UW–Madison slips, still ranks high

A study compiled by Buffalo Business First, a sister publication of the Milwaukee Business Journal, ranks UW–Madison 12th among the nation’s top 250 public universities. Last year, UW ranked 10th.

The study analyzed 477 four-year colleges using the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, and also considered the most recent college rankings issued by Forbes, Kiplinger’s, and U.S. News and World Report. It whittled the report down to the top 250 schools, compiling metrics such as academic achievement, retention, instructional spending, prestige, and graduation rates.

The University of North Carolina topped the list, followed by Michigan, Virginia, UCLA, and UC–Berkeley. Four other UW System schools also made the top 250: La Crosse (#105), Eau Claire (#148), River Falls (#187), and Whitewater (#222).