
Florida Atlantic UniversityFloridaConference USAPublicAverage305303
91.28
San Diego State UniversityCaliforniaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage183218
91.24
Texas Tech UniversityTexasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage176104
86.57
University of KansasKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage172130
86.57
Boise State UniversityIdahoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage389329
86.55
University of Nebraska-LincolnNebraskaBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage11998
86.44
University of DelawareDelawareColonial Athletic AssociationPublicAboveAverage107138
86.41
Western Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicBelowAverage446320
86.39
Towson UniversityMarylandColonial Athletic AssociationPublicAverage264365
86.38
University of California-RiversideCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage167212
86.34
Auburn UniversityAlabamaSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage13979
86.33
Central Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicBelowAverage454402
86.23
University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusOklahomaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage13754
86.17
Illinois State UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage279222
86.11
Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgiaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage254236
85.99
University of ArkansasArkansasSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage171119
85.89
University of KentuckyKentuckySoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage159130
85.88
University of Massachusetts-AmherstMassachusettsMid - American Conference / At...PublicAboveAverage88144
85.86
Clemson UniversitySouth CarolinaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAboveAverage9851
85.77
University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeWisconsinHorizon LeaguePublicBelowAverage420367
85.73
CUNY Hunter CollegeNew YorkCity University of New York At...PublicAboveAverage193228
85.72
University of Nevada-RenoNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage289340
85.55
Kennesaw State UniversityGeorgiaAtlantic Sun ConferencePublicAverage290291
85.55
Colorado State University-Fort CollinsColoradoMountain West ConferencePublicAboveAverage143139
85.53
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginiaAtlantic 10 ConferencePublicAboveAverage178207
85.53
University of California-Santa CruzCaliforniaDivision III IndependentsPublicAverage157208
85.50
University of Nevada-Las VegasNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicBelowAverage421449
85.49
DePaul UniversityIllinoisBig East ConferencePrivateAboveAverage193150
85.46
California State University-ChicoCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage392409
85.39
Montclair State UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicBelowAverage447463


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

Mid - American Conference Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Mid - American Conference

Mid - American Conference Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Mid - American Conference
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
97.09
The Summit League (Average)-The Summit League-Conf-Average-372
96.85
University of Louisiana at LafayetteLouisianaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage350248
96.53
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Ath Conf (Average)-Great Lakes Intercollegiate At...-Conf-Average-382
96.35
Kent State University at KentOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage347358
95.94
University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireWisconsinWisconsin Intercollegiate Ath ConfPublicAverage350253
95.94
The Richard Stockton College of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicAverage350429
95.35
Atlantic Sun Conference (Average)-Atlantic Sun Conference-Conf-Average-440
94.40
South Dakota State UniversitySouth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...PublicAverage354263
92.46
Wentworth Institute of TechnologyMassachusettsCommonwealth Coast ConferencePrivateAverage348352
90.60
Quinnipiac UniversityConnecticutMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage353433
87.92
Duquesne UniversityPennsylvaniaNortheast Conference / Atlanti...PrivateAboveAverage346374
87.68
Northeast 10 Conference (Average)-Northeast 10 Conference-Conf-AboveAverage-427
87.22
Butler UniversityIndianaPioneer Football League / Big ...PrivateAboveAverage349204
86.83
Southern California Intercoll Ath Conf (Low)-Southern California Intercoll ...-Conf-AboveAverage-427
84.82
Northwest Conference (Average)-Northwest Conference-Conf-AboveAverage-440
83.37
Southern Athletic Association (Average)-Southern Athletic Association-Conf-AboveAverage-408