Best College: University moves up in several areas of national rankings

Strides made in engineering, as school for veterans and overall ranking in Midwest
Students attend a lab at UW-Stout with the fall semester underway. / UW-Stout photo
​Jerry Poling | September 13, 2021

University of Wisconsin-Stout has made strides in three aspects of a respected ranking of U.S. colleges and universities, again being named a Best College.

The university moved up in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings for its engineering programs, as a higher education choice for veterans and in a listing of best schools in the Midwest. The rankings were released Monday, Sept. 13.

The university jumped 18 places to No. 92 among non-Ph.D. engineering universities for Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs. The Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering has four undergraduate programs, a master’s program and an engineering technology program with a total of approximately 1,000 students.

Students walk between classes with the fall semester underway at UW-Stout.
Students walk between classes with the fall semester underway at UW-Stout. / UW-Stout photo

“We are excited to learn that our enduring focus on student-centered, applied learning, is continuing to meet the needs and expectations of those we serve,” said Gindy Neidermyer, interim Dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management. “The partnerships we have made and will continue to develop with our engineering focused organizations enhance our success and will remain integral to our student preparedness.”

UW-Stout also moved up 18 places to No. 30 among Midwest regional universities in the Best Colleges for Veterans ranking. The university has approximately 450 military-affiliated students, which includes veterans, current members of the U.S. military (active and reserve) and eligible family members.   

“I want to continue to build maximum opportunities for our military-affiliated students and help them achieve their goals,” said Chris Engen, a 30-year Army veteran who is the university’s new military education benefits coordinator and oversees Veteran Services  

“UW-Stout is a great place for veterans, those currently serving, and their family members, and we are committed to enabling their success,” Engen said.  

In 2020 UW-Stout, Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, was named aBest for Vets College by the Military Times, and this year it was named a Military Friendly school for 2021-22 by MilitaryFriendly.com. 

Overall, UW-Stout improved two places to No. 69 in the ranking of Midwest public and private regional universities. Among just public schools in that ranking, UW-Stout remained No. 15, one of the top five in the UW System.

Chancellor Katherine Frank, in her second year, is excited about the progress UW-Stout continues to make as an academically innovative and welcoming university dedicated to students’ positive experiences and career success. A recently released FOCUS2030 strategic plan will guide the university for the next decade.

“UW-Stout continues to exemplify our distinctiveness as Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University, demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement and model the innovation, creative thinking and problem-solving skills that we teach our students and which lead to Stout’s outstanding post-graduation placement rate that is unsurpassed in the UW System,” Frank said.

UW-Stout also ranks as one of the top 70 Best Value Schools, No. 65, among Midwest regional universities, according to the U.S. News & World Report rankings.

In a separate ranking recently by CollegeValuesOnline, UW-Stout was named one of the top 30 schools in the nation for its business and industry partnerships.

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