https://news.fsu.edu/news/university-news/2021/09/13/student-success-powers-fsus-top-20-ranking-by-u-s-news-world-report/
Florida State was ranked No. 43 in 2016, and the keys to its rapid ascent are the university’s rising graduation and freshman retention rates. FSU improved its 6-year graduation rate to 84 percent, outperforming its predicted rate by 11 percentage points, while raising its freshman retention rate to 93 percent — No. 16 among all public universities.
Florida State’s across-the-board strength in student success measures helped the university maintain its position among the nation’s best. FSU placed No. 13 among public universities when comparing the actual graduation rate against the predicted rate, which U.S. News calculates based on the university’s resources and student profile.
“The quality of student applications has gone up significantly in the three years that we’ve been ranked in the Top 20,” McRorie said. “We had over 67,000 applications for our freshman class this fall — that tells you something. That’s the most first-year student applications to any State University System institution in Florida and the most to all public universities of a similar size in the country.”
McRorie is optimistic that the strides FSU has made in the metrics will continue to raise the university’s national prominence.
“The data make the point,” she said. “If we can improve our academic reputation to what it should be based on what we achieve, we’re going to move up even higher.”
The College of Business’ Dr. William T. Hold/The National Alliance Program in Risk Management and Insurance scored a No. 1 ranking among all schools, and its Real Estate program earned a No. 5 ranking among public schools. The College of Business also earned Top 20 honors among public schools in Marketing (No. 17) and Management Information Systems (No. 16), plus Top 25 recognition in Management (No. 22) and Accounting (No. 24).
U.S. News & World Report’s national universities category comprises 392 institutions (209 public, 179 private and four for-profit) that offer a wide range of undergraduate majors as well as master’s and doctoral degrees.
The publication determines its national university rankings based on these factors: graduation and retention rates (22 percent); undergraduate academic reputation, i.e. peer assessment (20 percent); faculty resources (20 percent); financial resources per student (10 percent); graduation rate performance (8 percent); student selectivity (7 percent); social mobility (5 percent); graduate indebtedness (5 percent); and alumni giving (3 percent).
Florida State University remains one of the nation’s top academic institutions for students who seek an excellent education with strong career preparation at an affordable price, according to The Princeton Review.
FSU ranks No. 18 for “Best Value” among public schools in the education-services company’s Best Value Colleges for 2022.
The rankings also include FSU in the Top 20 among public schools in five additional categories:
- 3 in Best Schools for Financial Aid
- 10 in Best Schools for Internships
- 15 in Best Alumni Networks
- 18 in Best Schools for Making an Impact
- 20 in Best Value for Students with No Demonstrated Need for Financial Aid
The Princeton Review ranked institutions based on surveys of administrators at more than 650 colleges in 2021-2022. Schools that made the rankings share “three exceptional features,” according to The Princeton Review – stellar academics, affordable cost and strong career prospects for graduates.
Last September, FSU placed as the No. 5 Best Value College among public colleges and universities, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2022” guidebook. For academics, the same publication last fall ranked FSU No. 19 among national public universities – marking its third straight year in the Top 20.
FSU graduate programs praised in 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings
The 2023 rankings placed 20 of FSU’s graduate and professional programs in the top 25 for public universities.
The College of Education moved up from No. 28 overall to No. 26 overall, and up from No. 18 for public institutions to No. 17.
The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering moved up three spots nationwide, and ranked at No. 60 for public universities.
FSU’s College of Business’ MBA specialty in real estate ranked at No. 16 overall and at No. 9 among public schools. Its part-time MBA program made a large leap from No. 46 to No. 28 among public part-time, campus-based MBA programs.
The College of Medicine rose from No. 13 nationwide to No. 11 nationwide, and to No. 7 for direct patient care programs in professional shortage areas at public medical schools. The College of Nursing rose 27 spots, ranking at No. 37 for its Doctorate in Nursing Practice programs. The program also rose from No. 6 to No. 2 in Florida.
FSU’s College of Law rose from No. 48 to No. 47 nationwide, and remained at No. 24 for public law schools.
Graduate enrollment has increased alongside the rankings. Since Fall 2017, FSU has experienced an 83% increase in graduate applicants and a 46% increase in graduate enrollment, according to a press release. In the fall of both 2020 and 2021, FSU received over 14,000 applications for its graduate programs. So far, applications for the fall 2022 term are up by 21% in comparison to fall 2021.
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1 | Best Four-Year Graduation Rate:
FSU has the best four-year graduation rate of any public university in Florida. At 74 percent, it's also the highest four-year graduation rate in the State University System's history. |
1 | Best Value College:
Florida State consistently delivers an affordable, high-quality education and offers distinctive opportunities to engage its students. FSU is ranked the highest Best Value College among the state universities in Florida, according to U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges 2022" guidebook. |
| 1 | College of Business, Accounting Department:
FSU's accounting faculty placed No. 1 in Florida and in the top 20 globally in five research areas, according to the latest Brigham Young University Accounting Research Rankings, 2022. |
1 | Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship:
No. 1 Undergraduate School for Entrepreneurship Programs, according to The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine, 2022. |
1 | College of Medicine:
Florida State's College of Medicine received the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. |
1 | National Science Foundation Funding:
Receives more in National Science Foundation funding than any other university in the state. |
1 | Age-Friendly University:
Florida State is the first university in Florida and the first in the South to be named a member of the Age-Friendly University Initiative, an international effort to highlight the role higher education plays in meeting the challenges and opportunities of an aging population. |
1 | Rhodes Scholars:
All three Rhodes Scholars from public universities in Florida since 2006 have been from FSU. |
2 | Student Fulbright Scholars:
FSU is a top research institution for producing student Fulbright scholars with nine students receiving awards in 2020-2021. |
5 | Top College for Free Expression:
Florida State University is the No. 5 College for Free Expression in the nation in the 2021 College Free Speech Rankings published by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, (FIRE). FSU is the highest-rated university from the state of Florida on the list. |
