In the recently released U.S. News and World Report rankings of American Universities, Brandeis University has fallen in the rankings. Last year, the University was ranked 60th, and this year at 63rd. Brandeis is in a tie for that spot with George Washington University, Michigan State University, The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Santa Clara University, Tulane University and the University of Miami.
This is not Brandeis’ first fall in U.S. News rankings, nor is it its first one in recent history. The university was ranked 44th in 2023 before falling 16 spots in the following year’s rankings, and was even netted a sub-30 ranking in 1997.
Historical data shows that Brandeis has suffered more significant declines in ranking over the past years. After being consistently ranked in the 30s for more than two decades, the school fell to 40 in 2020 and has continued to fall since then.
When Brandeis fell significantly in the rankings last year, then Senior Content and Marketing Specialist Jarret Bencks told The Hoot that, when U.S. News’ ranking metrics “align with our strategic priorities as a university, as outlined in the Framework for the Future, we will work to enhance them.” Around the same time, President Ronald Liebowitz noted that “The organization implemented significant changes in methodology this year that led to many dramatic shifts in the rankings by strongly favoring some universities that had been lower in the rankings previously. In many cases, these changes in methodology removed or decreased the weighting of indicators that were favorable to private institutions like Brandeis.” The President also noted that “Brandeis’ ranking was particularly affected by the decision to remove class size as a factor, as our class sizes are small – 60 percent of our classes have 19 students or fewer – and that point of pride for the university accounted for a significant 8 percent of the prior score.” He closed by noting that “We maintain that no ranking can define what school is the best option for any individual student. For the past 75 years, Brandeis has developed significant and distinctive strengths that have made it an outstanding choice for our students. We will continue to refine and excel in those areas that align with the university’s strategic goals.”
As of the time of writing, the university has not reached out to the student body about its now continued drop in ranking.
