University of Nevada, Reno - Earning Site USA

University of Nevada, Reno: Ranking Overview

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) is a public research university located in Reno, Nevada. Over recent years it has made steady progress in various national and global rankings, which measure quality of education, research output, reputation, student outcomes, and other metrics.

Below are the most up-to-date rankings (as of 2024-2025) from major ranking organizations, followed by in-depth analysis of what these numbers mean, how they are computed, and how UNR compares to peer institutions.

Key Rankings (2024-2025)

Ranking Organization	UNR Ranking / Position	What It Measures / Notes
U.S. News & World Report (2026 Best Colleges, USA)	#192 among National Universities (up 12 spots) University of Nevada, Reno	Measures include graduation rate, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumnus giving, reputation, etc. University of Nevada, Reno
U.S. News – Top Public Schools	#104 among public institutions University of Nevada, Reno
U.S. News – Graduate & Subject-level Rankings	Several programs ranked: undergraduate engineering (#150), computer science (#193), psychology (#130), nursing etc. University of Nevada, Reno
U.S. News – National Universities (2025)	#204 (tie) U.S. News +1
Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)	#706 globally for 2025, national rank ~159 in USA CWUR
EduRank	#385 globally; #129 among U.S. universities; ranks vary by subject (e.g. #55 in Entomology, #113 in Mining Engineering) EduRank
QS World University Rankings (QS WUR)	#1001-1200 globally for QS 2026 Top Universities +2 Top Universities +2
Other Rankings / Specialty Indicators:	• U.S. News Best Global Universities = #779 globally U.S. News • CWUR 2024 world rank ~700 (out of ~21,000) CWUR +1 • Social mobility, veterans’ support, online education also appear in ranking breakdowns. nshe.nevada.edu +3 University of Nevada, Reno +3 University of Nevada, Reno +3

How UNR’s Rankings Have Evolved

Recent upward momentum: In the U.S. News national universities category, UNR improved: from about #204 in 2025 to #192 in 2026.
University of Nevada, Reno
Public school rankings: Among public universities, UNR has risen in its category (Top Public Schools).
University of Nevada, Reno
Subject-level improvements: Some undergraduate programs (engineering, computer science, psychology, etc.) have seen ranking gains.
University of Nevada, Reno
On global scales (QS, CWUR, EduRank), UNR tends to be mid-tier among U.S. research universities – showing solid research output, moderate reputation, but not (yet) among the world elite.

Components & Factors in Ranking

To understand what these numbers mean, it’s essential to know how rankings are constructed. Here are some of the key metrics and how UNR performs in them:

Research Output & Quality
- Publications, citations, faculty awards. <br> UNR’s global presence is reflected in CWUR and EduRank, where research rank is a significant component.
- CWUR
- +2
- EduRank
- +2
- Sometimes, subject-level rankings (e.g. civil engineering, biology) show relative strength/comparative weakness depending on research depth.
Academic & Faculty Resources
- Faculty credentials, student-faculty ratios, infrastructure. These are considered heavily in rankings like U.S. News.
Student Outcomes
- Graduation rates, retention rates, social mobility, post-graduation success. <br> U.S. News uses outcome metrics heavily. UNR’s moving up in national rankings suggests improvements in these areas.
- University of Nevada, Reno
- +1
Selectivity / Student Profile
- Accepted student credentials, test scores, etc. UNR’s acceptance rate is relatively high (i.e. not extremely selective) which can pull down ranking in some areas.
- U.S. News
Financial / Public Support & Resources
- Funding, endowment, facilities, online / remote education options, support for veterans. UNR gets credit in some rankings for its veteran-friendly policies and online education programs.
- University of Nevada, Reno
Reputation / Peer Assessment
- Surveys among academic peers, high school counselors, employers. These can lag behind more objective metrics; universities with higher global profile often do better here.
Special Categories
- Social mobility, diversity, accessibility, cost, economic diversity, etc. For instance, New York Times’ College Access Index and rankings for veterans. UNR appears well in some of these.
- University of Nevada, Reno
- +2
- nshe.nevada.edu
- +2

