U.S. News & World Report has rated the University of California, Irvine the seventh-best public university in the country in its 2019 Best Colleges evaluation, released today. UCI also placed 33rd among all American universities – public and private – marking its highest-ever performance in both categories since the magazine began reviewing colleges in 1983. The rankings are derived from 16 measures of academic excellence, weighted by relevance to high-quality education.

“We are delighted that UCI has once again been recognized as one of the premier universities in the nation,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “This year’s rankings – which are the highest in our entire history – are testament to the extraordinary contributions made every day by our outstanding faculty, staff, students and Anteater community.”

The annual U.S. News report is one of the most influential in the country. In each of the past three years, UCI has claimed the No. 9 spot among publics, and its current overall standing as 33rd is a climb of nine positions over the previous 42nd. Evaluators considered 1,608 institutions this year.

Climbing in the rankings
These results – available online at www.usnews.com/colleges – come on the heels of Money putting UCI third on the magazine’s 2018 list of the “best colleges in the U.S.” for its stellar blend of accessible, high-quality education and alumni success. Earlier this year, Forbes named UCI No. 4 among America’s Best Value Colleges based on the campus’s tuition costs, school quality, graduation rates and postgrad earnings.

And, for the second consecutive time, UCI tops The New York Times College Access Index of U.S. universities “doing the most for the American dream” for its commitment to upward mobility.

Recognized for veteran services
As part of its rankings, U.S. News reviews the best colleges for veterans, considering such factors as GI Bill certification, Yellow Ribbon Program participation, enrollment and overall services. UCI placed 13th among all U.S. universities, a jump of three spots over last year. This recognition follows UCI being named a “top veteran-friendly school” in the summer 2018 issue of U.S. Veterans Magazine for its support.

UCI’s Veteran Services Center helps veterans, reservists, active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces and dependents obtain the educational benefits to which they are entitled. The office serves more than 800 military-affiliated students.

The U.S. News report also evaluated certain undergraduate programs. UCI was rated 35th in business and 43rd in engineering.