Stetson named fourth best regional university in South in U.S. News & World Report rankings

Mark Harper, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·3 min read

Stetson University moved up a notch in the 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report college rankings released Monday, while many other local and state schools earned recognition.

Stetson, whose main campus is in DeLand, was rated the No. 4 school on the best regional universities (South) list. That was up from No. 5 last year.

Rollins College of Winter Park remained at No. 1 on that list.

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Michael T. Davis speaks at the Stetson Convocation ceremony at Stetson University in August. The DeLand school was named the No. 4 best regional university in the South in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Michael T. Davis speaks at the Stetson Convocation ceremony at Stetson University in August. The DeLand school was named the No. 4 best regional university in the South in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Stetson was recognized as No. 12 in Best Undergraduate Teaching, No.12 in Best Value School and No. 29 in Top Performer on Social Mobility.

“Stetson University offers a world-class education built on academic excellence, small-class sizes and our esteemed faculty,” said President Christopher Roellke. “We immerse students in hands-on learning outside the classroom, providing opportunities to study abroad, get internships and conduct research in close collaboration with their professors.”

How did Embry-Riddle do?

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach campus finished 13th in the best regional universities South category. The school had been 10th the previous year.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University finished 13th among regional universities in the South in the 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The school's worldwide campus was ranked as the No. 1 online bachelor's program in the U.S. News survey announced in January.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University finished 13th among regional universities in the South in the 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The school's worldwide campus was ranked as the No. 1 online bachelor's program in the U.S. News survey announced in January.

Embry-Riddle was No. 4 for best colleges for veterans and tied for 12th in undergraduate teaching.

And it was tied with the College of Charleston for No. 2 most innovative school in the South, with Appalachian State University in North Carolina topping that list.

ERAU was tied with the University of Texas for 8th in undergraduate aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering. Georgia Tech was first on that list, followed by MIT, University of Michigan, Cal Tech, Purdue, Stanford and the University of Illinois.

"Our No. 1 priority is personal attention to student success," Embry-Riddle President Barry Butler said. "This independent ranking underscores our unwavering commitment to prepare tomorrow's leaders in aviation, aerospace, business, cybersecurity, engineering and STEM fields."

B-CU, Keiser, Florida universities land on lists

Lawrence Drake, now the interim president of Bethune-Cookman University, is seen speaking to an audience at the school's March B-CU Now, Next & Beyond visioning session.
Lawrence Drake, now the interim president of Bethune-Cookman University, is seen speaking to an audience at the school's March B-CU Now, Next & Beyond visioning session.

Bethune-Cookman University was tied for 49th among historically Black colleges and universities. The school was cited as tied for 18th in top performer among liberal arts colleges on social mobility, a measure of how well schools accept and graduate economically disadvantaged students. Salem College in North Carolina was No. 1 in this category.

Also scoring high in social mobility was Keiser University, a private, nonprofit school based in Fort Lauderdale with campuses across Florida, including one in Daytona Beach. Keiser was No. 1 among national universities in social mobility.

“We are humbled to be recognized so prominently among the best school in the nation as the top university in the country in providing social mobility to students,” said Arthur Keiser, the school's chancellor. “Keiser University is dedicated to creating an inclusive future for all by providing access and opportunity to a diverse population of students and helping them create positive outcomes in their lives.”

Keiser was No. 219 among national universities, a category led by Princeton University in New Jersey.

The University of Florida in Gainesville came in 29th in national universities, down one place from its ranking last year, a 28th place tie. However, the school was celebrating its tie for fifth-best public school with the University of North Carolina. The University of California-Berkeley ranked No. 1, followed by the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia.

Other Florida schools ranked among the 443 national universities include:

  • Florida State University, tied for 55th

  • University of Miami, tied for 55th

  • University of South Florida, tied for 97th

  • University of Central Florida, tied for 137th

  • Florida International University, tied for 151st

  • University of North Florida, tied for 263rd

  • Florida Atlantic University, tied for 263rd

An earlier version of this story mischaracterized Keiser University. It is a nonprofit institution.

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This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Where did Stetson, ERAU, Bethune land in best college rankings?