The announcement cements UF’s meteoric rise in rankings over the past five years and publicly recognizes the university’s excellence and value.
GAINESVILLE, Florida — After five consecutive years of ascension, the University of Florida’s performance has positioned UF among the nation’s top five ranked public universities, according to the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings released today, marking an extraordinary milestone in the university’s history.
UF’s steady climb exemplifies a unified and sustained commitment at all levels, from Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Legislature, our congressional representatives, the Board of Governors and the UF Board of Trustees to the thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors who strive daily to contribute to the university’s culture of excellence and integrity in learning, discovery and invention. UF has advanced a record nine spots on the public university list since 2017. On the U.S. News National Universities list, which includes both public and private institutions, UF ranked No. 28, a rise of 22 spots during the same period.
Historically, five schools have defined what it means to be one of the nation’s best public universities – the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Michigan; the University of Virginia, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These schools have led the nation for 30 years. The University of Florida is now in that group of elite universities as the No. 5 ranked public university in the country.
The public university ranking also parallels UF’s rise in other rankings. U.S. News ranked UF No. 9, tied with Stanford and Brown, for the best student outcomes among all public and private institutions. Additionally, U.S. News ranked UF on a prestigious list of the nation’s most innovative universities, as well as among the top schools on lists for undergraduate research and for veterans. In January, U.S. News also recognized UF Online as the No. 3 best online undergraduate program in the country.
The recognition by U.S. News symbolize an era of dramatic achievement for the university, which has tripled its research volume over the past two decades and is on the cusp of its goal to generate $1 billion in research expenditures annually. Further, UF has added more than 500 full-time faculty in the past two years — the most aggressive hiring plan in the nation — to bring preeminent faculty to teach and discover.
“I want to express my gratitude and acknowledgment to all of the people in the UF community who contribute every day to a culture of hard work, passion, invention and discovery that will far outlast this ranking season and any other accolades,” President Kent Fuchs said. “It’s an honor for UF to be recognized, and it’s a pleasure to say with full confidence that our momentum will continue.”
Read the full article on the UF News site.
UF News