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• Step 1: Choose field
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• Step 3: Your ranking of Sociology programs

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The rankings below have been generated just for you using the priorities you set on this page. You can change your priorities or get rankings for a different field.

How to Read Your Ranking

• Programs are ranked by their score, a weighted sum of the items you chose. (Details)
• Descriptions of each item are listed at the bottom of the page. (You can also see a description by mousing over items at the top of the table.)
• Your weight for each item is shown beneath the item at the top of the table. Weights range in magnitude from 0 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
• A positive weight means that you prefer larger values for the item. A negative weight means that you prefer smaller values for the item.
• Green values are at least one standard deviation better than the mean. Red values are at least one standard deviation worse than the mean.
• Data sources can be found below.

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Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (-3)	# Fac (-2)	Stu / Fac (-3)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
1.	Sociology, Duke University	23.9	6.2	100%	3.4	25.8	3.4	$16,361	4.6	19	2.6	22%	725	705
2.	Sociology, Baylor University	17.5	4.2	97%*	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$13,477	1.4	22*	2.6*	66%	605	595
2.	Sociology & Criminology, University of Delaware	17.5	5.7	100%	1.9	4.2	2.0	$10,290	2.2	25	0.5	47%	610	595
4.	Sociology, Johns Hopkins University	17.4	6.7†	92%†	3.5	10.2	3.6	$16,005†	3.8†	11	2.9	35%†	705†	680†
5.	Sociology, Princeton University	16.1	6.7	95%	3.3	2.5	3.8	$17,805	5.2	18	1.4	11%	745	735
6.	Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	14.9	6.5	92%	4.0	11.1	4.3	$13,288	7.4	25	3.1	36%	650	640
7.	Development Sociology, Cornell University	13.5	5.9†	81%†	3.1	6.8	3.0	$16,969†	5.6†	12	1.9	27%†	710†	675†
7.	Sociology, Cornell University	13.5	5.9†	81%†	3.1	6.8	3.0	$16,969†	5.6†	12	1.9	27%†	710†	675†
9.	Sociology, University of Nebraska at Lincoln	13.3	6.1	96%	2.6	7.9	2.0	$11,644	4.8	18	1.3	75%	605	595
10.	Sociology, Stanford University	12.4	6.7	89%	3.8	9.5	4.1	$17,084	5.6	15	5.1	12%	735	720
11.	Sociology, Yale University	12.0	7.0	50%	3.0	16.7	3.5	$16,526	4.0	18	2.8	10%	740	740
12.	Sociology, Vanderbilt University	11.7	6.9	86%	2.9	3.8	3.3	$17,056	3.6	17	1.7	35%	695	675
13.	Sociology, University of Maryland-College Park	11.6	5.7	81%	3.0	7.9	3.1	$14,382	5.2	29	1.7	49%	650	625
14.	Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, Kansas State University	11.2	5.2	85%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$15,927	2.2	22*	2.6*	48%	623*	605*
15.	Sociology, Boston University	10.7	7.7	71%	2.6	26.8	2.7	$17,237	1.8	23	2.5	55%	655	645
16.	Rural Sociology, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	10.5	5.8†	68%†	3.5	7.1	3.5	$13,812†	5.8†	27	1.2	58%†	610†	580†
16.	Sociology, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	10.5	5.8†	68%†	3.5	7.1	3.5	$13,812†	5.8†	27	1.2	58%†	610†	580†
