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UCI in Top 10 for Game & Simulation Development and for Software Engineering; Top 30 for Computer Science

Campus also rates highly for social mobility of its graduating students

Students walking outside the UCI Student Center
Among all surveyed U.S. universities and colleges, UCI’s undergraduate programs in game/simulation development and software engineering were ranked seventh and ninth, respectively, by U.S. News & World Report. Steve Zylius / UCI

Irvine, Calif., Sept. 18, 2023 — The University of California, Irvine has been ranked 10th among the nation’s public universities – and 33rd overall – on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-24 list of “Best Colleges,” released today. This is the ninth consecutive year in which UCI has placed in the top 10.

In addition, UCI ranked No. 12 overall in the subcategory of social mobility, which rates the institutions that enroll and graduate large proportions of students awarded federal Pell Grants – given to undergraduates who display exceptional financial need. Currently, 38 percent of UCI’s undergraduates receive Pell Grants, and the campus is among the best in the nation for the graduation rate of its Pell Grant recipients. In 2023, 3,636 earned bachelor’s degrees.

The latest edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” rankings – now in their 39th year – assesses the country’s bachelor’s degree-granting institutions on more than a dozen measures of academic quality.

“U.S. News & World Report has reaffirmed UCI’s overall excellence by ranking us among the nation’s top 10 public universities,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “This accolade reflects the unwavering commitment and excellence of our distinguished faculty, outstanding staff and talented students.”

U.S. News & World Report also evaluated certain undergraduate programs. Overall, UCI came in:

  • seventh for game/simulation development
  • ninth for software engineering
  • 20th in psychology
  • 27th for computer science
  • 29th for business
  • 37th for engineering
  • 41st in economics
  • 52nd for nursing
  • 62nd for undergraduate teaching programs

Available online at www.usnews.com/best-colleges, these results come on the heels of UCI being ranked ninth in the nation among public universities for best value in the Princeton Review college survey. The ratings service cited UCI’s stellar academics, affordability through comparatively lower tuition costs and generous financial aid, and strong career prospects for graduates. On Sept. 7, The New York Times ranked UCI No. 16 on its College-Access Index, a list of the country’s 286 most selective universities placed in order of economic diversity. UCI was rated first among public universities in California and tied for No. 1 among members of the prestigious Association of American Universities.

And earlier this year, for its 2023-24 Best Colleges in America list, Money again ranked UCI at the top. It was one of 34 U.S. universities to receive a five-star rating (the highest possible), and Money lauded the campus for offering a high-quality education, for its affordability and for its student outcomes.

Originally posted at UCI News.

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