UNE in top tier of U.S. News & World Report's ranking of best regional colleges and universities
The University of New England is included among the "Best Universities" in the North that offer a full range of undergraduate and master's programs according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 "America's Best Colleges" listing. UNE rose 15 spots in the top tier of this category, and is now ranked higher than it has ever been previously.
"UNE continues to focus on delivering quality education together with unique experiences that provide meaningful and proven value to our students," said UNE President Danielle N. Ripich, Ph.D. "We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report recognizes that, and our 2015 Best Colleges listing reflects UNE’s commitment to delivering an outstanding return on investment."
A recent survey of the UNE Class of 2013 six months after graduation confirmed that 89 percent of UNE graduate respondents were either employed in their field or had been accepted into graduate school; another 6 percent were awaiting graduate school admission.
The U.S. News ranking complements other national accolades UNE has garnered.
PayScale
PayScale, a national firm providing data and insights about salary and careers, ranks UNE first among colleges and universities in the state of Maine for providing the best return on investment (ROI) to graduates.
The 2014 PayScale “College ROI Report” ranks colleges and universities on the basis of the 20-year return on investment they provide. The listing includes both public and private institutions. Nationally, UNE placed #188 of the 1,310 schools included in the report, placing it in the top 15 percent of U.S. public and private higher education institutions.
In 2013, PayScale also cited UNE as second in the nation for alumni reporting high job-meaning. According to an October 2013 Huffington Post article about the report, “Schools with large health care and education programs also are represented well when looking at the percentage of alumni reporting high job meaning post-graduation. The top three schools for high job meaning were Thomas Jefferson University (84 percent), University of New England (82 percent) and Trident University International (81 percent).”
UNE President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., explained, “The PayScale ROI ranking affirms what we already know about UNE graduates – they are top-quality, knowledgeable, and highly sought after—and reflective of the education and training they’ve acquired at UNE. Their investment in a UNE education benefits them throughout their long and successful careers.”
Forbes
UNE is also included in the 2014 Forbes list of “America's Top Colleges,” a list based on "output" and "return on investment." Forbes ranked UNE number 433 of the 650 colleges and universities that made the list. There are about 4,500 degree-granting institutions of higher learning in the U.S.
Graduate Programs
UNE’s graduate programs enjoy national reputations for excellence. The University's programs in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Nurse Anesthesia and Physician Assistant have all been ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the best programs of their kind in the nation. U.S. News has also credited our College of Osteopathic Medicine for its national leadership in primary care training, geriatrics, rural medicine and family medicine.