18.	Sociology, Case Western Reserve University	10.3	6.9	86%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$14,736	1.4	22*	2.6*	68%	690	650
19.	Social Policy, Harvard University	10.2	7.5†	83%†	3.6	7.3	4.2	$17,425†	4.6†	17	4.8	9%†	745†	745†
19.	Sociology, Harvard University	10.2	7.5†	83%†	3.6	7.3	4.2	$17,425†	4.6†	17	4.8	9%†	745†	745†
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (-3)	# Fac (-2)	Stu / Fac (-3)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
19.	Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University	10.2	6.7†	92%†	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$16,005†	3.8†	22*	2.6*	35%†	705†	680†
22.	Sociology, Brown University	9.8	5.7	69%	3.2	7.0	2.8	$16,202	6.2	23	2.7	15%	725	710
23.	Sociology, University of Georgia	9.7	5.9	67%	2.6	3.8	2.6	$12,500	4.0	20	1.3	62%	615	610
24.	Sociology, University of Washington-Seattle Campus	9.2	6.7	79%	3.7	8.8	4.0	$12,626	6.4	30	2.5	67%	610	590
25.	Sociology, University of New Hampshire-Main Campus	8.8	5.7	75%*	2.0	2.6	2.0	$14,135	2.0	13	1.0	72%	570	560
26.	Sociology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	8.5	7.3	83%	3.1	8.4	3.3	$14,714	4.0	35	1.4	68%	675	615
27.	Sociology, Emory University	8.4	7.9	100%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$16,296	3.4	22*	2.6*	39%	700	680
28.	Sociology, University of Akron Main Campus	8.2	6.9	88%	1.6	2.2	1.3	$12,298	2.0	17	1.2	57%*	623*	605*
29.	Sociology, University of California-San Francisco	8.0	6.2†	83%†	2.6	25.7	2.5	$25,283*	2.6†	17	1.8	57%*	623*	605*
30.	Sociology, Cornell University-Ny State Statutory Colleges	7.8	7.3*	72%*	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$15,051*	2.2	22*	2.6*	30%	680	665
31.	Sociology, University of Florida	7.4	5.7	64%	2.7	6.5	2.7	$14,426	5.0	35	0.6	57%	640	620
31.	Demography Graduate Group (Soc. Dept.), University of Pennsylvania	7.4	6.1†	68%†	3.7	10.6	4.0	$18,171†	10.0†	31	1.9	21%†	725†	705†
31.	Sociology, University of Pennsylvania	7.4	6.1†	68%†	3.7	10.6	4.0	$18,171†	10.0†	31	1.9	21%†	725†	705†
34.	Sociology, University of Miami	7.3	6.9	80%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$15,255	2.6	22*	2.6*	46%	640	620
35.	Sociology, Tulane University of Louisiana	7.0	6.1	75%	1.7	3.9	1.9	$15,879	2.4	13	2.6	45%	680	670
36.	Sociology, Indiana University-Bloomington	6.6	6.9†	93%†	3.9	6.6	3.9	$13,216†	7.2†	30	2.5	85%†	560†	550†
37.	Rural Sociology, South Dakota State University	6.5	4.8	63%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$13,684	4.6	22*	2.6*	93%	623*	605*
38.	Sociology, Brigham Young University	5.3	8.9	71%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$9,790	1.8	22*	2.6*	78%	620	605
39.	Sociology, Stony Brook University	5.0	8.2	77%	3.3	3.5	3.3	$12,370	3.2	23	3.2	51%	610	570
39.	Sociology, Wayne State University	5.0	6.7	63%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$12,643	4.0	22*	2.6*	63%	623*	605*
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (-3)	# Fac (-2)	Stu / Fac (-3)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
41.	Sociology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	4.8	8.2	70%	3.2	7.2	3.3	$12,805	5.4	25	1.7	70%	630	600
42.	Sociology, Northwestern University	4.7	8.7	74%	3.6	7.8	4.1	$17,240	6.0	25	2.8	30%	715	695
43.	Sociology, University of Arizona	4.5	7.7	87%	3.4	4.2	3.8	$12,863	5.8	19	3.1	88%	565	560
