The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville slipped six spots in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings released Tuesday.
UA now ranks 69th among public research universities, down from 63rd a year earlier. UA leaders have set a goal to be among the top 50 public research universities by 2021.
Among public undergraduate business programs, the UA’s Sam M. Walton College of Business ranked 29th, according to a statement from the university. Last year, the business program ranked 27th among public universities. For public and private business programs, UA ranked 45th nationally, the university said, up two spots from last year.
In a ranking of national universities, including private schools, UA ranked 135th, down from 128th last year. National universities offer master’s and doctoral programs and produce research. The U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on academic reputation, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving rate.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is considered a national university by U.S. News & World Report but was not ranked. The news outlet ranks only the top 75 percent of colleges and universities in each category.
In another category, national liberal arts colleges, Hendrix College in Conway ranked 81st in a tie with five other colleges. Lyon College in Batesville ranked 165th in a tie with five other colleges, while Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia ranked 176th.
John Brown University in Siloam Springs tied for first with two other colleges in a ranking of regional colleges in the South. Such colleges are defined as primarily focused on undergraduates with more than half of all degrees granted in nonliberal arts academic disciplines.
Arkansas State University in Jonesboro ranked 53rd among regional universities in the South, tied with three other schools.
— Jaime Adame