USU Ranks Among Nation's Elite in 2017

As Utah State University begins fall semester 2017, the institution can add a few more bragging rights to its continually rising, national reputation. The university was ranked as the 5th best public national university, number 13 overall, in Washington Monthly’s 2017 College Rankings.

Washington Monthly rates schools based on their contributions to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), research (producing cutting-edge scholarship and doctorate programs) and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country).

In the Washington Monthly rankings, USU is in company with the likes of Stanford University, Harvard University and Georgetown University.

“These rankings showcase our strengths as a university and highlight our land-grant mission and are a testament to the exceptional achievements of our students, particularly in the area of service that is an important factor in the rankings criteria,” said USU President Noelle Cockett. “We are proud of our institution and the fact that we are making a difference in the world and are influencing the future of the nation’s educational system.”

As one of the two premier research institutions in Utah, the university prides itself in providing a high-quality education at an affordable price. And as the state’s land-grant university, USU extends opportunities to students across the state, both through its main campus in Logan, and through a system of regional campuses that includes USU Eastern in Price.

Utah State University is a dynamic, thriving and diverse institution with nine colleges and schools including the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Caine College of the Arts, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, College of Engineering, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources, College of Science and the School of Graduate Studies.

President Cockett said the majority of faculty engage undergraduates in the second oldest undergraduate research program in the nation. However, USU is recognized for more than undergraduate research and academics.

“USU students understand that what happens outside of the classroom plays an important role in the learning experience and that is evidenced in the service they provide within the local community, state, nation and across the globe,” Cockett said. “We have more than 200 student clubs and organizations, including the Special Olympics and Best Buddies programs, which are some of the largest in the country. For many of our students, it isn’t even about getting credit, but about making a difference. There’s a reason the USU chapter of AmeriCorps is the largest in the state and one of the largest in the West.”

While the Washington Monthly ranking is impressive by itself, the university has also garnered attention on several other national lists during the past few months including: