ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Gators have something to chomp about up in Gainesville.
The University of Florida was named the top U.S. public university in the 2024 America’s Best College Rankings, published Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal.
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UF was also ranked 15th overall, and had the highest rank of any U.S. public university on a list that included Ivy League schools and other renowned universities around the country.
Princeton University was ranked number one, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology as number two. Yale, Stanford and Columbia universities rounded out the top five.
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“We are committed to providing an elite education that is radically practical,” said UF President Ben Sasse in a news release Wednesday. “Graduating young men and women who are prepared for success in life may be the single most important thing we do as a university, and to be recognized as the best public university in the country is a huge honor.”
Florida International University in Miami ranked at number four among public universities and number 29 overall.
“FIU is a great return on investment and this ranking is the latest indication that FIU is providing an excellent university experience, in and out of the classroom, that supports student success,” said FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell in a statement.
Florida State University ranked 35th among public universities and 102 overall, while the University of Miami ranked 90th overall.
The Wall Street Journal calculated its rankings based on three metrics:
- 70% of the formula on student outcomes, including graduation rates, salaries after graduation, and how long it took to pay off a degree
- 20% of the formula on the learning environment, like facilities and opportunities to prepare for a career
- 10% of the formula on diversity and students’ responses when asked if they had the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds
The Wall Street Journal and College Pulse compiled the rankings with independent market research firm Statista. Pollsters interviewed over 60,000 undergraduates and recent undergraduate alumni to get feedback on schools.
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