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 Oklahoma University Academic Rankings

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

2016 Oklahoma University Academic Rankings

2016 Oklahoma 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
11.67
PublicUniversity of Oklahoma-Norman CampusOklahomaBig Twelve Conference221131111111720|722.67|331958|821884|78128|581.00|991702472|851.00|991720/1147/26AboveAverage27302.952162101162505470036729True
22.00
PrivateUniversity of TulsaOklahomaAmerican Athletic Conference113313333321922|802.29|431863|781655|69125|583.00|971527141|762.50|981922/1282/29Good32303.1022347312095640052055True
32.50
PublicOklahoma State UniversityOklahomaBig Twelve Conference432222222431635|682.67|331903|791819|76126|582.00|981437646|723.50|971635/1090/25Average27352.801592095250104610034327True
45.50
PrivateOklahoma City UniversityOklahomaSooner Athletic Conference36115444441271660|692.83|29920|381094|46300|04.00|961143675|578.00|921660/1107/25AboveAverage11402.950180812274250044676True
56.80
PublicUniversity of Central OklahomaOklahomaMid - America Intercollegiate ...12104444444941467|612.96|261737|721591|66300|04.00|961166928|587.00|931467/978/22BelowAverage24602.8001499818423990026416True
66.83
PrivateOral Roberts UniversityOklahomaSouthland Conference9777444441181525|642.86|291327|551012|42300|04.00|961149536|578.50|921525/1017/23Average18442.80029475344440038657True
76.88
PrivateOklahoma Baptist UniversityOklahomaCentral States Football League...541294444422151595|662.79|30790|33981|41300|04.00|96734686|3714.50|861595/1063/24Average6482.8001921583190034600True
87.60
PrivateOklahoma Christian UniversityOklahomaHeartland Conference6513104444421151575|662.82|30750|31947|39300|04.00|96750206|3814.50|861575/1050/24Average7502.80019685073190030720True
99.00
PublicSouthwestern Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaGreat American Conference14136844444541400|583.04|241366|571010|42300|04.00|961257571|637.00|931400/933/21BelowAverage19642.80042407543950024702True
99.00
PublicNortheastern State UniversityOklahomaMid - America Intercollegiate ...161456444441091367|573.06|241499|621070|45300|04.00|961161059|589.50|911367/911/21BelowAverage46712.800709412164000022419True
119.80
PublicEast Central UniversityOklahomaGreat American Conference15118114444415131395|583.04|241295|54935|39300|04.00|96785166|3913.00|871395/930/21BelowAverage33632.80036377913190021980True
1210.00
PrivateSouthwestern Christian UniversityOklahomaSooner Athletic Conference10814144444416141510|632.93|27620|26781|33300|04.00|96781286|3914.00|861510/1007/23Average0722.800778353190022950True
1310.80
PublicUniversity of Science and Arts of OklahomaOklahomaSooner Athletic Conference119151544444261470|612.95|26540|23720|30300|04.00|961550028|787.50|931470/980/22BelowAverage39592.80090404900025964True
1411.60
PublicRogers State UniversityOklahomaHeartland Conference17169124444417171333|563.11|221274|53899|37300|04.00|96772250|3915.50|851333/889/20BelowAverage12762.8004018123190025209True
1511.80
PublicSoutheastern Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaGreat American Conference17151013444446101333|563.07|231210|50783|33300|04.00|961224746|6110.50|901333/889/20BelowAverage66682.80035193594390023801True
1612.20
PrivateOklahoma Wesleyan UniversityOklahomaMidlands Collegiate Athletic Conf13121616444448111410|593.04|24420|18631|26300|04.00|961193290|6012.00|881410/940/21BelowAverage10512.80012051404220035308True
1713.00
PrivateMid-America Christian UniversityOklahomaSooner Athletic Conference72121214444419201565|654.00|0-2400|0-2400|0300|04.00|96760606|3818.00|821565/1043/23Unknown0762.80021825063190028120False
1713.00
PublicLangston UniversityOklahomaCentral States Football League...7212121444447111565|654.00|0-2400|0-2400|0300|04.00|961200175|6012.00|881565/1043/23Unknown0732.80020604224000024783False
1914.80
PublicNorthwestern Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaGreat American Conference191717174444414181300|543.14|21200|8462|19300|04.00|96787794|3916.50|841300/867/20BelowAverage11612.80019572093190021323True
2015.60
PrivateBacone CollegeOklahomaCentral States Football League...201818184444420211283|533.17|21165|7387|16300|04.00|96760286|3820.00|801283/855/19BelowAverage0962.80096803190028200True
2116.40
PublicOklahoma Panhandle State UniversityOklahomaHeartland Conference211919194444413191233|513.17|2167|3321|13300|04.00|96808794|4017.00|831233/822/19BelowAverage48692.800129803190016073True
2217.20
PrivateHillsdale Free Will Baptist CollegeOklahomaNo Conference Affiliation222020204444418211218|513.22|2035|135|1300|04.00|96770310|3920.00|801218/812/18BelowAverage0672.80022683190025694True

Common Questions...

What are the best colleges in Oklahoma?

1. University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

2. University of Tulsa

3. Oklahoma State University

4. Oklahoma City University

5. University of Central Oklahoma

6. Oral Roberts University

7. Oklahoma Baptist University

2016 Top 10 Oklahoma University Academic Rankings

2016 Top 10 Oklahoma 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
11.67PublicUniversity of Oklahoma-Norman CampusOklahomaBig Twelve Conference221131111720/1147/26AboveAverage27302.952162101162505470036729
22.00PrivateUniversity of TulsaOklahomaAmerican Athletic Conference113313221922/1282/29Good32303.1022347312095640052055
32.50PublicOklahoma State UniversityOklahomaBig Twelve Conference432222331635/1090/25Average27352.801592095250104610034327
45.00PrivateOklahoma City UniversityOklahomaSooner Athletic Conference368544851660/1107/25AboveAverage11402.950180812274250044676
55.60PublicUniversity of Central OklahomaOklahomaMid - America Intercollegiate ...884444541467/978/22BelowAverage24602.8001499818423990026416
66.34PrivateOklahoma Baptist UniversityOklahomaCentral States Football League...5499441091595/1063/24Average6482.8001921583190034600
76.47PrivateOral Roberts UniversityOklahomaSouthland Conference777744761525/1017/23Average18442.80029475344440038657
87.00PrivateOklahoma Christian UniversityOklahomaHeartland Conference651010449101575/1050/24Average7502.80019685073190030720
87.00PublicNortheastern State UniversityOklahomaMid - America Intercollegiate ...10105644661367/911/21BelowAverage46712.800709412164000022419
107.20PublicSouthwestern Oklahoma State UniversityOklahomaGreat American Conference996844461400/933/21BelowAverage19642.80042407543950024702