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

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

2016 University Academic Rankings
University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) is an American public research university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada. The 332-acre (134 ha) campus is located approximately 1.6-mile (2.6 km) east of the Las Vegas Strip. The university includes the Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada, which houses the School of Dental Medicine- the only dental school in the state of Nevada. In addition, UNLV's law school, the William Boyd School of Law, is also the only law school in the state.

Noted for its strong emphasis on science and technology, business management, and the law programs, the university is classified a "research-intensive university" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The William Harrah College of Hotel Administration is annually ranked among the top hospitality programs in the United States due to the university's proximity to the Las Vegas Strip. Its famed Thomas & Mack Center hosted the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, concerts, as well as lectures by Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev as part of various UNLV-affiliated lecture series.

History

The first college classes, which would eventually become the classes of UNLV, were offered as the southern regional extension division of the University of Nevada, Reno in 1959 in a classroom at Las Vegas High School. In 1955, State Senator Mahlon Brown "sponsored the legislation to provide $200,000 to construct the campus's first building" - Frazier Hall. Groundbreaking on the original 60-acre (24 ha) site was in April 1956, and the university purchased a 640-acre (260 ha) site in North Las Vegas for future expansion. UNLV was officially founded by the Nevada Board of Regents as the Southern Division of the University of Nevada in 1957. The first classes were held on the current campus in the post and beam Mid Century Modern Maude Frazier Hall designed by the local architectural firm, Zick & Sharp. Twenty-nine students graduated in the first commencement ceremonies in 1964.

In 1965, the Nevada Legislature named the school Nevada Southern University, and the Board of Regents hired the campus's first president, Donald C. Moyer. who died in 2008 at the age of 88.

In 1968, Nevada Southern was given equal status with its parent institution in Reno, and the present name was approved by the Regents in January 1969, during a winter session and without input by representatives from the University of Nevada, Reno . During this time Nevada Southern University also adopted the southern "Rebel" athletics moniker and a mascot dressed in a southern Confederate uniform named Beauregard. The popular reasoning behind such a controversial moniker and mascot is that they did it to oppose the northern Union traditions and symbols of their northern rival, the University of Nevada. It was not long, however, before protests from NSU/UNLV students forced a slight change to their Confederate mascot, but the "Rebels" moniker remains to this day. Since its founding, the university has grown rapidly, expanding both its academic programs and campus facilities.

The Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) was established in 1975 to make available academic expertise in research projects that assist in the development of the Nevada economy and assist state and local agencies and private-sector enterprises in the collection and analysis of economic and market data.

In 2001, The School of Dental Medicine opened to train students and offer low-cost dental care to residents. Also, the Lied Library on campus opened.

In 2003, the Institute for Security Studies was established to address Homeland Security concerns. The Lynn Bennett Childhood Development Center opened.

In 2004, UNLV opened its first regional campus on Shadow Lane, near the University Medical ... [more on wikipedia]

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "University of Nevada-Las Vegas", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

University of Nevada Details

University of Nevada Details
detail value
stateNevada
conferenceMountain West Conference
publicPublic
scores1475/983/22
levelBelowAverage
rank[421
overall ROI rank[449
sizemedium-large
undergrads23803
grads4712
price36082
drop55
stem18
research40
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for University of Nevada-Las Vegas?

1. number 421 for Academics.

2. number 449 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to University of Nevada-Las Vegas?

1. Ohio University

2. Northern Arizona University

3. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

4. San Francisco State University

5. Central Michigan University

6. Western Michigan University

7. University of Memphis


National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

University of Nevada National Academic Rankings

University of Nevada National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Mountain West Conference11111110978911
West Coast Region598783353222204549
State of Nevada222222222
Top Ten State of Nevada222222222


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

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

University of Nevada Peer Universities, Similar Universities to University of Nevada

