Civil and Environmental Engineering Rankings

The survey-based quality measure is one of two estimates of overall program quality prepared by the NRC. Both measures use the same data on 20 key variables, but they use different methods to determine which variables are the most important predictors of program quality. For the survey-based measure, the relative weight of each variable is based on input from about 50 faculty members in each field. Each faculty member was asked to identify the most relevant variables in assessing program quality and to give each one a numeric value according to its importance. Learn more.

The regression-based quality measure is one of two estimates of overall program quality prepared by the NRC. Both measures use the same data on 20 key variables, but they use different methods to determine which variables are the most important predictors of program quality. For the regression-based measure, the relative weight of each variable is derived input from about 50 faculty members in each field. The faculty assessed a random selection of graduate programs on a scale of 1 to 6 without specifying the their assessment criteria. Those variables that were most often associated with highly regarded programs received the most weight. Learn more.

This variable shows a composite measure of research productivity, based on publications per faculty member, citations per publication, percent of faculty holding grants, and awards per faculty member. The relative importance of these variables was determined by the direct assessments of some 50 faculty in each field.

Funding agencies give grants to faculty members that are engaged in worthwhile research, so high levels of funding suggest high quality of faculty research. In addition, programs with well-funded faculty may offer greater resources and opportunities to graduate students.

Awards show that the faculty's work is held in high regard.

This variable is a composite of other measures of student support and outcomes, including 6-year or 8-year graduation rates (for non-humanities programs and humanities programs, respectively), time to degree, job placement within academia, percentage of first-year students with full financial support, and whether a program collects data about the employment outcomes of its graduates. The relative importance of these variables was determined by the direct assessments of some 50 faculty in each field.

A high 6-year completion rate suggests that faculty mentors emphasize the timely completion of graduation requirements.

Professional skills such as writing, teaching and data presentation are integral to many careers. The opportunity to develop these skills may improve a student's prosects for later success. Formal reviews and other oversight mechanisms promote clear communication between students, faculty advisers and program administrators.

A working knowledge of statistics is necessary in every quantitative field.

A formal orientation accelerates social integration and helps ensure that administrative and logistical issues have been addressed.

A separate orientation for international graduate students can help mitigate cultural stresses and provide a forum to address concerns specific to students from outside the U.S.

This variable shows a composite measure of diversity generated by the National Research Council. It includes data on percent of faculty and students from underrepresented minorities, percent of female faculty and students, and percent of international faculty and students. The relative importance of these variables was determined by the direct assessments of some 50 faculty in each field.