September 14, 2020 - UMSL climbs in latest U.S. News rankings
Dear UMSL Community,
U.S. News & World Report published its annual "Best Colleges" Rankings this morning, and I’m pleased to share with you the news of our improvement.
UMSL remained ranked among Tier 1 research universities and posted our highest-ever combined score in the 17 measures used to inform the 2021 list. We have climbed 14 spots to rank No. 126 nationally among public universities.
One of the main reasons for that progress is that U.S. News changed its methodology when compiling the 2021 list and introduced two new outcome measures that pertain to the indebtedness of each school’s graduates. To make room for those measures, U.S. News decreased the weight placed on factors such as SAT/ACT scores, high school class standing and rates of alumni giving.
That was a benefit to institutions, including UMSL, that provide high-quality programs to diverse students despite more limited financial resources.
We continue to strive to educate students of every background because we know they ultimately will go on to drive the workforce of our region. That is a mission that began with our founding in 1963 and remains unchanged today.
Because of that, I’m particularly proud that UMSL was once again named a “Top Performer on Social Mobility,” a ranking that highlights how well universities have graduated students who receive federal Pell Grants. We had the highest ranking of any university in the St. Louis region.
Likewise, we were also included on the list of A+ Schools for B students. The list features institutions that show desirable outcomes for students entering with average test scores and high school class rankings.
I would also like to commend our undergraduate international business program, which was ranked in the top 25 nationally for the 18th consecutive year.
I congratulate all of our students, faculty and staff members for our success, and I invite you to read more about the rankings in UMSL Daily.
Sincerely,
Kristin Sobolik
Chancellor
University of Missouri–St. Louis
