Janelle Irwin Taylor
After just six years in existence, Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland has made its way into the U.S. News & World Report’s top 75 engineering colleges without a doctoral program.
Florida Poly landed at No. 72 in the ranking among 220 schools whose degree programs capped out at the Master’s degree level.
The school ranked in the top 40 among public universities.
It’s the only school in the top 75 located within Florida.
“These rankings indicate that Florida Poly’s academic programs are among the very best in the nation,” said Florida Poly President Randy Avent. “In addition to advancing the University’s reputation for excellence, this is evidence that our faculty are engaged in research and teaching, and that Florida Poly has a positive impact that is now recognized at a national level.”
The rankings are based solely on peer reviews from deans and faculty at other engineering programs. Those school leaders fill out questionnaires ranking other programs 1-5, with five being the highest mark possible.
The school earned a 2.8 reputation score based on those questionnaires. The top school, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana, received a 4.6.
While there is plenty of room to grow its reputation among peer schools, Florida Poly’s ranking is remarkable considering its relative youth.
The ranking comes after a strong 2019-20 school year, the same year the school achieved its ABET accreditation, which is required to be considered in the ranking.
“We are just starting our seventh academic year, and Florida Poly has already surpassed in the rankings some fine institutions that have existed for more than 100 years,” said Ben Matthew Corpus, vice provost for enrollment. “Florida Poly has rapidly become popular. The market is recognizing that a STEM education at an affordable price is the way to go.”
In-state tuition at Florida Poly is just $4,940, according to U.S. News & World Report. By comparison, Dordt University in Iowa and Grove City College in Pennsylvania, each have significantly higher tuitions at $32,820 and $18,930, respectively.
Florida Poly is the state’s only public university dedicated exclusively to degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“Many of us have spent countless hours developing degree programs that are unique, accreditable, and leverage project-based learning while appealing to both students and employers,” said Matt Bohm, director of industry engagement and associate professor of mechanical engineering.
“These rankings recognize all of the hard work done by our faculty, staff, and administration to build this University from the ground up.”
