Tennessee Tech recognized again as one of the best national universities by U.S. News & World Report.
The honor marks 11 years in a row that Tennessee Tech made the rankings. The university climbed 31 spots from last year’s rankings, the largest year-to-year gain across all private and public schools in the state. Tennessee Tech Public Relations Director Jonathan Frank said the rankings reflect how the university continues to set the bar higher.
“I think if you’ve been on Tennessee Tech’s campus in the last couple of years, you know, there’s an energy and there’s a momentum that is hard to miss,” Frank said. “And these rankings are further evidence that we’re in the middle of a really exciting time in the history of this university.”
Tech ranks in the top 50 institutions nationwide for lowest median debt for graduates. It also features the lowest graduate debt of all public universities in the state. Frank said affordability and creating value for students are a priority for the university’s leadership.
“I think that’s part and parcel of our message of putting students first,” Frank said. “Nearly half of our graduates are able to leave Tech debt-free. And that is a point of pride for us. It’s also part of the reason, apart from these U.S. News rankings, we are also ranked as the number one best value public university in the state by SmartAsset. So I think that’s absolutely been a focus of university leadership.”
U.S. News also recognized Tech as one of the top schools for social mobility, business, computer science, engineering, nursing, and psychology.
Frank said the recognition gives a snapshot of the diversity of exceptional programs that the university offers.
“We have more than 225 fields of study for students to choose from, and so we want students to know, whatever your interests or career goals, there is a place for you on this campus,” Frank said. “I think a commitment to academic quality is at the heart of our mission here at Tennessee Tech. It’s why we do what we do, and it’s also part of what it means to produce career-ready graduates. You know, when students leave Tennessee Tech, we like to say that they are equipped to be successful in their careers, and that’s because of the high caliber of quality across our academic programs.”
Frank said the university has recorded its highest enrollment in a decade as well as the highest freshman retention rate in the university’s modern era. Frank said the commitment to excellence and setting the bar higher each year is transforming the footprint of Tennessee Tech.
Tech ranked 257th among public universities nationwide, tied with MTSU. UT Knoxville ranked 102nd.