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Northwestern, University of Chicago drop in college rankings
Chicago Tribune • • nation
Key Points:
- Northwestern University and the University of Chicago remain in the top ten nationally, tied for 9th place, though both experienced slight drops from previous years.
- MIT overtook Princeton University as the top-ranked national school, influenced by changes in ranking criteria emphasizing affordability and long-term value.
- U.S. News introduced a new "Earnings by Major" metric focusing on post-graduation earnings of federal financial aid recipients, leading to about 20% of schools shifting in rankings and making 2027 rankings incomparable to prior years.
- Illinois Institute of Technology slightly declined in ranking amid recent layoffs, while Loyola University Chicago improved significantly by 11 spots.
- Among public universities, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign rose slightly to 34th place, whereas the University of Illinois Chicago dropped 11 spots to 95th place nationally.
