Scott Powers
A new national report on American research universities ranks the University of Florida among the country’s top 25 public research universities in nearly all key categories, but never among the elite.
According to The Center for Measuring University Performance’s “The Top American Research Universities,” UF is among the top 25 public research universities in eight of nine key measurements: total research dollars, federal research dollars, endowments, annual giving, faculty awards, doctorates granted, post-doctoral students, and undergraduate median SAT scores.
Among those categories, UF broke the top 10 nationally in only one category: doctorates granted, with the ninth-most in the country in 2017. UF failed to break the top 25 in one category featured in the report: the number of faculty who are members of national academies; UF placed 26th.
The University of Florida co-published the report along with the University of Massachusetts Amherst. UF President Emeritus John Lombardi was the principal author, along with UF research associate Diane Craig.
No other public Florida university placed in the top-tier in the report. The University of South Florida, Florida State University, and the University of Central Florida were each listed in the next group, with rankings in the range of the 26th through 50th top research universities in at least one category.
In addition, the University of Miami placed highly among the nation’s top private research universities.
Among the report’s rankings of the nation’s top public research universities, UF placed:
– 16th in the country in total research dollars, with $699.8 million. The University of Michigan topped that list with $1.3 billion.
– 23rd in federal research dollars, with $281.3 million. The University of Washington was first, with $851 million.
– 21st in endowment assets, with $1.5 billion. The University of Texas had the most, $10.9 billion.
– 14th in annual donations, with $243.7 million. [The report did not list the top public school.]
– 26th in faculty members holding appointments to national academies, with 26. The University of California at Berkeley had the most, 230.
– 22nd in faculty awards, with 15. Michigan was first, with 48.
– Ninth in total doctorates granted in the year, with 723. Texas awarded the most, 896.
– 12th with 679 post-doctorate students. Michigan had the most, 1,299.
– 25th in highest median SAT score for undergraduate students, at 1,260. The highest was at Georgia Institute of Technology, 1,405.
Meanwhile, USF was listed as 32nd in total research dollars, with $420 million; 36th in federal research dollars, with $196 million; 50th in national academy members, with eight; and 49th in doctorates awarded, with 314.
Florida State was tied with USF at 50th for national academy members with eight; was listed 33rd in doctorates awarded with 386; and 38th in median SAT, at 1,220.
UCF was ranked 43rd in faculty awards, with eight.
Among private research universities, Miami was 24th in the country in total research dollars, with $328 million; 24th in federal research dollars with $192 million; 17th in annual giving, with $236 million; 32nd in national academy members with 13; 36th in faculty awards, with five; 26th in doctorates awarded, with 216; and 29th in post-doctoral students.
