The Ultimate List of 2011 College and University Rankings

Everyone wants to know what universities and colleges are the best. It’s hard to figure that information out, though, if you don’t have a way to compare different colleges and universities. Unfortunately, it can be a lot of work to find information on each institution of your choice. The good news is that there are plenty of other people who are interested in helping you out with that. College rankings are released regularly, aimed at providing you with an at-a-glance way to compare different colleges and universities. If you are interested in seeing comparisons of programs, costs and other criteria, here is a great list of 2011 college and university rankings:

National University Rankings

College CampusNational University Rankings, from U.S. News and World Report, offers a look at major national universities. These universities include such schools as Harvard (#1) and University of Nevada Los Vegas (no published ranking). Offers a look at public and private institutions throughout the country. Includes basic information on the schools, which can help you quickly and easily make comparisons.

College Rankings

If you don’t mind paying for in-depth rankings, College Rankings from The Princeton Review can be a good choice. Different rankings include schools by type, academics, professors, demographics, location, extracurriculars and more. A complete list of the best schools in the country.

America’s Best Colleges

Forbes has its own ranking of America’s Best Colleges. Forbes puts Princeton (NJ) at #1 and Harvard only comes in at #3 on this list. You can compare the rankings, and see how the Forbes ranking differs from the rankings offered by U.S. News. It’s an interesting exercise in college ranking options.

Best Values in Public Colleges

You don’t have to pay an Ivy League price to get a good college education. Kiplinger offers Best Values in Public Colleges. This ranking offers 100 schools that can help you compare what’s available out there. It looks at the costs involved, and the education you get for the money, as well as the financial aid offered to students. A great resource for the value conscious.

2010 – 2011 College Rankings

MyChances.net has created a ranking system based on what it calls Elo points. Its 2010 – 2011 College Rankings offers a look at student admissions. You can look at the acceptance rate to get an idea of what your chances of getting in are. Also includes cost of tuition, as well as information about standardized tests. An interesting way to rank colleges.

Judging the Law Schools

Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan has been release rankings for more than a decade. You get the latest report on Judging the Law Schools, and find out which are the best. 40 factors are used to judge, each one with equal weight. That way, you can get a more accurate view of which law schools really are the best when it comes to educating future lawyers.

Global MBA Rankings 2011

The Financial Times offers a look at the best business schools in the whole world. If you are interested in a MBA that can impress anyone, anywhere, the Global MBA Rankings 2011 can help you make a decision. This ranking includes weighted salary, so you can get an idea of what to expect upon graduation.

The Best Business Schools

Bloomberg Businessweek has taken the numbers from 2010 to provide you with a look at what is coming for 2011 in The Best Business Schools. Looks at best schools in the U.S., as well as top global business schools. Includes plenty of programs, including full-time and part-time. You can also find information on distance programs and undergraduate programs, in addition to on-site MBA.

Best Graduate Schools

U.S. News and World Report once again proves that it is determined to dominate in the college rankings game. The Best Graduate Schools rankings tackles grad schools from different disciplines. You can look at engineering, business, law, medicine, education, science, public affairs and more. A great resource if you are looking for help pinpointing the best schools in your particular discipline.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings

Get a ranking of the top 200 universities in the world. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings provides insights into where you might fit on a global stage. Harvard takes the #1 spot in this ranking, and four other schools from the U.S. round out the top 5.

Academic Ranking of World Universities

You can an even greater basis of comparison when you visit the Academic Ranking of World Universities. This ranking includes 500 universities from around the world. You can look at schools by subject, including math, physics, business and more. An interactive map makes it easy to learn more about universities by region.

Ranking Web of World Universities

The Ranking Web of World Universities is an interesting ranking that provides information based on web policy. It is designed to help colleges and universities improve their web policies. You can also get an idea of how web-friendly an institution is by paying attention to this ranking.

Community College Rankings

The latest version of the Washington Monthly’s Community College Rankings was released last summer, and a new one should be forthcoming this summer. This ranking helps you figure out which community colleges are the best. An interesting resource for those who are interested in attending community college for decent academics, and to save some money during the first couple of years of higher education.

The Best Online Universities

OEDb offers a look at the best online universities with their rankings (Click here to see the full list). If you are interested in learning more about distance education, and which online programs are the best, you can head here. You can look at overall results, or at metric data to get a better breakdown. If you know you will be looking online for your education, this isn’t a bad ranking to start with.

College Football Class Rankings 2011

If you are into athletics, the College Football Class Rankings 2011 from ESPN is the place to go. Choose a school based on its football program, and you could enjoy the college sports experience of your dreams. A cool take on college rankings.

Top Party Schools 2011

If you are into partying, you can use the Top Party Schools of 2011 to figure out where to go. You can also get a look at the worst party schools in this ranking, as well as the schools with the most beer drinkers, most hard liquor drinkers, most potheads and the schools whose students study the least. Plenty of rankings to go around on this one.