UNC Keeps No. 5 Public University Spot in U.S. News Rankings

Posted on Sept. 13, 2021

For the 21st consecutive year, Carolina is ranked fifth among national public universities in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.

The 2022 Best Colleges rankings released Monday also listed the University once again atop the best-value schools among national public universities and 10th overall among both public and private national universities; it has held the top spot in that category among public institutions for 17 years. Overall, Carolina ranked 28th in a six-way tie among national public and private institutions.

“These rankings demonstrate what we see happening on our campus every day: the Carolina community working to fulfill our mission of life-changing research and world-class scholarship,” Chancellor Kevin M. Guskiewicz said in a news release. “I am particularly proud to see Carolina once again recognized for remaining accessible and affordable to our students. We are passionately public, and we will continue to make a significant impact on the people of our state and beyond.”

U.S. News & World Report assessed the year’s Best Colleges rankings by looking at 17 academic quality indicators, including graduate and retention rates; social mobility; faculty resources; academic quality assessments by peer institution presidents, provosts and deans; financial resources; student excellence and alumni giving.

Among public universities, the rankings ahead of UNC stayed unchanged, with UCLA in the top spot, followed by Cal-Berkeley, Michigan and Virginia. Carolina was tied at fifth — as has happened a few times in recent years — this time by UC-Santa Barbara and Florida.

Additional rankings for UNC on this year’s list include:

• Fourth nationally in a new ranking for undergraduate bachelor of science in nursing;
• Eighth overall for the Undergraduate Business Program;
• Tied for ninth in entrepreneurship, reflecting growth of the College of Arts & Sciences’ popular minor in the Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship and the courses and programs at Kenan-Flagler Business School; and
• Tied for 10th for Best Colleges for Veterans, up two rankings from the 2021 list, reflecting Carolina’s continued commitment to military and military-affiliated students.