Atanasoff Today: Undergraduate program ranked among the best

Several national publications have ranked or recognized Iowa State University for its academic programs, value, commitment to public good and entrepreneurial spirit. Among these accolades is the 60th place (tied) for the U.S. News and World Report’s ranking of undergraduate computer science programs.

According to the U.S. News and World Report, Iowa State’s computer science program achieved a spot in its rankings after top academics and officials from computer science programs rated the overall quality of undergraduate programs with which they were familiar, on a 1-5 scale. A school’s undergraduate computer science rank is solely determined by the average of scores received from these surveys.

“It’s an exciting time for the Department of Computer Science, as we build on strong foundations with our alumni, donors and world-class faculty who have allowed us to succeed,” said Hridesh Rajan, Kingland Professor of Data Analytics and computer science department chair. “We’re honored to be ranked by U.S. News and we will continue to provide undergraduate students with cutting-edge educational and research opportunities, as well as access to faculty who are recognized leaders in their fields.”

In the 2022 U.S. News and World Report rankings, Iowa State tied for 58th among top public schools and tied for 122nd in the overall national rankings.

Methodology for the national rankings is based on student outcomes (graduation, retention rates), faculty resources (faculty salary, class size), academic reputation (judged by academics at peer institutions), financial resources (average spending per student), student excellence (SAT, ACT scores) and alumni giving.

In August, Washington Monthly released its 2021 National University Rankings, which measure university contributions to the public good in three categories (social mobility, research and promoting public service). Iowa State was the only public university in the state ranked in the top 30 for the overall rankings at 27th. The university was also listed in the following categories: Best Bang for the Buck and Best Colleges for Student Voting. Iowa State is ranked 11th among the top 50 undergraduate programs for entrepreneurship, and is the only Iowa university listed as a top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid (Public Schools) at 15th.