{"id":142876,"date":"2024-08-28T11:25:39","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T15:25:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=142876"},"modified":"2025-05-06T11:23:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T15:23:12","slug":"ucf-ranks-in-top-15-in-nation-for-best-public-universities-social-mobility-by-washington-monthly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-ranks-in-top-15-in-nation-for-best-public-universities-social-mobility-by-washington-monthly\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF Ranks in Top 15 in Nation for Best Public Universities, Social Mobility by Washington Monthly"},"content":{"rendered":"

UCF is intensely focused on helping students of all backgrounds succeed. As a result of\u202fthe university\u2019s success, UCF is among the nation\u2019s top universities overall and for social mobility \u2014 according to the Washington Monthly<\/em> magazine\u2019s 2025 rankings released this week.<\/p>\n

For the past decade, UCF has made great strides in the area of social mobility by eliminating achievement gaps and reducing obstacles for students.<\/p>\n

UCF ranks No. 7 for Social Mobility <\/strong>among public schools and No. 16 overall<\/strong> \u2014 placing in the top 4% among all universities <\/strong>and second in Florida. UCF is also the overall No. 5 Best Bang for the Buck \u2013 Southeast<\/strong> university.<\/p>\n

For the second year in a row, UCF ranks as the No. 36 Best National University<\/strong> among all schools and No. 15 among public institutions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur objective at UCF is to help students transform their aspirations into achievements,\u201d says Paul Dosal, senior vice president for student success. \u201cWe are doing that by forging a care management approach to student success, providing students with prescriptive, proactive and holistic support. These rankings validate that approach and offer encouragement as we evolve and grow our programs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Washington Monthly<\/em>\u2019s rankings are based on three equally weighted measures of mobility, research and service, and consider 1,444 universities across the U.S.<\/p>\n

As the University for <\/em>the Future, UCF aims to unleash the potential of its people and their ideas to positively change the world. UCF\u2019s No. 65 research rank and No. 101 service rank among public schools reflect this dedication to academic and societal progress.<\/p>\n

A college degree paves the way to a stable career and financial stability<\/a> for students, their families and the generations that follow them.<\/p>\n

The number of graduates who received Pell grant assistance is one factor Washington Monthly<\/em> considers for the rankings. UCF produces the most Pell grant graduates among public schools and the second most among all schools nationally<\/strong>. Based on Washington Monthly<\/em>\u2019s data, UCF is also among the top 8% most affordable universities<\/strong> for families below $75,000 in income.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a positive relationship between a student earning their degree and making social and economic progress. Higher education provides a path to achieving the life-changing benefits of upward mobility.<\/p>\n

Among UCF\u2019s recent graduates whose lives have been transformed by earning their degree at the university is health sciences alum and first-generation student Victoria Orindas \u201922<\/strong>. When she was 16, Orindas and her family immigrated to the United States from the Republic of Moldova for better educational opportunities. After graduation, Orindas worked as a program analyst for the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, and she is now a student at the UC Berkley School of Law.<\/p>\n

While at UCF, Orindas was heavily involved with Hearts for the Homeless and helped launch the UCF chapter of SALT (Service and Love Together) Outreach, a nonprofit that serves the homeless population in Central Florida, which led to her selection as one of the 2022 Clinton Global Initiative University fellows. \u201cDespite having several obstacles as an immigrant, any student, regardless of their background, can achieve their goals at UCF with the resources available,\u201d Orindas says. \u201cWhat\u2019s most important to me is giving back to the community by making time for an important cause.\u201d<\/p>\n

Driving Innovative Research<\/h2>\n

As a metropolitan research university, UCF continues to produce innovative discoveries and solutions in fields from engineering to hospitality. UCF is a Carnegie Foundation R1 institution, which means it\u2019s among the highest performing in research and development.<\/p>\n

As part of Washington Monthly<\/em>\u2019s rankings, the number of science and engineering doctoral degrees awarded is considered. UCF is in the top 14% nationally for producing graduates in these areas, with 235 degrees awarded in 2023-24<\/strong>. UCF produces one-quarter of engineering and computer science graduates in Florida, according to the State University System.<\/p>\n

The number of faculty who earned prestigious awards also contributes to the rankings. Top honors for UCF faculty in the past year include five faculty who were honored with U.S. National Science Foundation CAREER awards, including four in the College of Engineering and Computer Science<\/a> and one in the College of Sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

UCF\u2019s research spending for 2023-24 was $218 million, and includes impactful projects such as:<\/p>\n