U of A Improves Top 100 Status in U.S. News Rankings

The University of Arkansas moved up a spot among public institutions in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. The U of A is again ranked in the Top 100 public institutions, reflecting the university’s continued momentum in many areas including student success and research excellence.

The U of A is now ranked 99^th among public universities, tied with Oklahoma State, Washington State and four others.

The rankings highlighted gains in several areas central to the university's 150 Forward Reaching Higher strategic plan, including student outcomes, workforce preparation, research impact and nationally recognized academic programs.

“It’s exciting to see the progress being made across campus to advance our strategic goals,” said Provost Indrajeet Chaubey. “I’m grateful for the hard work of our faculty, staff and students as we focus on continuous improvement."

Student Success on the Rise

The university’s graduation rate has increased steadily during the last four years, and that success is contributing to category improvements as a part of the U.S. News rankings. Pell Grant graduation outcomes and graduation-rate performance all saw increases in the national rankings, signaling continued progress in helping students earn degrees and achieve academic success.

Last week, the university announced a record six-year graduation rate of 73.07%, a more than 2% increase year over year and the highest increase in the last five years. Additionally, the four-year graduation rate also reached an all-time high above 62%.

Nationally Recognized Academic Programs

Several programs continued to gain national prominence in this year's rankings. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program within the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing climbed to 40^th among public institutions and 56^th nationally, one of the university's most significant year-over-year gains.

The undergraduate business program at the Sam M. Walton College of Business is once again ranked among the nation’s best at 36^th among public institutions.

Meanwhile, supply chain management and logistics program within the J.B. Hunt Transport Department of Supply Chain Management maintained its position among the nation's top programs at No. 10 overall, ninth among public institutions.

Other academic programs that ranked within the top 100 of public institutions include:

• Management Information Systems – 18^th
• Undergraduate Engineering Programs (Doctorate) – 64^th
• Computer Science – 62^nd

Research Excellence Driving Impact

The rankings also recognized improvement in research-related measures, including an increase in the university's share of publications appearing in the top 5% of scholarly journals. Faculty salary measures and standardized testing metrics also improved.

Over the last year, the university’s rapidly growing research enterprise has continued to set records while advancing toward the transformational goal of reaching $500 million in annual research expenditures by 2032.

In August, the U of A launched the Arkansas Materials Institute to advance the future of materials science and engineering, just the latest example of how the university is working to grow its research impact.  

Preparing Graduates for Career Success

This year, U.S. News and World Report introduced a new "Earnings by Major" metric using data from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. The measure evaluates earnings four years after graduation among students who received federal financial aid and shifts the focus toward post-graduation outcomes and workforce success.

Recent data from the U of A’s Offices of Career Connections shows that approximately 94% of graduates reported a post-graduation outcome within six months of earning their degree — whether that was securing employment, continuing their education or pursuing another path. The findings offer a snapshot of where Razorbacks go after graduation and how their university experience prepares them for what's next.

The full rankings of this year's U.S. News Best Colleges can be found on the U.S. News & World Report website. The U of A was also recently named as one of the 2027 Best Colleges by Time Magazine and Princeton Review.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.