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

Nova Southeastern University

2016 University Academic Rankings
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a private nonprofit university, with a main campus located on 300 acres (120 ha) in Davie, in the US state of Florida. Formerly referred to as "Nova" and now commonly called "NSU," the university currently consists of 18 colleges and schools offering over 175 programs of study with more than 250 majors. The university offers professional degrees in law, business, osteopathic medicine, allied health, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, occupational therapy and nursing. Nova Southeastern enrolled 24,148 students in the 2014-2015 academic year, and has produced over 164,000 alumni.

The university was founded as the Nova University of Advanced Technology on a former Naval Outlying Landing Field built during World War II. The university first offered graduate degrees in the physical and social sciences. Leo Goodwin, Sr. left a $16 million bequest to the university in 1971 which funded its expansion throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In 1994, the university merged with the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences and assumed its current name.

NSU is classified as a high research and community engaged university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and also has numerous additional specialized accreditations for its colleges and programs.

History | 1960s

The university, originally named Nova University of Advanced Technology, was chartered by the state of Florida on December 4, 1964. With an inaugural class of 17 students, the university opened as a graduate school for the social and physical sciences.

The university was originally located on a campus in downtown Fort Lauderdale but later moved to its current campus in Davie, Florida. A portion of the site of this campus was once a naval training airfield during World War II, called the "Naval Outlying Landing Field Forman." The remnants of the taxiway surrounding the airfield are still present in the form of roads used on the campus. After World War II, the federal government made a commitment to the Forman family, from whom the land was purchased, that the land would only be used for educational purposes. This led the land to be used for the creation of the South Florida Education Center, which includes Nova Southeastern University, as well as Broward College, Florida Atlantic University, McFatter Technical College, and the University of Florida.

1970s

On June 23, 1970, the board of trustees voted to enter into a federation with the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). The president of NYIT, Alexander Schure, Ph.D., became chancellor of Nova University. Abraham S. Fischler became the second president of the university. The university charter was amended and “of Advanced Technology" was dropped from its corporate name. In 1971, Nova University received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). In 1972, the university introduced its first off-campus course of study in education. In 1974, NSU opened a law school, with an inaugural class of 175 students. The same year, the university began offering evening courses on campus for undergraduates, and changed its name to Nova University. The following year, in 1975, the law school received approval from the American Bar Association. In 1976, the university received a $16 million gift from the estate of Leo Goodwin Sr., and began extensive campus and program expansion.

1980s

In 1985, NSU ended its collaboration with New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), and began offering its first online classes. In 1989, enrollment reached 8,000 students, with nearly 25,000 alumni. Revenue ... [more on wikipedia]

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

Nova Southeastern University Details

Nova Southeastern University Details
detail value
stateFlorida
conferenceSunshine State Conference
publicPrivate
scores1600/1067/24
levelAverage
rank[488
overall ROI rank[397
sizesmall
undergrads4699
grads19449
price43946
drop54
stem75
research12
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for Nova Southeastern University?

1. number 488 for Academics.

2. number 397 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to Nova Southeastern University?

1. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

2. Regis University

3. Wentworth Institute of Technology

4. University of Alabama in Huntsville

5. Drury University

6. Michigan Technological University

7. Southern Polytechnic State University


National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

Nova Southeastern University National Academic Rankings

Nova Southeastern University National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Stem High494547424628294148
South East Region938565728146445678
State of Florida141613141712111211


