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

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf (Average)

2016 University Academic Rankings
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member schools are located in the state of Minnesota. All of the member schools are private, with all but one having a religious affiliation, and only two being non-sectarian.

History

On March 15, 1920, a formal constitution was adopted and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was born, with Carleton College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Hamline University, Macalester College, Saint John's University, St. Olaf College, and the University of St. Thomas.

Concordia College joined the MIAC in 1921, Augsburg College in 1924, and Saint Mary's University in 1926. Carleton dropped membership in 1925, rejoining in 1983. St. Olaf left in 1950, returning in 1975. The University of Minnesota Duluth was a member of the MIAC from 1950 to 1975. Bethel University joined in 1978. The MIAC initiated women's competition in the 1981-82 season. Two all-women's schools subsequently joined the conference, St. Catherine University in 1983 and the College of St. Benedict in 1985 joined the league.

Augsburg did not participate in intercollegiate football from 1935 through 1938. The conference did not play sports from the fall 1943 to the spring of 1945 due to World War II. Saint Mary's discontinued its football program in 1955. Macalester became an independent in football in 2002, but still retains its MIAC membership in other sports. Wrestling was dropped as a conference sponsored sport after the 2002-03 season. St. Catherine and St. Benedict, being both women's colleges, also do not sponsor football. Together with Saint John's, one of only a handful of men's colleges, St. Benedict forms a joint academic institution, known commonly by the initialism CSB/SJU.

From 1947 to 2003 the MIAC had a strong men's wrestling program, which was discontinued following the 2002-03 season. The strongest teams over the history of the conference were Augsburg with 31 team championships, and Saint John's with 14 team championships. The MIAC teams and individual wrestlers demonstrated a strong national and Olympic presence in the 1970s and beyond

Member schools | Current members | Former members | Membership timeline | Sports

Member teams compete in football (men's), soccer (men's and women's), cross country (men's and women), golf (men's and women), volleyball (women's), basketball (men's and women), ice hockey (men's and women), indoor track and field (men's and women), swimming and diving (men's and women), baseball (men's), tennis (men's and women), track and field (men's and women) and softball (women's). The conference no longer sponsors men's wrestling or men's and women's Nordic skiing.

Football | Trophy games | Trophy games between MIAC football members | Trophy games between MIAC football members and non football members

Power Bowl (Concordia College v. Minnesota State University-Moorhead) - 1999-2007 (formerly the American Crystal Sugar Bowl - 1984-1998 - the matchup dated back to 1919)

Conference titles

Saint John's321932, 1935c, 1936c, 1938, 1953c, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1971c, 1974c, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979c, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995c, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001c, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006c, 2008, 2009, 2014

Gustavus Adolphus221926, 1927, 1933, 1935c, 1936c, 1937, 1940, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1952c, 1953c, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1967, 1968, 1971c, 1972, 1987

Basketball | Men's basketball regular season conference titles

St. Thomas311924, 1946c, 1949c, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1981c, 1989c, 1990, 1991c, 1992c, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006c, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011c, 2012c, 2013, 2014, 2015

Women's basketball regular ... [more on wikipedia]

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf (Average)", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf Details

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf Details
detail value
state-
conferenceMinnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf
public-Conf-
scores1770/1180/27
levelAboveAverage
rank[-
overall ROI rank[242
sizesmall
undergrads2999
grads1013
price49923
drop24
stem19
research0
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf (Average)?

1. number - for Academics.

2. number 242 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf (Average)?

1. Bethel University

2. California Lutheran University

3. Seattle Pacific University

4. Rockhurst University

5. Lipscomb University

6. Siena College

7. Canisius College


National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf National Academic Rankings

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Conferences523135716857814445