University of Nevada Peer Universities, Similar Universities to University of Nevada
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
93.27
Ohio UniversityOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage215174
93.20
Northern Arizona UniversityArizonaBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage336333
93.02
University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeWisconsinHorizon LeaguePublicBelowAverage420367
92.78
San Francisco State UniversityCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicBelowAverage428458
92.46
Central Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicBelowAverage454402
91.96
Western Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicBelowAverage446320
91.45
University of MemphisTennesseeAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAverage359314
91.12
California State University-NorthridgeCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicBelowAverage459474
91.12
Montclair State UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicBelowAverage447463
86.65
Washington State UniversityWashingtonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage189193
86.53
Kent State University at KentOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage347358
86.32
West Virginia UniversityWest VirginiaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage320192
86.27
Georgia State UniversityGeorgiaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage253230
86.23
East Carolina UniversityNorth CarolinaAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAverage312325
85.87
Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage182124
85.63
Old Dominion UniversityVirginiaConference USAPublicAverage356368
85.59
San Diego State UniversityCaliforniaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage183218
85.54
Texas Tech UniversityTexasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage176104
85.52
University of Akron Main CampusOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage331251
85.27
Towson UniversityMarylandColonial Athletic AssociationPublicAverage264365
85.19
Missouri State University-SpringfieldMissouriMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage301266
85.14
Eastern Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicAverage445385
85.08
Illinois State UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage279222
85.01
California State University-Long BeachCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage318387
84.89
Western Kentucky UniversityKentuckyConference USAPublicBelowAverage491433
84.85
California State University-FullertonCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage362435
84.74
Oakland UniversityMichiganHorizon LeaguePublicAverage417270
84.47
University of LouisvilleKentuckyAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAverage258224
84.29
University of North Carolina at GreensboroNorth CarolinaSouthern ConferencePublicAverage449439
79.94
Kennesaw State UniversityGeorgiaAtlantic Sun ConferencePublicAverage290291
79.64
Indiana University-Purdue University-IndianapolisIndianaThe Summit LeaguePublicAverage427342
79.01
Middle Tennessee State UniversityTennesseeConference USAPublicAverage384372
78.75
Boise State UniversityIdahoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage389329
78.60
University of California-RiversideCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage167212
78.38
Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgiaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage254236
78.14
University of ArizonaArizonaPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage12486
78.05
University of Nevada-RenoNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage289340
78.04
Sam Houston State UniversityTexasSouthland ConferencePublicAverage472383
77.89
University of California-Santa CruzCaliforniaDivision III IndependentsPublicAverage157208
77.75
CUNY Queens CollegeNew YorkEast Coast ConferencePublicAverage307400
76.95
SUNY at AlbanyNew YorkColonial Athletic Association ...PublicAverage188218
76.56
University of North DakotaNorth DakotaBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage363266
75.77
Pace University-New YorkNew YorkNortheast 10 ConferencePrivateAverage476465
75.30
Howard UniversityWashington DCMid Eastern Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage343429
72.90
Florida Atlantic UniversityFloridaConference USAPublicAverage305303
72.87
Portland State UniversityOregonBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage308408
72.22
The University of Texas at El PasoTexasConference USAPublicBelowAverage499294
72.00
University of North TexasTexasConference USAPublicAboveAverage192165
71.03
University of Louisiana at LafayetteLouisianaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage350248
71.00
Brigham Young University-IdahoIdahoNo Conference AffiliationPrivateAverage312164


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

University of Nevada Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to University of Nevada

University of Nevada Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to University of Nevada
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
98.43
University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeWisconsinHorizon LeaguePublicBelowAverage420367
92.20
Oakland UniversityMichiganHorizon LeaguePublicAverage417270
90.71
City University of New York Ath Conf (Average)-City University of New York At...-Conf-Average-463
89.49
MCPHS UniversityMassachusettsNo Conference AffiliationPrivateAverage422482
86.94
Maryville University of Saint LouisMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAverage424426
86.12
University of Mary WashingtonVirginiaCapital Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage424386
85.59
Madonna UniversityMichiganWolverine - Hoosier Athletic ConfPrivateAboveAverage418377
85.59
Saint Edward's UniversityTexasHeartland ConferencePrivateAboveAverage418480
85.54
Bethel UniversityMinnesotaMinnesota Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateAboveAverage423428
82.76
Washington CollegeMarylandCentennial ConferencePrivateAboveAverage424482