‘U.S. News’ ranks RIT in top regional universities

University showcased on ‘Great Schools, Great Prices’ listing

Rochester Institute of Technology is recognized for educational quality and value in U.S. News & World Report: America’s Best Colleges 2012

Rochester Institute of Technology is recognized for educational quality and value in U.S. News & World Report: America’s Best Colleges 2012. RIT has traditionally been listed among the top regional universities since the magazine started its annual ranking of colleges in 1983.

RIT ranks seventh in the “Best Universities – Master’s (North region)” category. The university also received the second-highest peer assessment score, which is a survey of presidents, provosts and deans from other universities judging a school’s academic excellence.

“Our consistently strong ranking reaffirms the high value of RIT’s excellent academic programs and commitment to student success,” says RIT President Bill Destler. “U.S. News joins a growing list of prestigious publications—focused on quality in higher education—to make that distinction this year.”

In the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category, RIT ranks fourth among master’s universities in the North. The formula to determine which schools offer the best value relates to a school’s academic quality to the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of financial aid. The higher the quality of program and the lower the cost, the better the deal, according to U.S. News.

“The challenging economic environment makes this particularly relevant for many students and their families,” states Destler. “RIT has put forth a significant effort to enhance our financial aid initiatives, and we are pleased the U.S. News rankings continue to validate that.”

Under the heading of “A Strong Focus on Student Success,” RIT is listed as one of only 10 colleges nationally acknowledged for excellence in the “Internships” category. RIT’s cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation, helping to ensure the university’s spot on this list every year since U.S. News began the category in 2002.

RIT is also recognized among the top 66 undergraduate engineering programs among universities nationally where the highest degree is a doctorate. Among the best programs for undergraduate business, RIT ranked 69th in the latest survey.

For students that U.S. News classifies as “nonsuperstars,” RIT is included among the “A-plus Schools for B Students.” This list highlights top-tier colleges and universities where students with grades below an A average can still be accepted and ultimately thrive.

In addition to this year’s recognition from U.S. News & World Report, RIT is featured in The Princeton Review’s 2012 edition of The Best 376 Colleges as well as its Guide to 311 Green Colleges. The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2012 names RIT as a “Best Buy,” and The Chronicle of Higher Education recognizes RIT among the “Great Colleges to Work For 2011.”


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