UC Merced remains in the top 100, rising to 93rd among national universities.

September 13, 2021 - By Desiree López, UC Merced - The University of California, Merced, continues its historic climb in the venerable US News & World Report rankings of U.S. universities, with the 2022 list release.

UC Merced remains in the top 100, rising to 93rd among national universities — up 72 spots over four years. The campus is 38th among public universities and 18th among R2 universities.

UC Merced is No. 4 for creating social mobility and No. 8 for the economic diversity of its students, with more than 60% of the school’s undergraduate students receiving Pell Grants, the federal financial aid program for low-income families. The campus is No. 57 on the “most innovative” list and No. 58 for best undergraduate teaching.

“This confirms yet again that what we do at UC Merced is making an impact on the world, and greatly improving the lives of young people,” said Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz. “Our reputation is solidly grounded in our world-class research and teaching, in the amazing students who join us every year and the successful alumni who tell our story.”

UC Merced also jumped 14 spots in US News’ best undergraduate engineering program ranking, to 131. The School of Engineering gives students the opportunity to work on projects and studies that combine advanced scientific technology with an understanding of theory and problem-solving skills that are key to success in any related field.

“It is extremely rewarding to be recognized for the hard work and the ongoing efforts of our students, staff and faculty in the School of Engineering,” said School of Engineering Dean Mark Matsumoto. “Simply said, our goal is excellence in research and teaching, striving to be better each year.”

In other recent accolades:

• UC Merced secured the No. 7 spot in the Sierra magazine ‘2021 Cool Schools’ list.
• The university debuted this year on the Forbes ‘America’s Top Colleges’ list for 2022, at No. 119 among public institutions.
• UC Merced is No. 3 in the Princeton Review’s 2022 “Green Honor Roll” for sustainability practices and education, and for the third consecutive year remains one of the “Best 386 Colleges.”
• UC Merced is No. 3 in the United States in the Times Higher Education’s Young Universities ranking.
• The university is ranked 103 by Washington Monthly’s latest College Guide and Rankings, which also labeled UC Merced No. 43 for “Best Bang for the Buck” in the western United States.
  Source: UC Merced