Rankings Rise: UC Advances in U.S. News & World Report s 2018 Guide

The University of Cincinnati now ranks at

No. 133

among America’s Best National Universities, according to U.S. News & World Report’s just-released 2018 rankings of top tier national universities. That’s up two places from last year’s 135th ranking.

Among top public universities, UC is now ranked

No. 63

.

AMONG THE NATION'S TOP 20 FOR CO-OP AND INTERNSHIPS

UC’s overall emphasis on experience-based education earned the university placement on the list of

the nation’s best 20 schools for co-ops and internships. UC students earn a collective $65 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. Average earnings per student exceeded $10,300 last year, and about two-thirds of graduating co-op students at UC get job offers from their co-op employers.

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.

Other Highlights from the 2018 Undergraduate Rankings

• UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science is now ranked No. 82, up from last year's ranking of No. 84. 

• UC’s Carl H. Lindner College of Business is now ranked among the nation’s top 100 undergraduate business programs, currently standing at No. 91, up 23 places since last year’s rankings.

• The university is currently ranked at No. 83 among Best Colleges for Veterans, up seven spots from last year's ranking of No. 90.

• UC made the list among national universities for economic diversity, as measured by the percentage of undergrads (38 percent) receiving federal Pell Grants for low-income students.

• UC was ranked (at No. 111) among Best Value Schools. The ranking takes into account a school's academic quality as compared to the net cost of attendance. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal. Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included, because U.S. News considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically.

• High school counselors from both public and private schools were surveyed and asked which universities they think offer the best undergraduate education to their students. UC made that national list, ranked at No. 209.
  

• UC made the list among national universities with healthy retention rates, 87 percent for the four-year period tracked by these rankings.
  

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 67 percent. Five years ago, it was 58.6 percent, and 10 years ago, it was 49.7 percent.

“UC’s ranking rise, along with the university’s many other great accomplishments, are the result of much hard work, dedication and commitment from our faculty, students, staff, alumni and friends,” said President Neville G. Pinto.  “I am grateful for the efforts of all who contribute to the university’s and our students’ success.”

UC has also enjoyed five years of

steadily rising enrollment

and currently has record-setting enrollment of 44,783.

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