BOZEMAN — The largest academic ranking of global universities puts Montana State University among the top 3 percent of the world’s institutions of higher education, among the top 200 of those in the U.S. and first among Montana universities.
The Center for World University Rankings ranked MSU 578th out of 18,000 universities worldwide, up from the 606th spot last year.
When measured solely against other institutions nationally, MSU came in at 156th, up from 176th last year.
“This ranking confirms that MSU truly is a world-class institution,” said MSU President Waded Cruzado. “We are proud of our university, which is deeply committed to transforming the lives of individuals and families across the state of Montana and beyond.”
The Center for World University Rankings uses seven indicators for comparing and ranking universities without using any surveys or university data submissions. Those indicators are quality of education, alumni employment, quality of faculty, research output, quality publications, influence and citations.
Founded in 1893, MSU is Montana’s land-grant university and has a national and international reputation for its excellence in undergraduate and graduate education in agriculture, architecture, business, education, engineering, health and human development, liberal arts and sciences, and nursing.
It is routinely listed by U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s “best buys” for undergraduate education and ranks among the national leaders in the number of Goldwater scholarship recipients.
MSU has set records for enrollment in recent years, with more than 16,700 students enrolled for fall semester in 2017.
Since 2010, MSU’s headcount enrollment has increased 23 percent. Additionally, indicators of student success, including the number of students who return for their second year and on-time graduation rates, have increased to recent historical highs.
MSU is the state’s flagship research university, with research expenditures regularly surpassing $100 million per year, including a record $130.8 million in 2017. MSU research is published in some of the world’s most influential scientific journals, which is reflected in CWUR’s assessment of the university’s influence and citations.
“We know that research from Montana State University makes a difference in individual lives and in industry, as well as in communities and organizations across the state and around the globe,” said Renee Reijo Pera, vice president of research and economic development.
To see the CWUR rankings, go here.
By Anne Cantrell, MSU News Service
