--- title: UMD Climbs to No. 17 Among Public Universities in U.S. News’ Ranking date: 2024-09-24T06:00:00-04:00 author: University of Maryland canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/umd-climbs-to-no-17-among-public-universities-in-u-s-news-ranking" section: Articles --- # UMD Climbs to No. 17 Among Public Universities in U.S. News’ Ranking *September 24, 2024* — by [Maryland Today Staff](/author/maryland-today-staff) > Record-High Placement Reflects Improvements in Graduation Rates, Student-to-Faculty Ratio, Alums’ Earnings *LANDMARK BLUR Mc Keldin Mall 09062024 SC 4248 1920x1080 — UMD achieved its highest position ever in the U.S. News & World Report undergraduate ranking, rising two spots to No. 44. The university also ranked No. 17 among public institutions of higher education, its best outing in more than a decade.* The University of Maryland rose to No. 44 among national universities in rankings released Tuesday by *U.S. News & World Report,* its best-ever showing—and a 20-position leap since 2020. UMD also jumped two spots to No. 17 among public schools, its highest in over a decade, in the influential 2025 "[Best Colleges](https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges)" guide. The university now has a combined 71 top-25 rankings for its schools, colleges, programs and specialties, according to *U.S. News*. “We should all be proud to be part of a university that is recognized across the board for our academic excellence, research enterprise, workplace environment, student experience and commitment to inclusivity,” university President Darryll J. Pines and Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice said in a joint email to the campus community. \[[*UMD Graduate Programs Earn High Marks in Latest U.S. News Rankings*](https://today.umd.edu/umd-graduate-programs-earn-high-marks-in-latest-u-s-news-rankings)\] UMD’s improved graduation and retention rates, faculty salaries, student-to-faculty ratio, incoming student test scores and graduate earnings all led to the university’s record-high rating. “While rankings are but one measure of success, their deeper meaning is a reflection of our work as a university community to achieve excellence in all we do—including the investments we’ve made in our people,” said Pines and Rice. *U.S. News* also examines academic fields and undergraduate programs in its rankings, which prospective students have relied on during college searches for more than four decades. UMD received high marks in the following categories: **Business** - UMD placed 23rd overall and No. 13 among public institutions, with three specialties in the top 25: - Management information systems: No. 9 overall, No. 7 among publics - Management: No. 17 overall, No. 11 among publics - Supply chain management/logistics: No. 16 overall, No. 14 among publics **Computer Science** - UMD ranked No. 19 nationally and No. 11 among public institutions, with three specialties in the top 25: - Artificial intelligence: No. 12 overall, No. 5 among publics - Cybersecurity: No. 13 overall, No. 9 among publics - Computer systems: No. 18 overall; No. 11 among publics **Engineering** - UMD rose to No. 16 nationally and No. 9 among public institutions, with six specialties in the top 25: - Aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical: No. 11 nationwide, No. 7 among publics - Civil engineering: No. 20 nationwide; No. 15 among publics - Computer engineering: No. 17 nationwide, No. 11 among publics - Electrical/electronic/communications engineering: No. 24 nationwide, No. 14 among publics - Mechanical engineering: No. 17 nationwide, No. 11 among publics - Materials engineering: No. 23 nationwide, No. 16 among publics **Behavioral Sciences** - Economics: No. 30 overall; No. 9 among publics - Psychology: No. 34 overall; No. 16 among publics **Other notable rankings**: - Best college for veterans: No. 24 nationwide; No. 17 among publics - Most innovative: No. 21 among publics - Best undergraduate teaching: No. 22 among publics - Living-learning communities: No. 10 “program to look for” --- [Youtube Embed related to UMD Climbs to No. 17 Among Public Universities in U.S. News’ Ranking](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TrcafsUVJQ) **Sidebar note:** Over the past year, Maryland has received the following recognitions for its academic programs, research enterprise, workplace environment and student experience. These include: - No. 5 overall and No. 4 among public universities for undergraduate entrepreneurship by The Princeton Review/*Entrepreneurship* magazine - No. 9 among U.S. public institutions for[ patents awarded in 2023](https://today.umd.edu/usm-named-to-top-10-of-nations-patent-producing-universities), along with other USM institutions, according to the National Academy of Inventors - No. 11 among public institutions[ for research and development spending](https://today.umd.edu/university-of-maryland-research-spending-rises-earning-top-20-ranking-from-nsf) and No. 19 overall in the National Science Foundation's Higher Education Research and Development Survey - No. 11 among U.S. public universities and No. 58 among all institutions globally in the [Academic Ranking of World Universities](https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2024) - No. 12 among public universities in Forbes’ [America’s Top Colleges](https://today.umd.edu/briefs/umd-ranked-on-forbes-top-colleges-lists), and named to its list as one of America’s “New Public Ivies” - No. 13 among U.S. public institutions ranked as[ Best Global Schools](https://today.umd.edu/briefs/umd-among-top-global-universities-in-latest-u-s-news-rankings) by *U.S. News & World Report* - No. 16 among public four-year institutions for "Colleges with the Best 6-Year Graduation Rates for Pell Students” in The Chronicle of Higher Education's *Almanac* - 20 Fulbright students and scholars in 2023-24, making UMD a[ "Top Producer" of Fulbrights](https://today.umd.edu/umd-named-top-producer-of-fulbright-students-scholars) by The Chronicle of Higher Education - Named[ one of America's Greatest Workplaces for LGBTQ+](https://today.umd.edu/briefs/newsweek-lists-umd-among-americas-best-workplaces-for-lgbtq-employees) and[ America’s Best Workplaces for Diversity](https://today.umd.edu/briefs/umd-earns-top-score-on-newsweeks-list-of-americas-best-workplaces-for-diversity) by *Newsweek*. **Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community) **Units:** [A. James Clark School of Engineering](https://today.umd.edu/topic/james-clark-school-engineering), [College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-computer-mathematical-and-natural-sciences), [Office of the President](https://today.umd.edu/topic/office-president), [Office of the Provost](https://today.umd.edu/topic/office-provost), [Robert H. Smith School of Business](https://today.umd.edu/topic/robert-h-smith-school-business)