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

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

Nova Southeastern University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Nova Southeastern University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
86.31
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachFloridaFlorida Sun ConferencePrivateAverage401210
86.25
Regis UniversityColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage360303
86.14
Wentworth Institute of TechnologyMassachusettsCommonwealth Coast ConferencePrivateAverage348352
78.91
University of Alabama in HuntsvilleAlabamaGulf South ConferencePublicAboveAverage181103
78.89
Drury UniversityMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAboveAverage295378
78.87
Michigan Technological UniversityMichiganGreat Lakes Intercollegiate At...PublicAboveAverage14658
78.58
Southern Polytechnic State UniversityGeorgiaNo Conference AffiliationPublicAboveAverage267128
78.49
Florida Institute of TechnologyFloridaGulf South Conference / Sunshi...PrivateAboveAverage260130
77.94
Clarkson UniversityNew YorkUpstate Collegiate Athletic As...PrivateAboveAverage211187
77.64
University of Illinois at SpringfieldIllinoisGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAverage403397
75.76
CUNY City CollegeNew YorkCity University of New York At...PublicAverage293347
75.66
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleIllinoisMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage368278
75.65
University of Colorado DenverColoradoNo Conference AffiliationPublicAverage283217
75.40
Saint Martin's UniversityWashingtonGreat Northwest Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage-1-1
75.04
Wayne State UniversityMichiganGreat Lakes Intercollegiate At...PublicAverage414286
74.75
Portland State UniversityOregonBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage308408
74.73
California State Polytechnic University-PomonaCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicAverage288356
74.38
The University of Texas at ArlingtonTexasSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage240157
74.12
Centenary College of LouisianaLouisianaSouthern Collegiate Athletic C...PrivateAverage-1-1
71.96
Azusa Pacific UniversityCaliforniaGreat Northeast Athletic Confe...PrivateAverage370455
71.04
University of Michigan-DearbornMichiganWolverine - Hoosier Athletic ConfPublicAboveAverage312185
70.82
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyNew JerseyIndependent Northeast RegionPublicAboveAverage195185
70.64
Lawrence Technological UniversityMichiganWolverine - Hoosier Athletic ConfPrivateAboveAverage319146
70.17
South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologySouth DakotaGreat Northwest Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage281111
69.42
University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyMarylandAmerica EastPublicAboveAverage130174
69.35
Montana Tech of the University of MontanaMontanaFrontier ConferencePublicAboveAverage399203
69.12
Kettering UniversityMichiganNo Conference AffiliationPrivateAboveAverage332139
69.12
SUNY College of Environmental Science and ForestryNew YorkNo Conference AffiliationPublicAboveAverage229244
68.99
Rochester Institute of TechnologyNew YorkUpstate Collegiate Athletic As...PrivateAboveAverage151195
68.92
University of Missouri-St LouisMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAboveAverage242211
67.95
North Carolina State University at RaleighNorth CarolinaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAboveAverage5831
67.68
University of South FloridaFloridaAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage94113


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

Nova Southeastern University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Nova Southeastern University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
98.22
Centenary College of LouisianaLouisianaSouthern Collegiate Athletic C...PrivateAverage-1-1
97.46
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona BeachFloridaFlorida Sun ConferencePrivateAverage401210
97.34
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Ath Conf (Average)-Great Lakes Intercollegiate At...-Conf-Average-382
97.00
University of Louisiana at MonroeLouisianaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage485352
96.71
Hampden-Sydney CollegeVirginiaOld Dominion Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage487498
96.46
SUNY at Purchase CollegeNew YorkSkyline ConferencePublicAverage490470
96.38
Regis UniversityColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage360303
96.28
University of Illinois at SpringfieldIllinoisGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePublicAverage403397
95.77
Brandman UniversityCaliforniaNo Conference AffiliationPrivateAverage-1-1
95.73
Saint Martin's UniversityWashingtonGreat Northwest Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage-1-1
94.46
Wentworth Institute of TechnologyMassachusettsCommonwealth Coast ConferencePrivateAverage348352
93.83
University of Puerto Rico-CayeyPuerto RicoNo Conference AffiliationPublicAverage484500
93.53
John Brown UniversityArkansasSooner Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage489421
92.65
University of Nebraska at OmahaNebraskaThe Summit LeaguePublicAverage491364
90.69
New Jersey Athletic Conference (Low)-New Jersey Athletic Conference-Conf-Average-479
88.89
Western Kentucky UniversityKentuckyConference USAPublicBelowAverage491433
84.93
New Mexico State UniversityNew MexicoSun Belt Conference / Western ...PublicBelowAverage486360