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 Oklahoma-Norman Campus

2016 University Academic Rankings

The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. In Fall 2015 the university had 30,824 students enrolled, most located at its main campus in Norman. Employing nearly 3,000 faculty members, the school offers 152 baccalaureate programs, 160 master's programs, 75 doctorate programs, and 20 majors at the first professional level. David Lyle Boren, a former U.S. Senator and Oklahoma Governor, has served as the university's president since 1994.

The school is ranked first among public universities in enrollment of National Merit Scholars and among the top ten in the graduation of Rhodes Scholars. PC Magazine and the Princeton Review rated it one of the "20 Most Wired Colleges" in both 2006 and 2008, while the Carnegie Foundation classifies it as a research university with "very high research activity." Located on its Norman campus are two prominent museums, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, specializing in French Impressionism and Native American artwork, and the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, specializing in the natural history of Oklahoma.

The school, well known for its athletic programs, has won 7 NCAA Division I National Football Championships. Its baseball team has won 2 NCAA national championships and the women's softball team won the national championship in 2000 and 2013. The gymnastics teams have won four national championships since 2002 and its football program has the best winning percentage of any Division I-FBS team since the introduction of the AP Poll in 1936, playing in four BCS national championship games since the inception of the BCS system in 1998.

History

With the support of Governor George Washington Steele, on December 18, 1890 the Oklahoma Territorial legislature established three universities: the state university in Norman, the agricultural and mechanical college in Stillwater (later renamed Oklahoma State University) and a normal school in Edmond (later renamed University of Central Oklahoma). Oklahoma's admission into the union in 1907 led to the renaming of the Norman Territorial University as the University of Oklahoma. Norman residents donated 407 acres (1.6 km2) of land for the university 0.5 miles (0.8 km) south of the Norman railroad depot. The university's first president ordered the planting of numerous trees before the construction of the first campus building because he "could not visualize a treeless university seat." Landscaping remains important to the university.

The university's first president, David Ross Boyd, arrived in Norman in August 1892, and the first students enrolled that year. The university established a School of Pharmacy in 1893 because of high demand for pharmacists in the territory. Three years later, the university awarded its first degree to a pharmaceutical chemist. The "Rock Building" in downtown Norman held the initial classes until the university's first building opened on September 6, 1893.

On January 6, 1903, the university's only building burned down and destroyed many records of the early university. Construction began immediately on a new building, as several other towns hoped to capitalize by convincing the university to move. President Boyd and the faculty were not dismayed by the loss. Mathematics professor Frederick Elder said, "What do you need to keep classes going? Two yards of blackboard and a box of chalk." As a response to the fire, English professor Vernon Louis Parrington created a plan for the future development of the campus. Most of the plan was never implemented, but Parrington's suggestion for the campus core formed the basis for the North Ov ... [more on wikipedia]

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0

University of Oklahoma Details

University of Oklahoma Details
detail value
stateOklahoma
conferenceBig Twelve Conference
publicPublic
scores1720/1147/26
levelAboveAverage
rank[137
overall ROI rank[54
sizemedium-large
undergrads21011
grads6250
price36729
drop30
stem27
research216
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus?

1. number 137 for Academics.

2. number 54 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus?

1. Auburn University

2. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

3. University of Arkansas

4. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

5. University of Massachusetts-Amherst

6. University of Kansas

7. Colorado State University-Fort Collins



National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

University of Oklahoma National Academic Rankings

University of Oklahoma National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Top250137194200116109117901254
Div176757475707364632
Div1 Nonivy67706967636656624
Div1 Public45424350515248315
Public66696960586558729
Power548454249485145418
Stem Low868991696665581146
Big Twelve Conference344445411
South West Region112023121215995
State of Oklahoma122113111
Top Ten Top250137194200116109117901254
Top Ten Big Twelve Conference344445411
Top Ten State of Oklahoma122113111


