U of M jumps 9 spots on list, nears its ranking goal
The University of Memphis jumped toward its goal of breaking into the top 100 in the U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings, released last week for 2021.
Memphis’ Rhodes College and Christian Brothers University also received high rankings among the nation’s liberal arts colleges and regional universities in the South, respectively.
U.S. News & World Report releases yearly rankings looking at national universities, public universities and specific programs at schools.
“The pandemic has affected students across the country, canceling commencement ceremonies and switching classes from in person to remote,” Kim Castro, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News & World Report, said in a statement.
“Whether students have slightly altered their college plans or changed them entirely, it remains our mission to continue providing students and their families with the tools they need to help find the right school for them.”
U.S. News & World Report updated its methodology for 2021 to include new issues that impact students and families, including student debt. The rankings also increased the weight of outcome measures, including graduation and retention rates, and decreased the weight of SAT and ACT scores, high school class standing and alumni giving.
Here’s how Memphis schools ranked.
University of Memphis
U of M ranked No. 126 among public schools in the country, up from No. 135
last year. Among public schools in Tennessee, U of M ranked second to the University of Tennessee, which is No. 52 nationally.
“Being ranked in the top tier for public universities each of the past two years demonstrates where the University of Memphis is heading,” President M. David Rudd said in a statement. “It is a testament to the impressive and impactful work of so many talented people on our campus and in our community...given the talent of our faculty, the remarkable impact of their research, and our important role in the Memphis community, we’re confident in our ability to gain increasing national recognition and move up in a number of rankings.”
In its category, U of M broke the top 100 in social mobility, ranking No. 98, up from No. 138 last year. The social mobility ranking reflects graduation rates among students at the school who received Pell Grants and how their graduation rates compare to others at the school.
The school also climbed to No. 258 in national universities, up from No. 272 last year.
U of M’s business program ranked No. 132.
Rhodes College
Rhodes College ranked No. 54 among national liberal arts colleges, falling one spot from No. 53 last year.
In its category, Rhodes climbed to No. 78 in best value from No. 84 last year, but dropped in social mobility to No. 208, from No. 176 last year.
“Once again, we are pleased to see Rhodes College ranked among the best colleges of arts and sciences in the country,” J. Carey Thompson, vice president for enrollment and communications and dean of admission, said in a statement. “It is a testament to the quality of faculty and students who come to Rhodes from all over the country and, increasingly, the world. Rhodes brings outstanding talent to Memphis and many of these students stay in Memphis and make their lives and careers here.”
Christian Brothers University
Christian Brothers University ranked No. 22 among regional universities in the South, up three spots from last year.
In its category, the university had notable rankings for best value (No. 7), social mobility (No. 2) and best colleges for veterans (No. 12).
Rankings for other Tennessee schools
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville was highly ranked among public schools in the country, placing at No. 52. UT was ranked No. 44 in this category last year.
For national universities, UT Knoxville ranked No. 112, down from No. 104 last year.
Vanderbilt University is the highest ranked Tennessee school among national universities. Vanderbilt ranked No. 14, up from No. 15 last year.
Vanderbilt was also ranked the best value school among national universities in the state, at No. 9.
Historical black colleges and universities in Tennessee are among some of the top ranked schools in the country. Fisk University was ranked No. 10 among HBCUS, and Tennessee State University was ranked No. 31. Memphis’ Lemoyne-owen College ranked between Nos. 59-77.