UB again ranked among top public universities by U.S. News

by Barbara Branning

For the seventh consecutive year, UB is ranked among the nation’s Top 50 Public Universities, coming in at No. 34. UB also ranks No. 88 among Best National Universities, public and private, according to U.S. News.

The rankings are based on an assessment of more than 1,900 of the country’s four-year colleges and universities, in addition to data reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

“We’re very pleased UB has again been recognized as one of the nation’s top public universities,” said A. Scott Weber, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “From the students’ perspective, this means that at UB they have the opportunity to learn from faculty who are leading scholars in their fields and they can participate in research projects that have the potential to change people’s lives.

“We’re also very proud that UB’s national standing shines a light on the Buffalo region and the great people who live and work here,” Weber said.

UB is among a number of public universities that are members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) included in the ranking. Other AAU public universities ranked by U.S. News for 2020 include University of California, Berkeley; University of Michigan; The Ohio State University; Indiana University Bloomington; Michigan State; Penn State; University of Wisconsin-Madison; University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Purdue; and Rutgers.

UB improved 27 places in value, moving up to No. 100 on the Top 100 Best Value Schools list, based on metrics for a university’s academic quality and cost of attendance.

UB is No. 62 among national universities that are top Performers on Social Mobility, up four spots from last year, when the ranking was first introduced. The ranking measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. While often awarded to students coming from households with annual family incomes of less than $50,000, most Pell Grant recipients are from households with a total income below $20,000.

At No. 56, UB remains highly ranked among the Best Colleges for Veterans. UB also remains high on the list of national universities with a proportion of international students, coming in at No. 10 with 14%.

In a new metric this year, U.S. News placed UB 61st on its list of top undergraduate computer science programs. The rankings in this category are based entirely on the judgments of deans and senior faculty members of computer science departments at institutions around the country

UB’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, in which the Department of Computer Science and Engineering is housed, ranks 66th in undergraduate engineering programs.

“Having our engineering and computer science programs recognized as among the best in the nation reflects our deep commitment to building a comprehensive and inclusive learning environment where faculty and students work in world-class facilities that foster interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative research that addresses society’s most pressing problems,” said Kemper Lewis, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

The School of Management ranks 81st among more than 850 accredited business schools at both public and private colleges nationwide.

In addition, U.S. News rates UB as an A+ School for B students, recognizing it as a university where students with good grades and a strong aptitude for learning thrive.