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

Western Kentucky University

2016 University Academic Rankings
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier. In the fall 2011 semester, enrollment was approximately 21,000.

The subject of heavy construction since the late 1990s, the main campus sits atop a hill with a commanding view of the Barren River valley. The campus flows from the top of College Heights, also known as The Hill, down its north, south and west faces. WKU also operates a satellite campus in Bowling Green (WKU South Campus Academic Wing) and regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox and Owensboro.

History

The roots of Western Kentucky University go back to 1875 with the founding of the privately owned Glasgow Normal School in Glasgow, Kentucky. This institution moved to Bowling Green in 1885 and became the Southern Normal School and Business College. The student body and building were transferred to the Western Kentucky State Normal School, when it was created by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly in 1906. The owner of the Southern Normal School, Henry Hardin Cherry, became the first president of the new school. Classes began on January 22, 1906. The school moved to its present location in 1911 on property that had been purchased in 1909 when the Pleasant J. Potter College closed.

In 1922, the school was authorized by the state to grant four-year degrees and was renamed "Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College". The first four-year degrees were awarded in 1924. In 1927, the school merged with Ogden College, which occupied an adjacent campus. The name changed again in 1930 to "Western Kentucky State Teachers College". The school was authorized to offer the Master of Arts degree in 1931. Another name change took place in 1948, when the school became simply "Western Kentucky State College".

WKSC merged with the Bowling Green College of Commerce, formerly the Bowling Green Business University, in 1963. Bowling Green Business University had originally been a part of the Southern Normal School and had been sold off by Henry Hardin Cherry when Southern Normal School was transferred to the state. The structure of the institution changed at this time, dividing into separate colleges. Bowling Green College of Commerce maintained its identity in this way. The Graduate School also became a constituent college. In 1965, three additional colleges were created. In 1966, Western Kentucky State College became Western Kentucky University.

For many years, the school was popularly known as "Western," as indicated in its fight song, "Stand Up and Cheer." However, in recent years has indicated it prefers to be called by its initials.

Academics

Mass Media and Technology Hall, home to WKU's School of Journalism and Broadcasting, a nationally prominent program routinely ranked among the best undergraduate journalism schools in the nation.

As of 2007, twenty-seven alumni of WKU's photo and print journalism programs have been awarded thirteen Pulitzer Prizes, including eleven alumni recognized for their coverage of the Carrollton bus crash. The school publishes a twice-weekly newspaper, the College Heights Herald.

Western Kentucky University's forensics (speech and debate) team is consistently ranked as one of the best teams in the country. The team has won the American Forensic Association (AFA) and National Forensic Association (NFA) national championships multiple times since 2003. It has also won the International Forensic Association's (IFA) international championship every year it has attended. The team remains the only team in the nation ever to win the AFA, NFA, IFA, and NFA debate championship in the same year, a feat it has accomplished multiple times. The team hosts several tourna ... [more on wikipedia]

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

Western Kentucky University Details

Western Kentucky University Details
detail value
stateKentucky
conferenceConference USA
publicPublic
scores1480/987/22
levelBelowAverage
rank[491
overall ROI rank[433
sizemedium
undergrads17452
grads2719
price33356
drop46
stem18
research0
scores validTrue
Common Questions...

What are the academic rankings for Western Kentucky University?

1. number 491 for Academics.

2. number 433 for ROI (Return on Investment).

What universities are similar to Western Kentucky University?

1. San Francisco State University

2. University of Memphis

3. Oakland University

4. Georgia Southern University

5. University of Nevada-Reno

6. Sam Houston State University

7. Illinois State University


National Academic Rankings

(summary of all ranking placements)

Western Kentucky University National Academic Rankings

Western Kentucky University National Academic Rankings
category rank scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI
Conference Usa131212101013131113
State of Kentucky613123343125
Top Ten State of Kentucky688333376