43.	Sociology, University of Kansas Main Campus	4.5	8.5	75%	2.1	2.8	2.1	$11,533	3.2	16	1.3	69%	623*	605*
45.	Sociology, Florida State University	4.4	7.7	79%	3.0	4.0	3.0	$14,929	3.2	22	2.1	62%	585	575
46.	Sociology, University of Virginia-Main Campus	4.1	7.8	61%	2.5	3.0	2.6	$13,405	4.4	14	2.4	38%	670	655
47.	Sociology, University of Pittsburgh-Main Campus	3.9	7.2	71%	2.2	3.5	2.2	$14,947	2.0	17	2.6	49%	625	610
48.	Sociology, Teachers College at Columbia University	3.5	7.3*	75%*	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$17,749*	1.2	22*	2.6*	57%*	623*	605*
49.	Sociology, University of Illinois at Chicago	3.4	7.7†	67%†	2.4	5.7	2.7	$15,476†	2.2†	27	0.9	58%†	605†	570†
50.	Sociology, The University of Tennessee	3.1	5.7	71%	1.2	1.3	1.6	$13,774	4.2	13	1.5	44%	555	555
51.	Sociology, Washington State University	2.9	6.7	79%	3.0	5.5	3.1	$13,854	5.8	26	2.5	74%	560	545
52.	Sociology, University of Notre Dame	2.5	7.7	70%	2.6	3.4	2.6	$14,992	6.6	23	2.0	32%	700	685
52.	Sociology, Western Michigan University	2.5	6.7	76%	1.5	0.4	1.3	$12,164	3.4	18	1.6	85%	623*	605*
54.	Sociology, Boston College	1.9	7.9	58%	2.5	14.8	2.3	$14,266	6.0	17	3.7	31%	680	655
54.	Sociology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale	1.9	6.7	75%	1.4	1.6	1.6	$11,636	3.8	11	1.6	77%	520	520
56.	Sociology - SOC, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	1.7	5.7	58%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$18,484	2.4	22*	2.6*	72%	615	585
57.	Sociology, Syracuse University	1.2	5.2	58%	2.5	1.8	2.2	$17,657	4.0	19	2.3	65%	620	595
58.	Sociology, Colorado State University	1.1	7.3*	75%*	1.5	1.4	1.4	$14,102*	1.2	14	1.4	88%	565	555
59.	Sociology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	0.6	7.2	74%	4.1	15.1	4.4	$14,399	12.4	36	4.5	57%	680	640
60.	Sociology, Iowa State University	0.4	5.5	70%	2.8	6.4	2.2	$17,919	5.2	35	1.4	90%	620	595
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (-3)	# Fac (-2)	Stu / Fac (-3)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
61.	Sociology, Rutgers University-New Brunswick/Piscataway	0.3	8.0	83%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$14,982	5.8	22*	2.6*	61%	615	580
61.	Sociology, University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	0.3	6.0	86%	0.9	1.1	1.3	$17,547	1.2	9	2.3	77%	565	545
63.	Sociology, Mississippi State University	0.2	7.9	86%	1.5	0.8	1.3	$11,908	4.8	16	2.1	69%	623*	605*
63.	Sociology, New York University	0.2	8.0	75%	2.9	1.8	3.3	$18,357	5.8	21	2.4	37%	665	665
65.	Sociology, Ohio State University-Main Campus	0.1	7.2	82%	3.2	6.9	3.3	$15,072	6.8	32	2.8	73%	580	560
66.	Sociology, SUNY at Buffalo	-0.2	6.7	53%	1.7	4.5	1.8	$11,959	3.8	12	3.3	56%	595	565
67.	Sociology - SOCI, University of Kentucky	-0.5	6.8	62%	2.4	2.4	2.4	$12,008	5.6	26	2.0	79%	575	565
68.	Sociology, University of Chicago	-1.0	7.9	81%	4.3	17.2	4.8	$17,977	13.4	25	6.2	40%	715	725
69.	Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham	-1.1	6.5	62%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$17,186	3.2	22*	2.6*	88%	570	560
70.	Sociology, Brandeis University	-1.5	8.4	73%	2.3	2.5	2.2	$15,316	2.4	11	5.3	40%	675	675
70.	Sociology, University of Connecticut	-1.5	8.1	75%	2.2	0.9	2.5	$14,790	3.0	26	2.5	51%	600	585
