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

New Mexico State University

2016 University Academic Rankings
New Mexico State University (commonly referred to as NMSU-Las Cruces, NMSU, New Mexico State, or NM State), is a major public, land-grant, research university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest public institution of higher education in the state of New Mexico. NMSU is the second largest four-year university in the state, in terms of total enrollment across all campuses as of 2011, with campuses in Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Doña Ana County, and Grants, with extension and research centers across New Mexico.

It was founded to teach agriculture in 1888 as the Las Cruces College, and the following year became New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. It received its present name in 1960. NMSU has 18,497 students enrolled as of Fall 2009, and has a faculty-to-student ratio of about 1 to 19. NMSU offers a wide range of programs and awards associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through its main campus and four community colleges. NMSU is the only research-extensive, land-grant, USA-Mexico border institution classified by the federal government as serving Hispanics.

History

In 1888 Hiram Hadley, an Earlham College-educated teacher from Indiana, started Las Cruces College. One decade later, the Territorial Assembly of New Mexico provided for the establishment of an agricultural college and agricultural experiment station with Bill No. 28, the Rodey Act of 1889. It stated: " Said institution is hereby located at or near the town of Las Cruces in the County of Doña Ana,upon a tract of land of not less than one hundred (100) acres, This land could be contiguous to the main Las Cruces irrigating ditch, south of said town." Designated as the land-grant college for New Mexico under the Morrill Act, it was named the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts.

Las Cruces College then merged with the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, and opened on January 21, 1890. It began with 35 students and 6 faculty members. The college was supposed to graduate its first student in 1893, but the only senior, named Sam Steel, was murdered before he was able to receive his diploma. Classes met in the two-room adobe building of Las Cruces College until new buildings were erected on the 220-acre (0.89 km2) campus three miles (5 km) south of Las Cruces. In February 1891, McFie Hall, popularly known as Old Main, opened its doors. McFie Hall burned down in 1910, but its remains can be seen in the center of Pride Field on the University Horseshoe.

New Mexico State University now has a 6,000-acre (24 km2) campus and enrolls more than 21,000 students from the United States and 71 foreign countries. Full-time faculty members number 694, with a staff of 3,113. The university has an extensive international student population from in Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Campus

As one of the largest college campuses in the nation, the main campus of New Mexico State University sits on 6,250 acres (24 km²) of land in the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico. It is located in the southern part of the Pan American Highway interchange, Interstate 25, surrounded by desert landscape and greenhouses. The main campus is also bordered by Interstate 10, which is the main east-west interstate highway across the Southern part of the United States. To the east of Interstate 25, the campus facilities consist of the President's residence, NMSU Golf Course, the "A" Mountain west slope, and the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. South of University Avenue are Pan American Plaza, 48 acres of horse farm, and the Fabian Garcia Science center, which houses the Chile Pepper Institute's research, teaching and demonstration garden, algal biofuels research equipment, grape vineyards and gazebos, and fi ... [more on wikipedia]

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

New Mexico State University Details

New Mexico State University Details
detail value
stateNew Mexico
conferenceSun Belt Conference / Western ...
publicPublic
scores1415/943/21
levelBelowAverage
rank[486
overall ROI rank[360
sizemedium
undergrads12784
grads3045
price32180
drop49
stem39
research146
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for New Mexico State University?

1. number 486 for Academics.

2. number 360 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to New Mexico State University?

1. North Dakota State University

2. University of Idaho

3. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

4. University of Southern Mississippi

5. Wichita State University

6. CUNY Brooklyn College

7. University of Hawaii at Manoa


National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

New Mexico State University National Academic Rankings

New Mexico State University National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Sun Belt Conference9101011102157
Western Athletic Conference344441133
South West Region478774364012105048
State of New Mexico363231154
Top Ten Sun Belt Conference1010101092159
Top Ten Western Athletic Conference344441133
Top Ten State of New Mexico363231154


