University of Arkansas Earns Highest Ranking from Carnegie Foundation

Good News! U of A has just announced that the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has upgraded the university’s status to the highest possible rating for research. Prior to the latest announcement, U of A was ranked in the next-highest classification.

For many years, Carnegie Foundation’s rankings have been broadly recognized as the standard categorization of accredited U.S. universities and colleges. Thus, this ranking further enhances U of A’s status and reputation throughout our state, our country and beyond.

The Carnegie Foundation based the classification on data from 2008-2010 in such areas as research expenditures and results, staffing, and doctoral conferrals. After examining 4,633 institutes of higher learning, Carnegie placed U of A in the top group which includes only 108 universities. Within the 108, the Foundation does not rank any one school as better than any other.

A ranking such as this helps in numerous ways – directly and indirectly. It will provide an important boost to recruitment of more top-notch researchers and superior students. As the quantity and quality of U of A’s research projects become increasingly recognized, more research grants will be received. And that means big benefits to NW Arkansas’ economy. Higher salaries equates to greater spending power in all categories from housing to restaurants, to shopping malls and groceries, houses of worship, ad infinitum.

It’s just a circle of good no matter how one looks at it.

I’ve known for some time that U of A programs and courses of study are top notch. I have a master’s in political science from U of A and I’m now taking classes in the Journalism department. The locals have known all along about U of A’s status. It’s a pleasure for me to help spread the good news. At last—it’s not a matter of “thank goodness for Mississippi” any more.

For more information, check the U of A announcement.