The University of Iowa improved its national ranking in undergraduate nursing programs to No. 4 and is tied for No. 1 among public universities, while also remaining the best public writing program in the country, according to the latest rankings published by U.S. News & World Report.
Iowa tied for the No. 5 ranking among all public and private universities for writing in the disciplines, behind Brown University, Columbia University, Duke University, and Princeton University. Like last year, when it was ranked No. 2, Iowa is the only public university on the list.
“Iowa is leading the way in developing the next generation of health care leaders and strong communicators,” says Kevin Kregel, executive vice president and provost. “We’re not just teaching nursing and writing, we are equipping our graduates with the confidence and skills they need to be successful, make a difference, and fulfill critical needs of Iowa’s workforce.”
The UI College of Nursing is nationally renowned for developing future health care providers and leaders. The undergraduate program leverages the expertise of world-class faculty and unparalleled clinical experiences to prepare students for rewarding careers.
Iowa is known as “The Writing University” largely because of world-renowned graduate programs such as the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the Nonfiction Writing Program, but the university’s commitment to helping all students build strong writing and communication skills is evident across campus and in every field of study.
The university’s ranking among public universities is No. 47, and the overall ranking is No. 93.
“We’re always happy to be recognized for what we do and who we are. Boiling all of that down to a single ranking is tricky though,” says UI President Barbara Wilson. “When such a ranking changes dramatically from one year to the next, we have to remind people that formulas can be altered by an outside organization, but we are still the same exceptional research-intensive, comprehensively strong, Big 10 university that we were last year. And our outcomes for student success have actually improved from last year.”
The U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges rankings factor in numerous variables for the nation’s public and private universities, including student outcomes (such as rates of graduation and retention), assessment by academic peers, faculty resources and scholarly work, and overall financial resources.
Iowa’s 2024 rankings include:
4. Undergraduate nursing programs
5. Writing in the disciplines
34. Accounting
34. Analytics
36. Undergraduate business programs
47. Top public schools
51. Undergraduate psychology programs
61. Best colleges for veterans
65. Undergraduate economics programs
71. Undergraduate computer science programs
74. Undergraduate engineering programs, doctorate
93. Overall rank
110. Best value schools
The full rankings and methodology can be found on the U.S. News website.