72.	Sociology, University of New Mexico-Main Campus	-1.6	6.8	31%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$12,264	2.8	22*	2.6*	74%	535	540
72.	Gerontology, University of Southern California	-1.6	8.2†	72%†	2.7	3.6	2.8	$16,572†	5.2†	19	4.2	27%†	690†	665†
72.	Sociology (excluding Criminology), University of Southern California	-1.6	8.2†	72%†	2.7	3.6	2.8	$16,572†	5.2†	19	4.2	27%†	690†	665†
75.	Sociology, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus	-2.1	7.6	80%	1.1	7.7	1.2	$17,204	3.0	11	2.3	86%	623*	605*
76.	Sociology and Anthropology, Howard University	-2.7	6.9	37%	1.8	1.4	1.6	$11,140	4.0	14	2.4	47%	565	560
77.	Sociology, SUNY at Albany	-3.4	8.7	68%	3.2	10.1	3.2	$12,595	9.0	24	3.3	56%	575	555
78.	Sociology and Social Work, Texas Woman's University	-3.8	6.5	47%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$16,687	2.4	22*	2.6*	64%	480	485
78.	Sociology, University of Utah	-3.8	9.7	77%*	1.5	0.1	1.3	$13,098*	0.6	15	2.4	86%	623*	605*
80.	Sociology, Bowling Green State University-Main Campus	-3.9	5.7	56%	1.6	1.0	1.6	$15,881*	3.4	20	1.2	90%	515	515
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (-3)	# Fac (-2)	Stu / Fac (-3)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
81.	Sociology, University of South Carolina-Columbia	-4.3	6.7	85%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$24,196	3.8	22*	2.6*	67%	580	570
82.	Sociology, Utah State University	-4.5	8.7	69%	1.3	1.7	1.1	$13,162	3.2	15	0.7	92%	555	550
83.	Sociology, Florida International University	-4.6	5.9	36%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$17,581	4.6	22*	2.6*	61%	550	555
83.	Sociology & Anthropology, Purdue University-Main Campus	-4.6	6.5	77%	2.4	1.9	2.4	$12,056	10.4	33	2.1	85%	590	555
83.	Sociology, University of Nevada-Las Vegas	-4.6	9.7	77%*	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$14,868*	2.0	22*	2.6*	81%	515	500
86.	Sociology and Anthropology, Loyola University Chicago	-4.8	7.5	82%	2.0	0.5	2.0	$14,262	4.4	10	5.2	74%	585	590
86.	Sociology, The University of Texas at Austin	-4.8	6.2	65%	3.6	7.7	3.6	$18,426	13.6	38	1.5	51%	630	605
88.	Sociology (including Criminal Justice), Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	-5.1	6.9	68%	2.2	1.9	2.1	$21,510	3.2	24	1.1	78%	600	575
88.	Rural Sociology, University of Missouri-Columbia	-5.1	8.9†	65%†	2.1	1.9	2.1	$12,268†	6.2†	17	2.1	83%†	595†	600†
88.	Sociology, University of Missouri-Columbia	-5.1	8.9†	65%†	2.1	1.9	2.1	$12,268†	6.2†	17	2.1	83%†	595†	600†
91.	Sociology, Michigan State University	-5.9	9.6	78%	2.7	3.9	2.7	$11,006	5.8	26	3.9	76%	585	555
92.	Sociology, University of Oregon	-6.9	8.7	56%	2.2	2.7	2.3	$13,284	4.4	21	2.2	91%	560	555
93.	Sociology, Northeastern University	-7.0	9.7	53%	2.0	11.3	2.0	$15,739	6.0	24	1.4	47%	625	605
94.	Sociology, University of Iowa	-7.2	7.5	77%	2.9	6.4	2.8	$27,018	4.2	17	1.9	84%	600	585
95.	Sociology, Georgia State University	-7.4	8.0	72%	1.0	3.0	1.1	$18,452	3.2	10	1.7	56%	550	540
96.	Sociology, Texas A & M University	-8.2	7.2	58%	2.7	4.5	2.5	$22,228	5.4	25	1.8	70%	615	585
97.	Sociology, University of Hawaii at Manoa	-8.3	8.7	36%	1.2	0.5	1.6	$10,330	3.4	19	1.7	65%	570	535
98.	Sociology, American University	-8.8	6.9	59%	1.4	0.6	1.5	$15,673	6.0	13	4.4	51%	625	645
