Politics

UF, at 80th, Is Florida’s Top School -- Forbes

By: Jim Turner | Posted: August 2, 2012 10:30 AM

Around the State

University of Florida Campus | Credit: Irina Silayeva - Shutterstock

At a time when lawmakers have been focused on improving the national standings of Florida universities, the state landed only one school on the annual Forbes list of the top colleges that was based upon results rather than reputation.

UF "We're Number 80"

The University of Florida landed 80th on the Forbes list, 52 places ahead of the private University of Miami and 113 slots before the Florida State University.

New College of Florida placed ahead of FSU at 189.

Florida A&M took the lowest place among Florida’s schools at 629.

Forbes ranked 650 schools.

The rankings, compiled for Forbes by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for College Affordability and Productivity, are based on the following: postgraduate success; student satisfaction; student debt; four-year graduation rate; and students winning scholarships and fellowships like the Rhodes, Marshall and Fulbright or who go on to earn Ph.D.s.

Schools at the top of the list (in order) are: Princeton University, Williams College in Massachusetts, Stanford University, University of Chicago, Yale University, Harvard University, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Columbia University, Pomona College and Swarthmore College.

The Florida list

80: UF

132: University of Miami

189: New College

193: FSU

207: Rollins College

266: Eckerd College

336: Stetson University

427: University of North Florida

449: University of South Florida

453: Florida Institute of Technology

455: Florida Southern College

462: University of Central Florida

465: The University of Tampa

490: Florida Atlantic University

520: Florida International University

539: Embry Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

550: Lynn University

585: Barry University

603: The University of West Florida

604: Nova Southeastern University

629: Florida A&M University

Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.

Tags: Barry University, Center for College Affordability and Productivity, Columbia University, Eckerd College, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach, Florida A&M University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Institute of Technology, Florida International University, Florida Southern College, Florida State University, Forbes, FSU, Harvard University, Lynn University, New College of Florida, News, Nova Southeastern University, Pomona College, Princeton University, Rollins College, Stanford University, Stetson University, Swarthmore College, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, The University of Tampa, The University of West Florida, UF, University of Central Florida, University of Chicago, University of Florida, University of Miami, University of North Florida, University of South Florida, Williams College in Massachusetts, Yale University, Politics, Government

Comments (6)

1:44PM AUG 2ND 2012

Last year, UF was ranked 137th. So, they jumped up 57 places in one year?

Either Bernie Machen has done a REMARKABLE job over the past 12 months, or this is a very silly list.

1:40PM AUG 2ND 2012

FAMU was the lowest listed, but some legit Florida schools are not even on the list at all. Unless I missed it, I don't see Florida Gulf Coast U, which is one of the majors universities in Florida, even if it is not particularly well-known.

2:27PM AUG 6TH 2012

Forbes ranked 650 schools.

Florida Gulf Coast U is not on this list probably because they did not make it in the top 650.

2:27PM AUG 6TH 2012

Forbes ranked 650 schools.

Florida Gulf Coast U is not on this list probably because they did not make it in the top 650.

Andrew

1:23PM AUG 2ND 2012

A sad story about the educational system in the state of Florida.

Mark

1:04PM AUG 2ND 2012

This isn't much of a story. This is a much better ranking than last year, when UF was in the 140s. This year, NYU is 97, USC is 95, UC-San Diego is 117, Tulane is 129. Penn State, UW-Madison, and Ohio State are all even further down the list. Forbes includes small liberal arts colleges in their rankings, throwing it off from what we normally see comparisons of: research universities. When looking at just that category, UF places 33rd.