UW–Madison ranked first among public universities by Washington Monthly

UW–Madison ranked first among public universities by Washington Monthly

Bascom Hall atop Bascom Hill is pictured in a fisheye-lens aerial view of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. PHOTO: JEFF MILLER

Bascom Hall atop Bascom Hill is pictured in a fisheye-lens aerial view of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. PHOTO: JEFF MILLER

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is the highest ranking national public university and fourth overall in Washington Monthly’s 2021 College Guide and Rankings.

The ranking is based on three criteria: research excellence, social mobility, and community and national service.

“The Monthly’s rankings are crafted to push institutions of higher learning to be engines of upward mobility, scientific progress, and democratic participation,” the magazine explains.

“UW–Madison provides a world-class education to an increasingly diverse student body, with an emphasis on contributing to the public good through research and service to our state, nation and the world,” says Provost Karl Scholz. “These rankings are one measure of our success in providing that.

UW–Madison ranked seventh in research expenditures, seventh in the number of science and engineering PhDs awarded, and 25th in faculty accolades (number of faculty receiving prestigious awards and number who are members of the National Academies, relative to the number of full-time faculty). On the “best bang for the buck” list of national universities, it ranked fourth.

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