Strengths & Areas for Improvement

Strengths

Rising trajectory: UNR is showing improvement in national rankings, especially in categories like Top Public Schools and some undergraduate programs.
Good value & accessibility: For many students (especially in-state), UNR offers reasonable tuition and costs relative to what you get. The acceptance rate is higher, making access easier.
Strong subject programs: Engineering, computer science, nursing, psychology appear to be among more competitive programs.
Online / Veteran / Social Mobility Recognition: UNR has picked up rankings or good scores in veteran affairs, online master’s in education, social mobility in certain metrics. Those are increasingly valued by students and ranking bodies alike.

Areas for Improvement

Global reputation and ranking: In rankings like QS, where peer reputation and international visibility matter a lot, UNR is currently in the 1001-1200 band. To improve, more high-impact research, international collaboration, and global presence may help.
Selectivity / Student academic metrics: Raising the average credentials of admitted students (GPA, test scores) could help in rankings that weigh those heavily.
Research intensity: More high-profile publications, more faculty with significant research recognition (awards, grants) help.
Alumni & peer perception: Often, reputation lags behind objective metrics. Building stronger alumni engagement, outreach, brand recognition would help.
Graduate program reputation & resources: Some graduate programs are doing well, but spreading strength more uniformly across disciplines will improve overall ranking.

How UNR Compares to Peer Institutions

To put UNR’s ranking in context:

Many large public research universities in the U.S., especially in western states, are UNR’s peers. Some may have higher rankings because of longer established reputation or more funding; others may be similar or lower in certain niche areas.
For students considering cost vs outcome, UNR often offers a favorable balance: strong programs at relatively affordable cost, especially for residents.
In global rankings, UNR is mid-tier among U.S. institutions. It is not yet in the top 500 globally in many systems like QS or THE (Times Higher Education), but it is performing respectably, given its size, funding, and profile.

Why These Rankings Matter

For prospective students, researchers, funders, and policy makers, rankings can inform decisions. Here are key reasons:

Decision making for students: Applicants use rankings to assess academic quality, return on investment, and post-graduation outcomes. UNR’s improvements are a positive signal.
Reputation & partnerships: Rankings feed into reputation; higher ranking helps attract faculty, research grants, partnerships with industry and other universities.
Funding & policy: Public universities often rely on state funding, grants, and donor contributions; rankings can influence these, especially in competitive grant applications where reputation, output, and impact are key.
Alumni, employer view & access: Employer perception, alumni networks, and the ability to place graduates matter. Higher rankings often mean better visibility and perceived prestige.
Benchmarking & continuous improvement: Universities use rankings to see where they’re strong and where to focus improvements (e.g. graduate programs, student retention, research output).

Detailed Ranking Breakdowns: What the Numbers Show

Let’s dig deeper into some of the most recent numbers and what they imply:

U.S. News & World Report (2026): UNR is No. 192 among national universities. Among public schools, it is No. 104. These numbers are not just about prestige—they reflect improvements in multiple dimensions: student success, faculty resources, and selectivity.
University of Nevada, Reno
Program-level strength: Undergraduate engineering ranks ~150, undergrad computer science ~193, psychology ~130. Strong performance in these areas helps attract students and grants in STEM fields.
University of Nevada, Reno
CWUR (2025): Globally #706, with U.S. national rank around 159. This ranking takes into account more global cohorts of universities, so being in top ~700-800 shows good research volume and impact, though leaves room for growth relative to major research universities.
CWUR
EduRank: Ranks UNR #385 globally, #129 in the U.S., showing better standing in research output, citations, as well as alumni impact in certain fields. Also subject rankings like #55 in Entomology, #113 in Mining Engineering suggest niche areas where UNR is relatively strong.
EduRank
QS Rankings: Being in the #1001-1200 band globally means UNR is recognized in QS, but has not yet broken into higher tiers. QS places weight on international reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratios, etc., so improving in those can help.
Top Universities
+1