99.	Sociology, University of California-San Diego	-9.1	8.0	74%	3.0	2.0	3.3	$26,931	5.0	34	1.4	39%	655	605
99.	Sociology and Rural Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison	-9.1	7.9	83%	4.6	9.6	4.7	$12,640	17.4	69	3.2	71%	650	615
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (-3)	# Fac (-2)	Stu / Fac (-3)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
101.	Sociology, SUNY at Binghamton	-9.8	8.8	69%	2.8	1.5	3.0	$12,093	7.2	13	8.0	43%	650	615
102.	Sociology, University of Colorado at Boulder	-9.9	7.1	66%	2.3	4.7	2.3	$16,035	9.8	22	3.2	88%	600	580
103.	Sociology, Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	-10.3	4.9	75%	0.7	0.2	0.6	$16,407	3.4	10	7.0	51%	565	555
104.	Sociology, University of Massachusetts-Amherst	-10.6	10.7	71%	2.9	3.8	2.8	$17,645	3.4	23	2.9	80%	575	565
105.	Sociology, Columbia University in the City of New York	-11.3	8.1	69%	3.3	3.8	3.8	$27,072	9.8	19	4.2	13%	725	715
106.	Sociology, Temple University	-11.5	8.1	56%	2.0	2.9	2.2	$18,752	3.8	25	2.5	63%	550	540
107.	Sociology, University of California-Santa Barbara	-12.0	8.2	79%	3.1	11.2	3.3	$29,796	6.4	25	2.6	53%	600	580
107.	Sociology, University of North Texas	-12.0	7.8	63%	1.2	0.3	1.1	$17,135	5.2	18	1.8	69%	555	545
109.	Sociology, Arizona State University at the Tempe Campus	-13.0	6.7	65%	1.7	3.2	1.9	$23,692	3.4	15	3.4	91%	560	550
109.	Sociology, University of California-Irvine	-13.0	9.5	63%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$26,958	1.2	22*	2.6*	52%	620	580
111.	Sociology, University of California-Riverside	-13.2	7.4	68%	2.9	4.6	3.3	$27,976	6.2	18	2.2	74%	565	510
112.	Sociology, Fordham University	-13.9	9.1	56%	1.2	2.1	1.4	$16,453	2.0	12	5.1	50%	590	600
113.	Sociology, University of California-Berkeley	-14.5	8.2†	80%†	3.6	2.3	4.6	$29,414†	10.6†	33	3.3	25%†	685†	645†
114.	Sociology, University of California-Davis	-14.8	8.5†	71%†	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$28,043†	5.0†	22*	2.6*	55%†	615†	565†
115.	Native American Studies, University of California-Davis	-15.6	8.5†	71%†	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$28,043†	5.8†	22*	2.6*	55%†	615†	565†
116.	Demography, University of California-Berkeley	-16.0	8.2†	80%†	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$29,414†	10.6†	22*	2.6*	25%†	685†	645†
117.	Sociology, North Carolina State University at Raleigh	-17.0	8.7	65%	2.4	3.8	2.1	$25,486	6.0	28	2.0	59%	615	580
118.	Sociology, Kent State University-Kent Campus	-17.4	10.2	85%	1.1	2.8	1.2	$17,952	3.2	13	3.8	94%	515	515
119.	Sociology, The New School	-20.1	8.7	67%	2.6*	5.8*	2.7*	$26,470	9.8	22*	2.6*	51%	560	565
120.	Sociology, University of California-Los Angeles	-20.7	8.7	73%	3.8	10.0	4.4	$28,900	12.0	73	1.9	23%	665	630
Rank	Department	Your Score	Yrs (-3)	Job (2)	Ed Eff (2)	Cite / Fac (2)	Fac Qual (2)	Cost / Year (-5)	Deg / Yr (-3)	# Fac (-2)	Stu / Fac (-3)	UG Acc (-1)	SAT-M (1)	SAT-V (1)
Adjust your weights →			-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+	-+
121.	Sociology, University of California-Santa Cruz	-24.1	8.7	69%	2.4	1.0	2.4	$33,926	3.4	11	4.1	69%	585	580
122.	Sociology (Doctorate Only), CUNY Graduate School and University Center	-32.2	9.4	63%	2.6	0.8	2.9	$21,795*	10.8	23	9.3	57%*	623*	605*

