Baylor reaches highest-ever U.S. News ranking

November 1, 2014

In the Sept. 9, 2014 release of the U.S. News rankings, Baylor moved up to No. 71 among National Universities, achieving the University’s best rating since U.S. News began ranking institutions beyond the top 50 in 2002. Baylor was ranked No. 75 by U.S. News in 2013.

Schools in the National Universities category offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs, and also are committed to producing groundbreaking research.

Among the highlights for Baylor in this year’s U.S. News ranking:

Baylor is the second-highest ranked university in the Big 12. The University of Texas at Austin is the highest at No. 53.
Baylor is the fifth-highest ranked university in Texas. The top five are Rice (No. 19), UT (No. 53), SMU (No. 58), Texas A&M (No. 68) and Baylor (No. 71).
Baylor jumped seven places to No. 45 in the U.S. News High School Counselor Rankings.
Baylor’s high school counselor score was 4.1, the University’s best since U.S. News began using the metric in 2010.

Other data highlights from Baylor’s latest U.S. News ranking:

42 percent of students in the top 10 percent of their high school class—highest since 2009.
51 percent of classes under 20—highest since 2012.
86 percent freshman retention rate over a four-year period—highest since 2009.
Baylor’s two-year average alumni giving rate of 15 percent—highest since 2011.