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

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

University of Oklahoma Peer Universities, Similar Universities to University of Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma Peer Universities, Similar Universities to University of Oklahoma
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
99.88
Auburn UniversityAlabamaSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage13979
99.80
The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTennesseeSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage116188
99.75
University of ArkansasArkansasSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage171119
99.67
University of Nebraska-LincolnNebraskaBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage11998
99.63
University of Massachusetts-AmherstMassachusettsMid - American Conference / At...PublicAboveAverage88144
99.47
University of KansasKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage172130
99.27
Colorado State University-Fort CollinsColoradoMountain West ConferencePublicAboveAverage143139
99.25
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginiaAtlantic 10 ConferencePublicAboveAverage178207
98.81
Clemson UniversitySouth CarolinaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAboveAverage9851
98.40
University of Missouri-ColumbiaMissouriSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage12198
98.18
Iowa State UniversityIowaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage12971
93.31
Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage182124
93.12
Kansas State UniversityKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage249168
92.98
University at BuffaloNew YorkMid American ConferencePublicAboveAverage124190
92.97
University of KentuckyKentuckySoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage159130
92.87
West Virginia UniversityWest VirginiaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage320192
92.53
Oregon State UniversityOregonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage152202
92.53
University of UtahUtahPacific 12 ConferencePublicAboveAverage14286
92.50
University of ConnecticutConnecticutBig East ConferencePublicGood87139
92.39
University of California-IrvineCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAboveAverage108162
92.14
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeLouisianaSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage14888
91.94
University of Colorado BoulderColoradoPacific 12 ConferencePublicAboveAverage7959
91.73
University of LouisvilleKentuckyAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAverage258224
90.92
Florida State UniversityFloridaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAboveAverage76104
86.43
University of New MexicoNew MexicoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage265153
86.38
Old Dominion UniversityVirginiaConference USAPublicAverage356368
86.31
University of North Carolina at CharlotteNorth CarolinaDivision I-AA Independents / C...PublicAverage292207
86.29
East Carolina UniversityNorth CarolinaAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAverage312325
86.27
George Mason UniversityVirginiaAtlantic 10 ConferencePublicAboveAverage156143
86.25
University of Akron Main CampusOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage331251
86.22
Indiana University-Purdue University-IndianapolisIndianaThe Summit LeaguePublicAverage427342
85.96
University of California-RiversideCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage167212
85.87
Washington State UniversityWashingtonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage189193
85.78
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginiaAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicGood7540
85.76
University of CincinnatiOhioAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAboveAverage202106
85.53
Georgia State UniversityGeorgiaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage253230
85.50
Florida Atlantic UniversityFloridaConference USAPublicAverage305303
85.34
University of Nevada-RenoNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage289340
85.25
San Jose State UniversityCaliforniaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage386389
85.25
Mississippi State UniversityMississippiSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage197130
85.11
University of ToledoOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage405285
84.94
University of Louisiana at LafayetteLouisianaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage350248
84.93
San Diego State UniversityCaliforniaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage183218
84.90
Northern Illinois UniversityIllinoisMid American ConferencePublicAverage435289
84.89
Texas Tech UniversityTexasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage176104
84.54
The University of Texas at DallasTexasAmerican Southwest ConferencePublicGood7055
84.48
University of Hawaii at ManoaHawaiiMountain West Conference / Big...PublicAverage204245
84.05
Rutgers University-New BrunswickNew JerseyBig Ten ConferencePublicAboveAverage56115
83.93
Saint Louis UniversityMissouriAtlantic 10 ConferencePrivateAboveAverage169165
83.71
University of Alabama at BirminghamAlabamaConference USAPublicAboveAverage153148


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

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

University of Oklahoma Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to University of Oklahoma
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
95.82
Colorado State University-Fort CollinsColoradoMountain West ConferencePublicAboveAverage143139
95.81
Big Twelve Conference (Average)-Big Twelve Conference-Conf-AboveAverage-106
95.63
University of VermontVermontAmerica EastPublicAboveAverage136191
95.57
University of Alabama at BirminghamAlabamaConference USAPublicAboveAverage153148
95.42
Auburn UniversityAlabamaSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage13979
94.53
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeLouisianaSoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage14888
94.31
Michigan Technological UniversityMichiganGreat Lakes Intercollegiate At...PublicAboveAverage14658
93.92
Iowa State UniversityIowaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage12971
93.70
University of KentuckyKentuckySoutheastern ConferencePublicAboveAverage159130
93.29
CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeNew YorkCity University of New York At...PublicAboveAverage135182
93.04
University of UtahUtahPacific 12 ConferencePublicAboveAverage14286
92.80
University of KansasKansasBig Twelve ConferencePublicAboveAverage172130
92.22
University of ArizonaArizonaPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage12486
91.80
University of California-Santa CruzCaliforniaDivision III IndependentsPublicAverage157208
91.26
Miami University-OxfordOhioMid American ConferencePublicGood11867
91.12
Oregon State UniversityOregonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage152202
89.26
Baylor UniversityTexasBig Twelve ConferencePrivateGood134128
89.03
United States Military AcademyNew YorkDivision I-A Independents / Pa...PublicGood14578
88.89
Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyIndianaHeartland Collegiate Athletic ...PrivateExcellent15960
88.68
Yeshiva UniversityNew YorkSkyline ConferencePrivateGood141208
88.05
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCaliforniaBig Sky Conference / Big West ...PublicGood9688
87.37
St Olaf CollegeMinnesotaMinnesota Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateExcellent144127
86.47
University of TulsaOklahomaAmerican Athletic ConferencePrivateGood13975
84.58
Bryn Mawr CollegePennsylvaniaCentennial ConferencePrivateExcellent137205
83.80
United States Air Force AcademyColoradoMountain West ConferencePublicExcellent9130
83.45
Bucknell UniversityPennsylvaniaPatriot LeaguePrivateExcellent13193
82.91
Union CollegeKentuckyMid - South Conference / Appal...PrivateBelowAverage162178
82.30
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and ArtNew YorkNo Conference AffiliationPrivateExcellent10969
81.46
Davidson CollegeNorth CarolinaPioneer Football League / Atla...PrivateExcellent155129
81.24
Scripps CollegeCaliforniaSouthern California Intercoll ...PrivateElite127204
80.32
Macalester CollegeMinnesotaMinnesota Intercollegiate Ath ConfPrivateExcellent133146
80.10
Grinnell CollegeIowaMidwest ConferencePrivateExcellent114123
79.27
Washington and Lee UniversityVirginiaOld Dominion Athletic ConferencePrivateElite11746