Unranked Sociology Graduate Schools

Item Descriptions

Your Score

Your customized program score is a weighted sum of points for each item. The weights were selected on this page. For an item with importance weight W, a program receives W × S points for being S standard deviations above average. Larger values are better.

Years to Degree (Yrs)

Median time lapse from entering graduate school at the doctorate-granting institution to receipt of doctorate in years. Note that time spent obtaining a master's degree at a different institution is not counted. Your weight = -3. Smaller values are better. (SED, 2000-2004)

Placement Rate (Job)

Percentage of doctorate recipients from the program with definite plans at graduation (either a job or a postdoctoral position). Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (SED, 2000-2004)

Educational Effectiveness (Ed Eff)

Program effectiveness in educating research scholars and scientists, 1993. Scale of 0 to 5, with 0 denoting "Not Effective" and 5 denoting "Extremely Effective." Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Citations per Faculty Member (Cite / Fac)

The ratio of the number of citations of program publications in the period 1988-1992 to the number of program faculty. Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Faculty Quality (Fac Qual)

Scholarly quality of program faculty, 1993. Scale of 0 to 5, with 0 denoting "Not sufficient for doctoral education" and 5 denoting "Distinguished." Your weight = 2. Larger values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Cost Per Year (Cost / Year)

Low yearly cost (tuition, fees, room and board, other expenses) for an out of state student living on campus. Assumes median tuition remission. Your weight = -5. Smaller values are better. (IPEDS, 2001-2005)

Doctorates Granted per Year (Deg / Yr)

The average number of doctorates granted by the program per year between 2001 and 2005. Your weight = -3. Smaller values are better. (IPEDS, 2001-2005)

Number of Faculty (# Fac)

Total number of faculty participating in the program. Your weight = -2. Smaller values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Grad Student / Faculty Ratio (Stu / Fac)

The number of graduate students per faculty member. Your weight = -3. Smaller values are better. (NRC, 1995)

Undergraduate Acceptance Rate (UG Acc)

The percentage of applicants the institution accepts into its undergraduate programs. Your weight = -1. Smaller values are better. (IPEDS, 2005)

Math SAT Score (SAT-M)

The average of the 25th and 75th percentile mathematics SAT scores for undergraduates at the institution. Your weight = 1. Larger values are better. (IPEDS, 2005)

Verbal SAT Score (SAT-V)

The average of the 25th and 75th percentile verbal SAT scores for undergraduates at the institution. Your weight = 1. Larger values are better. (IPEDS, 2005)

Missing Values

Missing values have been replaced with the average value for all programs in the field.

Data Sources

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

IPEDS is an annual, comprehensive set of surveys of all colleges and universities in the United States. The surveys are conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.  Learn more

National Research Council

The National Research Council conducts assessments of doctoral programs in the United States every 10 to 15 years). The data we use are from the most recent assessment, the 1995 study Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States: Continuity and Change. Learn more about the NRC study's methods here; order a copy here. The next NRC assessment is scheduled for release in Summer 2009.  Learn more

Survey of Earned Doctorates

The NSF/NIH/NEH/USED/USDA/NASA Survey of Earned Doctorates is an annual survey of all new recipients of doctorates from US universities at graduation. The average of the response rates for the 2000–2004 surveys was 92%.  Learn more

Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering

The Survey is an annual assessment of the number and characteristics of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in science, engineering, and health-related fields. It is conducted by the National Science Foundation.  Learn more