UW-Eau Claire among top undergraduate research universities in U.S. News ranking

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is ranked among the best institutions in the country for undergraduate research in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges report.

In its annual report released today, UW-Eau Claire joined major research universities Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Massachusetts Institution of Technology on the exclusive list of 54 universities in U.S. News’  “Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects” ranking. UW-Eau Claire is ranked 35th in the category, up 18 spots from last year. Of the 12 public schools on the list, 11 are flagship universities, with only UW-Eau Claire being a regional comprehensive institution on the list.

UW-Eau Claire has a rich history of undergraduate research and hosted 3,500 college students and their faculty mentors at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in April. About 360 UW-Eau Claire students showcased their research at NCUR.

“Undergraduate research is in our DNA here at UW-Eau Claire and I’m proud that U.S News & World Report recognizes this commitment alongside some of the most elite universities in the nation,” Chancellor James Schmidt says. “Students and faculty mentors from around the country saw during NCUR the phenomenal research our students and faculty do each and every day on this campus, and for UWEC to be recognized as one of the leaders in a phenomenal group of institutions is something every Blugold should be proud of.”

In the overall rankings, U.S. News lists UW-Eau Claire as the top-rated public regional university in Wisconsin and Minnesota. UW-Eau Claire ranks fourth among public regional universities in the 12-state Midwest region — a three-place jump from the 2023 rankings — and 21st overall among all Midwest regional schools.

The academic reputation component of the new ranking is UW-Eau Claire’s highest ranking in more than two decades, according to school officials.

This is the 29th straight year UW-Eau Claire has been cited as a top Midwest public university.

UW-Eau Claire is highly ranked this year as a “Best College for Veterans” and “Best Value School.” The university also was named as a top performer on social mobility and several undergraduate programs were cited in the rankings.

For the “Best Colleges for Veterans” category, UW-Eau Claire jumped eight spots to the No. 7 ranking among Midwest universities and the top ranking in Wisconsin. U.S. News says the rankings provide data to make pursuing a college education more affordable for veterans and active-duty service members.

In the “Best Value School” category, UW-Eau Claire is the highest rated public school in the state and 40th out of all Midwest universities.

UW-Eau Claire also was on the list for “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” which measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell grants. UW-Eau Claire’s six-year graduation rate for Pell Grant students is the highest among regional comprehensive universities in the Midwest.

U.S. News also recognized UW-Eau Claire’s undergraduate programs in nursing, engineering,  economics, business and psychology.

U.S. News gathers data for its Best Colleges rankings from regionally accredited institutions with four-year bachelor's degree programs that enroll first-year students.

UW-Eau Claire in 2024 U.S News rankings

• No. 4: Top Public Schools, Midwest regional universities, up three spots out of 56 schools.
• No. 7: Best Colleges for Veterans, Midwest regional universities, up eight spots out of 47 schools.
• No. 21: Overall Rank, Midwest regional universities, up 16 spots out of 167 schools, top public regional university in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
• No. 35: Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects among all colleges and universities in the country, and the only regional comprehensive school on the list, up 18 spots.
• No. 40: Best Value Schools, Midwest regional universities, fifth among public universities, up 12 spots.