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

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

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
93.23
Bethel UniversityMinnesotaMinnesota Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateAboveAverage423428
92.91
California Lutheran UniversityCaliforniaSouthern California Intercoll ...PrivateAboveAverage481488
92.79
Seattle Pacific UniversityWashingtonGreat Northwest Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage383384
91.73
Rockhurst UniversityMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAboveAverage404250
86.41
Lipscomb UniversityTennesseeAtlantic Sun ConferencePrivateAboveAverage303255
86.38
Siena CollegeNew YorkMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage462479
86.38
Canisius CollegeNew YorkMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage467484
86.20
Messiah CollegePennsylvaniaMiddle Atlantic States Athleti...PrivateAboveAverage387436
86.15
Valparaiso UniversityIndianaPioneer Football League / Hori...PrivateAverage407281
86.05
Cedarville UniversityOhioPrivateAboveAverage287278
86.04
Union UniversityTennesseeGulf South ConferencePrivateGood225213
85.94
Drake UniversityIowaPioneer Football League / Miss...PrivateAboveAverage263136
85.94
Rollins CollegeFloridaSunshine State ConferencePrivateAboveAverage262338
85.82
Augsburg CollegeMinnesotaMinnesota Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateAverage437376
85.79
Hope CollegeMichiganMichigan Intercollegiate Athle...PrivateAboveAverage244227
85.78
Webster UniversityMissouriSt.Louis Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateAboveAverage458421
85.77
Arcadia UniversityPennsylvaniaMiddle Atlantic States Athleti...PrivateAverage467478
85.60
Catholic University of AmericaWashington DCOld Dominion Athletic Conferen...PrivateAboveAverage381458
85.44
University of PortlandOregonWest Coast ConferencePrivateAboveAverage235245
85.29
Concordia College at MoorheadMinnesotaMinnesota Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateAboveAverage430444
85.13
Calvin CollegeMichiganMichigan Intercollegiate Athle...PrivateAboveAverage255209
85.12
Clark UniversityMassachusettsNew England Women's & Men's At...PrivateGood201224
85.00
University of ScrantonPennsylvaniaLandmark ConferencePrivateAboveAverage399368
84.92
DePauw UniversityIndianaNorth Coast Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage304173
84.92
Creighton UniversityNebraskaBig East ConferencePrivateAboveAverage273190
84.81
Willamette UniversityOregonNorthwest ConferencePrivateAboveAverage300402
84.80
University of Mary WashingtonVirginiaCapital Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage424386
84.75
Franciscan University of SteubenvilleOhioAllegheny Mountain Collegiate ...PrivateAboveAverage410310
84.72
Saint Michael's CollegeVermontNortheast 10 ConferencePrivateAboveAverage329452
84.67
Taylor UniversityIndianaMid - States Football Associat...PrivateAboveAverage391261
84.63
Berry CollegeGeorgiaSouthern Athletic AssociationPrivateAboveAverage390412
84.63
Eckerd CollegeFloridaSunshine State ConferencePrivateAboveAverage495417
84.51
Seattle UniversityWashingtonWestern Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage280320
84.50
Allegheny CollegePennsylvaniaNorth Coast Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage322411
83.62
University of the SciencesPennsylvaniaCentral Atlantic Collegiate ConfPrivateAboveAverage338272
83.01
State University of New York at New PaltzNew YorkState University of New York A...PublicAboveAverage341457
82.95
University of DallasTexasSouthern Collegiate Athletic C...PrivateAboveAverage282175
82.78
SUNY College at OswegoNew YorkState University of New York A...PublicAboveAverage361450
82.50
Salisbury UniversityMarylandEmpire Eight / Capital Athleti...PublicAboveAverage243358
81.92
College of CharlestonSouth CarolinaColonial Athletic AssociationPublicAboveAverage219233
81.41
Western Washington UniversityWashingtonGreat Northwest Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage297338
79.84
Pacific Lutheran UniversityWashingtonNorthwest ConferencePrivateAverage439431
79.76
John Carroll UniversityOhioOhio Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage449276
79.67
Le Moyne CollegeNew YorkNortheast 10 ConferencePrivateAverage500485
79.60
Maryville University of Saint LouisMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAverage424426
79.59
Yeshiva UniversityNew YorkSkyline ConferencePrivateGood141208
79.58
Furman UniversitySouth CarolinaSouthern ConferencePrivateGood232192
79.52
North Central CollegeIllinoisCollege Conference of Illinois...PrivateAverage455382
79.28
Baldwin Wallace UniversityOhioOhio Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage494447
79.01
University of Puget SoundWashingtonNorthwest ConferencePrivateGood227223


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf

Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Minnesota Intercollegiate Ath Conf
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
98.88
Austin CollegeTexasSouthern Collegiate Athletic C...PrivateAboveAverage291415
95.88
Hendrix CollegeArkansasSouthern Athletic AssociationPrivateAboveAverage294425
95.15
Centennial Conference (Low)-Centennial Conference-Conf-AboveAverage-415
95.15
Cedarville UniversityOhioPrivateAboveAverage287278
93.70
Big East Conference (Low)-Big East Conference-Conf-AboveAverage-224
92.26
No Conference Affiliation (Low)-No Conference Affiliation-Conf-Good-338
91.20
North Coast Athletic Conference (Average)-North Coast Athletic Conference-Conf-Good-221
91.12
Drury UniversityMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAboveAverage295378
89.75
CUNY City CollegeNew YorkCity University of New York At...PublicAverage293347
88.38
Kennesaw State UniversityGeorgiaAtlantic Sun ConferencePublicAverage290291
86.98
University of North Carolina at CharlotteNorth CarolinaDivision I-AA Independents / C...PublicAverage292207
86.73
America East (Low)-America East-Conf-Average-364
86.34
University of Nevada-RenoNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage289340
86.34
Mountain West Conference (Low)-Mountain West Conference-Conf-Average-285
85.91
Big Sky Conference (Low)-Big Sky Conference-Conf-Average-245
85.34
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage288356
81.18
Big West Conference (Low)-Big West Conference-Conf-Average-385