RIT now among the top 100 universities in the U.S.

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Elizabeth Lamark

Rochester Institute of Technology is now among the top 100 universities in the nation, having jumped 10 places in the “National Universities” category, according to U.S. News & World Report rankings.

RIT, which just last year moved into the top “National Universities” category due to its rapid increase in research and Ph.D. graduates, this year ranked 97th out of 311 universities in this prestigious category, which includes some of the nation’s best known colleges and universities. These top universities “offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and Ph.D. programs, and emphasize faculty research,” according to U.S. News.

“This ranking affirms what I’ve been saying all along: RIT is on a steep trajectory from greatness to preeminence,” said RIT President David Munson. “I’m very proud of everything our students, faculty and staff have done to help us achieve this milestone recognition, making us one of the top few universities that is working at the intersection of technology, the arts and design.”

The 2018 edition of U.S. News & World Report Best College also cited strong rankings for RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering and Saunders College of Business. And the university was cited on lists for “A Focus on Student Success” for its internship programs, “Great Schools, Great Prices,” and “High School Counselor Top College Picks.”

This is the 35th year that U.S. News has issued these “Best College” ranks. Up until last year, RIT had been listed among “Regional Universities.” Overall, U.S. News cites 1,374 four-year colleges and universities in various categories. The rankings are based on several categories, with the most weight given to graduation and retention rates, assessment of excellence, faculty resources and student selectivity.

In this year’s ranking, RIT was:

• Tied for 39th among national universities in a national survey of “High School Counselors Top College Picks.”
• 41st among national universities for “Great Schools, Great Prices.” The calculation compares a school’s academic quality to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of financial aid.
• Tied for 61st among engineering colleges programs where the highest degree is doctorate.
• Tied for 64th among undergraduate business programs.
• Among 20 universities that have excellent programs that encourage students to apply what they’re learning in the classroom to work in the real world through closely supervised internships or practicums, or through cooperative education. RIT has one of the largest and oldest experiential cooperative learning programs in the country. Last year, more than 4,400 RIT students completed nearly 6,000 work assignments with nearly 2,300 employers coast to coast and abroad.

To see the full U.S. News national university rankings, go to the US News: Best National University Rankings website.