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Rankings for veterans & online programs

What the Future Might Hold for UNR

Given the past and recent trends, here’s what could help UNR improve further, and what to watch for in coming years:

Expanding research impact
- More publications in top-tier journals, increased grant funding, expanded collaboration internationally.
- Attracting star faculty or those with high citation impact.
Enhancing graduate programs
- Graduate rankings often help boost overall reputation. Better facilities, funding, outcomes for PhD and master’s students matter.
Improving student outcomes
- Increasing retention rates (first-year to second year), improving 6-year graduation rates, especially among underrepresented / economically disadvantaged students.
Boosting reputation & visibility
- More marketing, outreach, industry partnerships; showcasing student and alumni success.
- Expanding international student presence and global research collaborations.
Focus on value / access
- As cost of education rises, universities offering strong education at lower cost may gain more in rankings that include value metrics. UNR’s in-state advantages / public mission can be leveraged.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, social mobility
- More emphasis on diversity, inclusion, economic accessibility, support for veterans and remote learners. Many rankings now include these. UNR already gets credit in some such metrics; progress here will be rewarded.

Caveats & Things to Keep in Mind

While rankings are useful, they come with limitations. Here are important caveats:

Methodological differences: Different ranking bodies use different weightings. What helps in US News may not help in QS or THE. A school strong in research but modest in reputation, or vice versa, may rank differently.
Lag in perception metrics: Reputation surveys often lag real changes. Even if UNR is improving, peer perception might take time to catch up.
Data quality & transparency: Some ranking systems rely heavily on self-reported data, others on publication databases; there can be variability.
Overemphasis on metrics vs individual priorities: For many students, factors like location, cost, faculty mentorship, fit, campus culture often matter more than small differences in ranking numbers.
Ranking vs mission: UNR is a land-grant public university, with missions including serving the state, accessibility, research, public service. Some ranking metrics may undervalue public service or outreach.

Comparative Snapshot: UNR vs Selected Peers

Here’s how UNR compares with some peer institutions in certain metrics:

Institution	Approx US News National Universities Rank	QS Global Band / Rank	Comments
University of Nevada, Reno	~#192-204 University of Nevada, Reno +1	#1001-1200 (QS) Top Universities +1	Good value, strong in certain subjects, improving trajectory.
Similar state public university (mid-sized)	Often lower or similar in US News, may have stronger research or reputation depending on state / funding	Possibly similar QS bands unless international recognition is high.	Many public universities face similar tradeoffs: cost vs prestige vs research facilities.

This kind of comparison shows that UNR is competitive, especially when value, cost, accessibility, and program strengths are taken into account. For some students, especially non‐elite or regionally based ones, the trade off is often favorable.

What Students & Stakeholders Should Look For

For prospective students, parents, faculty, or partners looking at UNR’s ranking, here are what to consider:

Program-specific ranking: If you are interested in engineering, or nursing, or another field, look not just at overall ranking but subject ranking. UNR has strengths in engineering, psychology etc.
Cost vs return: How much you pay (tuition, living costs) vs what you get in terms of academic training, job placements, network. UNR’s public status and location may offer lower costs, especially in-state.
Graduate outcomes: What do alumni do? What are employment rates, average salaries, internship opportunities?
Support systems: For first-generation students, online students, veterans, students needing financial aid. UNR is getting positive marks in some of these.
Facilities & campus resources: Labs, libraries, research centers; faculty access; funding for undergrad research etc. These matter both for rankings and for student experience.

Conclusion

In summary, the University of Nevada, Reno holds a solid and improving position in national and global university rankings. While it is not yet among the world’s most elite institutions, its trajectory is upward, with particular strengths in certain programs, public service, and accessibility. For many students and stakeholders, UNR offers a compelling balance of value, academic quality, and opportunity.