Big Ten schools ranked academically by U.S. News and World Report. Where is Ohio State?
The Big Ten Conference is known for its success in the athletic arena, but there’s pride in how its member schools perform in the classroom, too. In fact, in order to become a part of the conference, an academic institution must fit a certain academic standard or be left behind. That’s exactly what happened when the Big Ten brought in the four West Coast schools from the former Pac-12 with the additions of Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and USC.
Yeah, the addition of those schools brought in more athletic money and television revenue, but it also enhanced an already strong academic standing and perception across the country. U.S. News and Reports keeps track of college rankings, and we thought it’d be interesting to look at each Big Ten institution and where they rank both in the conference and nationally (some will likely surprise you).
The real winners here are the students who attend these schools, but good on those academic schools in the conference that can win on the field and in the classroom. Here’s a look at each Big Ten school and where they rank academically among themselves as peers and across the country according to U.S. News and World Report.
No. 18 – University of Nebraska
LINCOLN, NE – NOVEMBER 03: Donde Plowman, Executive Vice Chancellor at UNL, gives Brian Vaske, CEO of ITI Data, a tour of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus during the 2017 Alumni Masters Week. on November 3, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for ITI Data)
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
U.S. News rank: 152 (tie)(previously: 159)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 19,338
Acceptance rate: 77% (down from 79%)
Learn more about Nebraska at Huskers Wire.
No. 17 – University of Oregon
Faculty and students are back on the University of Oregon campus for spring in Eugene.
Location: Eugene, Oregon
U.S. News rank: 109 (previously: 98)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 19,963
Acceptance rate: 85% (down from 86%)
Learn more about Oregon at Ducks Wire.
No. 16 – University of Iowa
Snow falls around the Old Capitol building Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 on the University of Iowa Campus in downtown Iowa City, Iowa.
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
U.S. News rank: 98 (previously: 90)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 22,130
Acceptance rate: 85% (down from 86%)
Learn more about Iowa at Hawkeyes Wire.
No. 15 – Indiana University
Vice President of Capital Planning and Facilities Tom Morrision presents proposals during the university’s trustee meeting at Henke Hall at Memorial Stadium at Indiana University Bloomington Campus on Friday, June 14, 2024.
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
U.S. News rank: 73 (same as before)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 36,833
Acceptance rate: 80% (down from 82%)
No. 13 (tie) – Penn State University
Buildings are seen on the campus of Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania July 11, 2012. REUTERS/Eric Thayer (UNITED STATES – Tags: EDUCATION)
Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
U.S. News rank: 63 (tie)(previously: 60)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 42,223
Acceptance rate: 54% (down from 55%)
Learn more about Penn State at Nittany Lions Wire.
No. 13 (tie) – Michigan State University
The courtyard behind Wonders Hall on the Michigan State University campus on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in East Lansing.
Location: East Lansing, Michigan
U.S. News rank: 63 (tie)(previously: 60)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 40,483
Acceptance rate: 84% (down from 88%)
Learn more about MSU at Spartans Wire.
No. 12 – University of Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 9: A pedestrian walks on the University of Minnesota campus on April 9, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The week in Minnesota started with two sunny Spring days and has since turned to blizzard conditions. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
U.S. News rank: 54 (previously: 53)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 39,556
Acceptance rate: 77%
No. 10 (tie) – University of Washington
Pedestrians walk past the Husky Union Building on March 20, 2021, on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, Washington.
Location: Seattle, Washington
U.S. News rank: 46 (tie)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 39,125
Acceptance rate: 43% (down from 48%)
Big Ten rank: Down from No. 8
Learn more about UW at UW Huskies Wire.
No. 10 (tie) – Purdue University
People gather to watch the solar eclipse, Monday, April 8, 2024, at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
U.S. News rank: 46 (tie) (previously: 43)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 39,170
Acceptance rate: 50% (down from 50%)
No. 9 – University of Maryland
Cheerleaders assemble outside Reckord Armory Oct. 27, 2023 on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park for a launch event for the Maryland Service Year Option program.
Location: College Park, Maryland
U.S. News rank: 44 (previously: 46)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 30,608
Acceptance rate: 45%
Big Ten rank: Up from No. 11
No. 7 (tie) – Rutgers University
A banner flies over the campus of Rutgers University-Camden.
Location: New Brunswick/Piscataway, New Jersey
U.S. News rank: 41 (tie)(same as before)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 36,588
Acceptance rate: 65% (down from 66%)
No. 7 (tie) – The Ohio State University
Sep 18, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Students walk across campus at The Ohio State University.
Location: Columbus, Ohio
U.S. News rank: 41 (tie) (previously: 43)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 45,728
Acceptance rate: 51% (down from 53%)
Big Ten rank: Up from No. 9
Learn more about Ohio State at Buckeyes Wire.
No. 6 – University of Wisconsin
State Street leads to the Wisconsin State Capitol on the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison on Sept. 24, 2024.
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
U.S. News rank: 39 (previously: 35)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 37,817
Acceptance rate: 43% (down from 49%)
Learn more about Wisconsin at Badgers Wire.
No. 5 – University of Illinois
Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates makes a point during a speech to students and faculty in Foellinger Auditorium at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, February 24, 2004. Gates is touring five college campuses in the United States this week. REUTERS/Jeff Christensen JC
Location: Champaign, Illinois
U.S. News rank: 33 (previously: 35)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 35,564
Acceptance rate: 44% (down from 45%)
No. 4 – University of Southern California
Feb 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The Tommy Trojan statue on the campus of the University of Southern California. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Location: Los Angeles, California
U.S. News rank: 27 (previously: 28)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 21,023
Acceptance rate: 10% (down from 12%)
Learn more about the Trojans at USC Wire.
No. 3 – University of Michigan
University of Michigan graduates leave the central passageway at the William W. Cook Law Quadrangle on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 after having their graduation pictures taken in the archway where six corbels of past U of M presidents can be found on campus in Ann Arbor.
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
U.S. News rank: 21 (tie)(same as before)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 33,730
Acceptance rate: 18%
No. 2 – University of California Los Angeles
Westwood resident Allie Greene and her dog, Piper, went for a walk on the nearly empty UCLA campus on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 12, 2025. Because of the Palisades Fire, they couldn’t walk along the beaches they normally would, Greene said.
Location: Los Angeles (Westwood), California
U.S. News rank: 15 (same as before)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 33,040
Acceptance rate: 9%
Learn more about the Bruins at UCLA Wire.
No. 1 – Northwestern University
People walk on the campus of Northwestern University, a day after a U.S. official said $790 million in federal funding has been frozen for the University while it investigates the school over civil rights violationsm in Evanston, Illinois U.S. April 9, 2025. REUTERS/Vincent Alban
Location: Evanston, Illinois
U.S. News rank: 6 (tie) (previously: 9)
Total enrollment fall 2023: 8,846
Acceptance rate: 7%
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ranking Big Ten schools academically by U.S. News and World Report
