UC Rises in the Latest U.S. News and World Report Rankings

The University of Cincinnati now ranks 135th among America’s Best National Universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. The just-released 2017 rankings of best colleges shows UC up five places among the top tier of national universities.

Among the Nation’s Elite for Co-op and Internships

UC’s overall emphasis on experiential learning earned the university placement on the list of

the nation’s best 22 schools for co-ops and internships. UC students earn a collective $63 million annually

, working for more than 1,800 local, regional, national and international employers, including Apple, Boeing, Disney, Duke Energy, P&G, General Electric, HBO, Fisher Price, Nike, Kroger, Toyota, and NASA among many others. Beyond impressive salary earnings, co-op and internships (as well as other forms of experience-based learning) promote students’ sense of independence and professional maturity and increases their career options following graduation. From an academic standpoint, co-op, service learning, internships, career education and research are integrated into the curriculum with specific learning objectives.

Among the Best for Veterans

The rankings also listed UC

among the best schools for veterans

. UC has more than 2,400 military-affiliated students, including veterans; those serving on active duty, in the Reserve or the National Guard; and their dependents. That number has been steadily rising and has more than doubled since the 2008-09 school year when UC counted a veteran enrollment of 1,116.

UC’s rise in the rankings is a result of improvements in retention and graduation rates, and a smaller student-to-faculty ratio. 

Currently, the university’s overall retention rate for baccalaureate students is 88 percent, up from 84.7 percent five years ago and up from 80 percent 10 years ago. The same trend is true for graduation rates. The six-year graduation rate for baccalaureate students is 66 percent. Five years ago, it was 58.6 percent, and 10 years ago, it was 49.7 percent.

"Interim President Beverly Davenport's mantra of 'Onward and Upward' is alive and well in UC's rise in rankings," says Interim Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Peter E. Landgren. "We are proud that students of all backgrounds share the same high retention rate, given our investments in student success. UC's goal and intentional effort is to achieve a 90 percent retention rate by the time of our university's bicentennial in 2019."

• See the diversity data points on UC’s retention achievements.  

• Visit UC’s online rankings page for more on the latest U.S. News and other rankings information.