Peer Universities / Similar Universities

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

Western Kentucky University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University Peer Universities, Similar Universities to Western Kentucky University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
91.15
San Francisco State UniversityCaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic...PublicBelowAverage428458
86.52
University of MemphisTennesseeAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAverage359314
86.47
Oakland UniversityMichiganHorizon LeaguePublicAverage417270
86.46
Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgiaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage254236
86.43
University of Nevada-RenoNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage289340
86.42
Sam Houston State UniversityTexasSouthland ConferencePublicAverage472383
86.41
Illinois State UniversityIllinoisMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage279222
86.34
Eastern Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicAverage445385
86.28
Missouri State University-SpringfieldMissouriMissouri Valley ConferencePublicAverage301266
86.19
University of California-RiversideCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicAverage167212
86.19
Towson UniversityMarylandColonial Athletic AssociationPublicAverage264365
86.16
Western Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicBelowAverage446320
86.07
Montclair State UniversityNew JerseyNew Jersey Athletic ConferencePublicBelowAverage447463
86.03
CUNY Queens CollegeNew YorkEast Coast ConferencePublicAverage307400
86.02
Boise State UniversityIdahoMountain West ConferencePublicAverage389329
85.85
University of North Carolina at GreensboroNorth CarolinaSouthern ConferencePublicAverage449439
85.74
Middle Tennessee State UniversityTennesseeConference USAPublicAverage384372
85.63
Central Michigan UniversityMichiganMid American ConferencePublicBelowAverage454402
85.39
Bowling Green State UniversityOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage442351
85.38
Grand Valley State UniversityMichiganGreat Lakes Intercollegiate At...PublicAverage247239
85.19
University of Rhode IslandRhode IslandColonial Athletic Association ...PublicAverage270328
85.13
University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeWisconsinHorizon LeaguePublicBelowAverage420367
84.93
Kennesaw State UniversityGeorgiaAtlantic Sun ConferencePublicAverage290291
84.90
University of New HampshireNew HampshireColonial Athletic Association ...PublicAverage221225
84.89
University of Nevada-Las VegasNevadaMountain West ConferencePublicBelowAverage421449
84.67
University of Nebraska at OmahaNebraskaThe Summit LeaguePublicAverage491364
84.47
The University of MontanaMontanaBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage372232
79.55
University of California-Santa CruzCaliforniaDivision III IndependentsPublicAverage157208
79.43
University of LouisvilleKentuckyAtlantic Coast ConferencePublicAverage258224
79.35
St John's University-New YorkNew YorkBig East ConferencePrivateAverage309444
79.28
University of Louisiana at LafayetteLouisianaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage350248
79.24
University of Akron Main CampusOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage331251
79.12
Old Dominion UniversityVirginiaConference USAPublicAverage356368
78.56
East Carolina UniversityNorth CarolinaAmerican Athletic ConferencePublicAverage312325
78.50
Indiana University-Purdue University-IndianapolisIndianaThe Summit LeaguePublicAverage427342
78.49
West Virginia UniversityWest VirginiaBig Twelve ConferencePublicAverage320192
78.32
Northern Arizona UniversityArizonaBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage336333
78.32
Kent State University at KentOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage347358
78.27
SUNY at AlbanyNew YorkColonial Athletic Association ...PublicAverage188218
78.27
Ohio UniversityOhioMid American ConferencePublicAverage215174
78.21
Washington State UniversityWashingtonPacific 12 ConferencePublicAverage189193
77.93
Georgia State UniversityGeorgiaSun Belt ConferencePublicAverage253230
77.74
University of North DakotaNorth DakotaBig Sky ConferencePublicAverage363266
76.60
California State University-NorthridgeCaliforniaBig West ConferencePublicBelowAverage459474
76.01
Howard UniversityWashington DCMid Eastern Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage343429
74.41
Maryville University of Saint LouisMissouriGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAverage424426
72.54
The University of Texas at El PasoTexasConference USAPublicBelowAverage499294
71.55
New Mexico State UniversityNew MexicoSun Belt Conference / Western ...PublicBelowAverage486360
70.84
South Dakota State UniversitySouth DakotaMissouri Valley Conference / T...PublicAverage354263
70.76
San Diego State UniversityCaliforniaMountain West ConferencePublicAverage183218


Academic Peer Universities / Similar Academics

(mathematically similar academics)

Western Kentucky University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University Academic Peer Universities, Similar Academic Universities to Western Kentucky University
match image university state conference public level rank overall ROI
96.52
University of Nebraska at OmahaNebraskaThe Summit LeaguePublicAverage491364
96.34
University of Southern MississippiMississippiConference USAPublicAverage493423
92.04
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Ath Conf (Average)-Great Lakes Intercollegiate At...-Conf-Average-382
90.08
SUNY at Purchase CollegeNew YorkSkyline ConferencePublicAverage490470
89.50
Nova Southeastern UniversityFloridaSunshine State ConferencePrivateAverage488397
89.21
Baldwin Wallace UniversityOhioOhio Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage494447
88.20
Sunshine State Conference (Average)-Sunshine State Conference-Conf-Average-426
87.36
Bellarmine UniversityKentuckyGreat Lakes Valley ConferencePrivateAverage495365
86.38
Hampden-Sydney CollegeVirginiaOld Dominion Athletic ConferencePrivateAverage487498
85.44
John Brown UniversityArkansasSooner Athletic ConferencePrivateAboveAverage489421
84.36
Eckerd CollegeFloridaSunshine State ConferencePrivateAboveAverage495417