The University of Central Florida slipped one spot in the latest U.S. News & World Report college rankings, joining most of Florida’s nationally ranked public universities in losing ground from last year.
UCF moved from No. 57 to No. 58 among public universities in the 2027 Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday. The university also placed No. 121 in the broader National Universities category, which includes both public and private institutions.
Five of the eight Florida public universities included in the national public-school rankings fell from their previous positions. Two moved up and one remained unchanged, according to a statewide breakdown from the Florida Phoenix.
- University of Florida (UF): No. 7 to No. 8
- Florida State University (FSU): No. 21 to No. 24
- University of South Florida (USF): No. 43 to No. 46
- University of North Florida (UNF): No. 122 to No. 128
Just two Florida schools moved up: Florida A&M University from No. 92 to No. 79 and Florida Atlantic University from No. 100 to No. 99. Florida International University remained unchanged at No. 46.
Florida Gulf Coast University, which ranked No. 170 last year, was not ranked this year.
The results leave UCF fifth among the eight ranked Florida public universities, behind UF, FSU, FIU and USF and ahead of FAMU, FAU and UNF.
U.S. News & World Report evaluates colleges using several measures of academic quality and student outcomes, including graduation and retention rates, faculty and financial resources, and peer assessments.
But UCF performed considerably higher in several of the publication’s individual categories.
The university ranked No. 12 nationally on the magazine’s Most Innovative Schools list and No. 5 among public universities, making it Florida’s highest-ranked public school in the category. UCF placed No. 49 nationally and No. 12 among public universities for undergraduate teaching.
UCF landed among the top 10 public universities for undergraduate research and creative projects and was the only Florida university recognized in that category, according to the university. More than 2,000 UCF undergraduates participate in research each year, according to UCF’s announcement of the new rankings.
The university also placed No. 28 for Best Value for In-State Students and No. 54 nationally for social mobility (No. 41 among public universities). Its undergraduate nursing, computer science and engineering programs were also recognized in this year’s rankings.
UCF emphasized those specialty rankings in an announcement Tuesday, noting the university has now been recognized as Florida’s most innovative school for 10 consecutive years.
“We are proud to see UCF recognized as Florida’s most innovative university and among the best in the nation for the opportunities we provide our students,” UCF President Alexander Cartwright said in the university’s announcement.
UCF’s placement looks considerably different under another national ranking system released less than a month earlier. Washington Monthly ranked UCF No. 11 among public universities in its 2026 College Guide. Unlike U.S. News, Washington Monthly evaluates universities largely on their contributions to the public good, and uses measures involving social mobility, research and service.
The contrasting results show how a university’s standing can vary depending on what a ranking system measures. For UCF, the latest U.S. News results represent a one-place shift overall, while several other Florida public universities saw larger changes this year.
