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

Texas A & M University-College Station

2016 University Academic Rankings

Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, TAMU /ˈtæmuː/, or A&M) is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas, United States. It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System, the fourth-largest university in the United States and the largest university in Texas. Texas A&M's designation as a land, sea, and space grant institution reflects a range of research with ongoing projects funded by agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Office of Naval Research. The school ranks in the top 20 American research institutes in funding and has made contributions to such fields as animal cloning and petroleum engineering.

The first public institution of higher education in Texas, the school opened on October 4, 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas under the provisions of the Morrill Land-Grant Acts. Originally, the college taught no classes in agriculture, instead concentrating on classical studies, languages, literature, and applied mathematics. After four years, students could attain degrees in scientific agriculture, civil and mechanical engineering, and language and literature. Under the leadership of President James Earl Rudder in the 1960s, A&M desegregated, became coeducational, and dropped the requirement for participation in the Corps of Cadets. To reflect the institution's expanded roles and academic offerings, the Texas Legislature renamed the school to Texas A&M University in 1963. The letters "A&M", originally short for "Agricultural and Mechanical", are retained only as a link to the university's past. The school's students, alumni, and sports teams are known as Aggies.

The main campus is one of the largest in the United States, spanning 5,200 acres (21 km2), and includes the George Bush Presidential Library. About one-fifth of the student body lives on campus. Texas A&M has approximately 1,000 officially recognized student organizations. Many students also observe the traditions of Texas A&M University, which govern daily life, as well as special occasions, including sports events. On July 1, 2012, the school joined the Southeastern Conference. A&M operates two branches: Texas A&M at Qatar and Texas A&M University at Galveston. Working with agencies such as the Texas AgriLife Research and Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M has a direct presence in each of the 254 counties in Texas. The university offers degrees in over 150 courses of study through ten colleges and houses 18 research institutes. Texas A&M has awarded over 320,000 degrees, including 70,000 graduate and professional degrees.

As a Senior Military College, Texas A&M is one of six American public universities with a full-time, volunteer Corps of Cadets who study alongside civilian undergraduate students.

History | Beginning years

The U.S. Congress laid the groundwork for the establishment of Texas A&M in 1862 with the adoption of the Morrill Act. The act auctioned land grants of public lands to establish endowments for colleges where the "leading object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and mechanical arts... to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life". In 1871, the Texas Legislature used these funds to establish the state's first public institution of higher education, the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, then known as Texas A.M.C. Brazos County donated 2,416 acres (10 km2) near Bryan, Texas, for the school's campus.

Enrollment began on October 2, 1876. Six students enrolled on the first day, and classes officially b ... [more on wikipedia]

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Texas A & M University-College Station", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

Texas A & M University Details

Texas A & M University Details
detail value
stateTexas
conferenceSoutheastern Conference
publicPublic
scores1730/1153/26
levelAboveAverage
rank[71
overall ROI rank[22
sizeenormous
undergrads47093
grads14549
price39873
drop18
stem29
research696
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for Texas A & M University-College Station?

1. number 71 for Academics.

2. number 22 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to Texas A & M University-College Station?

1. Arizona State University-Tempe

2. Ohio State University

3. The University of Texas at Austin

4. Michigan State University

5. Rutgers University-New Brunswick

6. University of Florida

7. University at Buffalo



National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

Texas A & M University National Academic Rankings

Texas A & M University National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Top25071194192615533311622
All609795605533321128
All Nonivy539693534725271123
Div140717041372325714
Div1 Nonivy32666433291519711
Div1 Public2239382220111845
Public2463642621141985
Power529423928261318512
Stem Low438688433826281518
Southeastern Conference376441212
South West Region419204334104
State of Texas41212433272
Top Ten Top25071194192615533311622
Top Ten Southeastern Conference376441212
Top Ten South West Region389433242
Top Ten State of Texas478433222


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

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

Texas A & M University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Texas A & M University