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

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

New Mexico State University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to New Mexico State University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
92.99
North Dakota State UniversityNorth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...PublicAverage261196
91.51
University of IdahoIdahoSun Belt Conference / Big Sky ...PublicAverage379216
86.33
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleIllinoisMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage368278
86.26
University of Southern MississippiMississippiConference USAPublicAverage493423
86.25
Wichita State UniversityKansasMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage382307
86.04
CUNY Brooklyn CollegeNew YorkCity University of New York At...PublicAverage296394
86.03
University of Hawaii at ManoaHawaiiMountain West Conference / Big...PublicAverage204245
85.96
Southern Illinois University-EdwardsvilleIllinoisOhio Valley ConferencePublicAverage438368
85.30
University of ToledoOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage405285
85.06
University of Nevada-RenoNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage289340
85.02
University of Colorado Colorado SpringsColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePublicAverage451347
84.87
University of MaineMaineAtlantic 10 Conference / Ameri...PublicAverage248245
84.30
The University of Texas at El PasoTexasConference USAPublicBelowAverage499294
84.19
Kansas State UniversityKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage249168
83.19
California State University-SacramentoCaliforniaBig Sky ConferencePublicBelowAverage453472
79.50
Cleveland State UniversityOhioHorizon LeaguePublicAverage440299
78.85
Northern Illinois UniversityIllinoisMid American ConferencePublicAverage435289
78.71
Tennessee Technological UniversityTennesseeOhio Valley ConferencePublicAverage374212
78.63
California State University-ChicoCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage392409
78.54
University of Minnesota-DuluthMinnesotaNorthern Sun Intercollegiate C...PublicAverage464346
78.30
Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisianaConference USAPublicAverage392213
77.74
Boise State UniversityIdahoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage389329
77.20
Rutgers University-NewarkNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicAverage371392
77.06
University of New OrleansLouisianaSouthland ConferencePublicAverage405309
76.90
Oregon State UniversityOregonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage152202
76.84
The University of Texas at San AntonioTexasConference USAPublicAverage330180
75.95
Regis UniversityColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage360303
75.92
University of ArizonaArizonaPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage12486
74.92
University of Illinois at SpringfieldIllinoisGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAverage403397
73.31
University of New HampshireNew HampshireColonial Athletic Association ...PublicAverage221225
72.94
University of Rhode IslandRhode IslandColonial Athletic Association ...PublicAverage270328
72.03
Montclair State UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicBelowAverage447463
71.82
Mississippi State UniversityMississippiSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage197130
71.55
Western Kentucky UniversityKentuckyConference USAPublicBelowAverage491433
71.20
University of California-RiversideCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage167212
70.73
Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage182124
70.69
The Richard Stockton College of New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicAverage350429
70.58
University of New MexicoNew MexicoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage265153
70.52
Portland State UniversityOregonBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage308408
70.50
University of North Carolina at CharlotteNorth CarolinaDivision I-AA Independents / C...PublicAverage292207
70.47
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage288356
70.01
Florida Atlantic UniversityFloridaConference USAPublicAverage305303
69.86
San Jose State UniversityCaliforniaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage386389
69.64
Texas Tech UniversityTexasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage176104
69.52
The University of Texas at ArlingtonTexasSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage240157
69.36
California State University-Long BeachCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage318387
68.92
Wentworth Institute of TechnologyMassachusettsCommonwealth Coast ConferencePrivateAverage348352
68.74
Florida International UniversityFloridaConference USAPublicAverage163170
68.48
Manhattan CollegeNew YorkMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage460378
66.61
CUNY City CollegeNew YorkCity University of New York At...PublicAverage293347


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

New Mexico State University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to New Mexico State University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
93.02
New Jersey Athletic Conference (Low)-New Jersey Athletic Conference-Conf-Average-479
87.44
University of Louisiana at MonroeLouisianaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage485352
86.91
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Ath Conf (Average)-Great Lakes Intercollegiate At...-Conf-Average-382
86.44
Nova Southeastern UniversityFloridaSunshine State ConferencePrivateAverage488397
85.41
Hampden-Sydney CollegeVirginiaOld Dominion Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage487498
84.52
University of Puerto Rico-CayeyPuerto RicoNo Conference AffiliationPublicAverage484500
83.08
SUNY at Purchase CollegeNew YorkSkyline ConferencePublicAverage490470
80.60
John Brown UniversityArkansasSooner Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage489421