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

State of Nebraska University Academic Rankings

Search :
examples: Yale "Wake Forest" "Big Ten" TX NC

2016 Nebraska University Academic Rankings

2016 Nebraska University Academic Rankings
rank value image public university state conference scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research r pop r stem r other salary ROI overall ROI scores value difficulty value smartest value brainpower value faculty value research value salary ROI value overall ROI value scores level stem drop gpa avg research undergrads grads salary price scores valid
11.00
PublicUniversity of Nebraska-LincolnNebraskaBig Ten Conference111111111311745|732.63|341969|821894|79123|591.00|991388633|692.00|981745/1163/26AboveAverage23302.952271997950274450036706True
22.67
PrivateCreighton UniversityNebraskaBig East Conference223333333421740|732.65|341707|711474|61300|03.00|971380550|693.00|971740/1160/26AboveAverage22232.950406541714520049356True
33.67
PrivateNebraska Wesleyan UniversityNebraskaGreat Plains Athletic Conference3355333331061635|682.69|33870|361050|44300|03.00|971132349|576.50|941635/1090/25Average22352.80018322513920040950True
44.33
PrivateClarkson CollegeNebraskaNo Conference Affiliation4466333331491600|672.80|30800|33941|39300|03.00|97768245|389.00|911600/1067/24Average0372.8007444773190026292True
54.40
PublicUniversity of Nebraska at OmahaNebraskaThe Summit League1062222222631533|642.87|281752|731506|63178|412.00|981318503|665.50|951533/1022/23Average23512.8091222130064400031158True
66.15
PrivateConcordia University-NebraskaNebraskaGreat Plains Athletic Conference957733333761535|642.85|29670|28868|36300|03.00|971296801|656.50|941535/1023/23Average17472.80016077254090036280True
77.00
PrivateNebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied HealthNebraskaNo Conference Affiliation109893333315101533|642.90|28667|28820|34300|03.00|97762581|3811.00|891533/1022/23Average0212.8007472533190027708True
87.17
PrivateBryan College of Health SciencesNebraskaNo Conference Affiliation1098103333320161533|642.90|28667|28799|33300|03.00|97704553|3514.00|861533/1022/23Average002.80061774319000True
87.17
PublicUniversity of Nebraska at KearneyNebraskaMid - America Intercollegiate ...16134433333881435|603.00|251477|621108|46300|03.00|971146697|578.00|921435/957/22BelowAverage10352.800527416283740026734True
107.20
PrivateCollege of Saint MaryNebraskaMidlands Collegiate Athletic Conf1078833333241533|642.88|28667|28823|34300|03.00|971582503|796.00|941533/1022/23Average18682.8007702485070037740True
118.93
PrivateUnion CollegeNebraskaNo Conference Affiliation148111133333141515|632.89|28630|26792|33300|03.00|971703073|856.00|941515/1010/23Average13402.800798895170032500True
1210.05
PrivateHastings CollegeNebraskaGreat Plains Athletic Conference151112123333317171480|622.94|26560|23755|31300|03.00|97720213|3614.50|861480/987/22BelowAverage15432.8001183293190038300True
1310.17
PrivateDoane College-CreteNebraskaGreat Plains Athletic Conference171213133333319181423|593.00|25445|19646|27300|03.00|97711813|3616.00|841423/948/21BelowAverage22362.800106503190040400True
1410.33
PrivateBellevue UniversityNebraskaMidlands Collegiate Athletic Conf5171717333339111565|654.00|0-2400|0-2400|0300|03.00|971138677|5711.50|891565/1043/23Unknown0592.80062913588426000False
1410.33
PublicChadron State CollegeNebraskaRocky Mountain Athletic Conference51717173333311121565|654.00|0-2400|0-2400|0300|03.00|971090467|5512.50|881565/1043/23Unknown0532.80024535803420016800False
1410.33
PublicWayne State CollegeNebraskaNorthern Sun Intercollegiate C...51717173333312141565|654.00|0-2400|0-2400|0300|03.00|971005852|5013.00|871565/1043/23Unknown0472.80029695013810020036False
1410.33
PublicPeru State CollegeNebraskaHeart of America Athletic Conf...51717173333313151565|654.00|0-2400|0-2400|0300|03.00|97804549|4013.50|871565/1043/23Unknown0672.80021893103190017216False
1812.60
PrivateMidland UniversityNebraskaGreat Plains Athletic Conference181414143333318201367|573.08|23333|14555|23300|03.00|97716813|3618.00|821367/911/21BelowAverage12542.80012361263190039150True
1913.40
PrivateGrace UniversityNebraskaNo Conference Affiliation191515153333316191362|573.09|23324|14324|14300|03.00|97752133|3817.50|831362/908/20BelowAverage0642.800389803190030320True
2014.20
PrivateYork CollegeNebraskaMidlands Collegiate Athletic Conf20161616333335121315|553.13|22230|10230|10300|03.00|971364496|6812.50|881315/877/20BelowAverage10682.80040264540025430True

Common Questions...

What are the best colleges in Nebraska?

1. University of Nebraska-Lincoln

2. Creighton University

3. Nebraska Wesleyan University

4. Clarkson College

5. University of Nebraska at Omaha

6. Concordia University-Nebraska

7. Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health

2016 Top 10 Nebraska University Academic Rankings

2016 Top 10 Nebraska University Academic Rankings
rank value public name state conference scores difficulty smartest brainpower faculty research salary ROI overall ROI scores level stem drop gpa avg research undergrads grads salary price
11.00PublicUniversity of Nebraska-LincolnNebraskaBig Ten Conference111111211745/1163/26AboveAverage23302.952271997950274450036706
22.67PrivateCreighton UniversityNebraskaBig East Conference223333321740/1160/26AboveAverage22232.950406541714520049356
33.60PublicUniversity of Nebraska at OmahaNebraskaThe Summit League662222431533/1022/23Average23512.8091222130064400031158
43.67PrivateNebraska Wesleyan UniversityNebraskaGreat Plains Athletic Conference335533741635/1090/25Average22352.80018322513920040950
54.33PrivateClarkson CollegeNebraskaNo Conference Affiliation446633871600/1067/24Average0372.8007444773190026292
65.42PrivateConcordia University-NebraskaNebraskaGreat Plains Athletic Conference557733541535/1023/23Average17472.80016077254090036280
75.67PublicUniversity of Nebraska at KearneyNebraskaMid - America Intercollegiate ...10104433671435/957/22BelowAverage10352.800527416283740026734
86.17PrivateNebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied HealthNebraskaNo Conference Affiliation688933991533/1022/23Average0212.8007472533190027708
96.33PrivateBryan College of Health SciencesNebraskaNo Conference Affiliation688103310101533/1022/23Average002.80061774319000
106.40PrivateCollege of Saint MaryNebraskaMidlands Collegiate Athletic Conf678833141533/1022/23Average18682.8007702485070037740