Texas A & M University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Texas A & M University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
98.99
Arizona State University-TempeArizonaPacific 12 ConferencePublicAboveAverage10182
93.00
Ohio State UniversityOhioBig Ten ConferencePublicGood4043
92.26
The University of Texas at AustinTexasBig Twelve ConferencePublicGood3851
92.16
Michigan State UniversityMichiganBig Ten ConferencePublicAverage11174
91.56
Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew JerseyBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage56115
91.31
University of FloridaFloridaSoutheastern ConferencePublicGood4338
89.48
University at BuffaloNew YorkMid American ConferencePublicAboveAverage124190
85.96
University of Central FloridaFloridaAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage103141
85.74
Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvaniaBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage5384
84.67
University of ArizonaArizonaPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage12486
84.28
Purdue UniversityIndianaBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage5720
84.09
Iowa State UniversityIowaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage12971
83.76
University of Colorado BoulderColoradoPacific 12 ConferencePublicAboveAverage7959
83.62
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeLouisianaSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage14888
83.47
University of California-IrvineCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAboveAverage108162
83.44
University of CincinnatiOhioAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage202106
83.38
University of UtahUtahPacific 12 ConferencePublicAboveAverage14286
83.34
Colorado State University-Fort CollinsColoradoMountain West ConferencePublicAboveAverage143139
83.16
George Mason UniversityVirginiaAtlantic 10 ConferencePublicAboveAverage156143
83.15
University of KentuckyKentuckySoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage159130
83.07
The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTennesseeSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage116188
82.97
University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusOklahomaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage13754
82.83
University of Nebraska-LincolnNebraskaBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage11998
82.74
University of KansasKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage172130
82.44
Clemson UniversitySouth CarolinaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAboveAverage9851
82.34
Mississippi State UniversityMississippiSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage197130
81.65
University of Alabama at BirminghamAlabamaConference USAPublicAboveAverage153148
80.49
Webster UniversityMissouriSt.Louis Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateAboveAverage458421
79.14
Florida International UniversityFloridaConference USAPublicAverage163170
77.81
California State University-Long BeachCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage318387
77.68
University of Washington-Seattle CampusWashingtonPacific 12 ConferencePublicGood5566
76.77
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginiaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicGood7540
76.72
Oregon State UniversityOregonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage152202
76.71
Washington State UniversityWashingtonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage189193
76.68
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginiaAtlantic 10 ConferencePublicAboveAverage178207
76.48
University of Massachusetts-AmherstMassachusettsMid - American Conference / At...PublicAboveAverage88144
76.25
Auburn UniversityAlabamaSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage13979
76.21
Kansas State UniversityKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage249168
75.99
University of California-RiversideCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage167212
75.99
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusPennsylvaniaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicGood5075
75.73
Drexel UniversityPennsylvaniaColonial Athletic AssociationPrivateAboveAverage120134
75.59
University of LouisvilleKentuckyAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAverage258224
75.54
University of Louisiana at LafayetteLouisianaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage350248
75.33
University of Hawaii at ManoaHawaiiMountain West Conference / Big...PublicAverage204245
75.26
University of Rhode IslandRhode IslandColonial Athletic Association ...PublicAverage270328
75.22
Montana State UniversityMontanaBig Sky ConferencePublicAboveAverage217168
75.17
University of Massachusetts-LowellMassachusettsAmerica EastPublicAboveAverage247275
75.09
Saint Louis UniversityMissouriAtlantic 10 ConferencePrivateAboveAverage169165
75.05
North Dakota State UniversityNorth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...PublicAverage261196
75.04
Rowan UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage306392


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

Texas A & M University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Texas A & M University

Texas A & M University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Texas A & M University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
95.14
University of Colorado BoulderColoradoPacific 12 ConferencePublicAboveAverage7959
93.46
Purdue UniversityIndianaBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage5720
93.38
North Carolina State University at RaleighNorth CarolinaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAboveAverage5831
93.11
University of Massachusetts-AmherstMassachusettsMid - American Conference / At...PublicAboveAverage88144
92.92
University of California-DavisCaliforniaBig Sky Conference / Big West ...PublicAboveAverage58142
92.92
University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSouth CarolinaSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage93130
92.38
Florida State UniversityFloridaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAboveAverage76104
91.84
Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew JerseyBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage56115
91.01
Stony Brook UniversityNew YorkColonial Athletic Association ...PublicGood62109
90.74
University of California-Santa BarbaraCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicGood63122
90.35
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginiaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicGood7540
90.11
Brigham Young University-ProvoUtahOther / West Coast ConferencePrivateGood7227
89.75
University of IowaIowaBig Ten ConferencePublicGood6879
89.58
The University of Texas at DallasTexasAmerican Southwest ConferencePublicGood7055
88.98
Colonial Athletic Association (Average)-Colonial Athletic Association-Conf-Excellent-112
88.19
Polytechnic Institute of New York UniversityNew YorkNo Reported AffiliationPrivateGood7672
88.17
University of GeorgiaGeorgiaSoutheastern ConferencePublicGood8265
85.82
Colorado School of MinesColoradoRocky Mountain Athletic ConferencePublicGood8424
85.21
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteMassachusettsUpstate Collegiate Athletic As...PrivateExcellent7340
84.72
Tulane University of LouisianaLouisianaAmerican Athletic ConferencePrivateExcellent61106
84.01
Atlantic Coast Conference (Low)-Atlantic Coast Conference-Conf-Excellent-42
83.83
Lehigh UniversityPennsylvaniaPatriot LeaguePrivateExcellent6932
83.63
SUNY at BinghamtonNew YorkAmerica EastPublicExcellent65125
83.47
Wake Forest UniversityNorth CarolinaAtlantic Coast ConferencePrivateExcellent6650
83.25
Patriot League (Average)-Patriot League-Conf-Excellent-43
83.16
University of MiamiFloridaAtlantic Coast ConferencePrivateExcellent4493
83.03
George Washington UniversityWashington DCAtlantic 10 ConferencePrivateExcellent51135
82.29
College of William and MaryVirginiaColonial Athletic AssociationPublicExcellent5460
79.24
Wesleyan UniversityConnecticutNew England Small College Ath ConfPrivateElite73137
76.64
Carleton CollegeMinnesotaMidwest ConferencePrivateElite8443
76.53
Bowdoin CollegeMaineNew England Small College Ath ConfPrivateElite64162
75.65
Swarthmore CollegePennsylvaniaCentennial ConferencePrivateElite6748
75.34
Williams CollegeMassachusettsNew England Small College Ath ConfPrivateElite58161