U.S. News & World Report says TU among nation's best

By Matt Palmer on September 9, 2019

Towson University has been named one of the best public universities in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

The publication's rankings, released Monday, placed Towson University 98th among public national universities. TU also ranked in the top 100 among universities in diversity and tied Harvard University in social mobility.

“This recognition reflects the excellence of our world-class faculty, coupled with the relevance and rigor of our degree programs — which together place our institution among the best, public or private, in the nation,” President Kim Schatzel said.

This is the first year that Towson University has been classified in the national rankings.  Previously, TU has been ranked regionally in the northeast, but this year was thrust into national rankings due to a change in its Carnegie Classification.

U.S. News & World Report defines a national university as offering "a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master's and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research or award professional practice doctorates."

Fellow University System of Maryland schools on the national list include the University of Maryland - College Park, UMBC and University of Maryland - Eastern Shore.

TU's diversity index score placed among the top 100 for national universities.

That study shows colleges where students are most likely to encounter undergraduates from racial or ethnic groups different from their own. Last month, the university welcomed its most diverse class ever.

A portion of the USNWR overall ranking formula accounts for "social mobility" — which gives credit to schools with a larger Pell Grant recipient pool. At TU, students who are recipients of Pell Grants achieve the same graduation success as the entirety of the student body.

In addition, TU was No. 197 of all institutions — public or private — in the nation, and also earned high marks in undergraduate business programs.

Praise through rankings has been constant for TU in the past month. Towson was honored recently by Washington Monthly, Forbes and the Princeton Review for its elite status nationally and internationally.

Prior to moving into the national classification, TU had ranked in the top 15 in each of the past three years in the USNWR rankings for the North region.

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel’s priorities for Towson University: TU Matters to Maryland, Diverse and Inclusive Campus, World-Class Faculty Development Center and Strategic Plan Alignment.