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Backed by strong marks in research quality and its teaching environment, the University of Michigan has maintained its No. 23 global ranking and No. 14 U.S. ranking in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

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• 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings

The annual list, which heavily weights research metrics and classroom environments across more than 2,200 international campuses, confirms that U-M remains a premier destination for global higher education and one of the top public research institutions in the nation.

U-M is one of only three public institutions in the United States to make the top 25. The others were the University of California, Berkeley (No. 9) and the University of California, Los Angeles (No. 20).

According to Times Higher Education, the 2027 World University Rankings judge research-intensive universities across their core missions of teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

The Times of Higher Education uses 18 calibrated performance indicators to measure an institution’s performance across five areas:

• Teaching (the learning environment) 29.5%.
• Research environment (volume, income and reputation) 29%.
• Research quality (citation impact, research strength, research excellence and research influence) 30%.
• International outlook (staff, students and collaboration) 7.5%.
• Industry (income and patents) 4%.

Times Higher Education is a prominent British data and news provider that specializes in higher education. Founded in 1971 as a weekly supplement in the UK, it delivers global data, news, analysis, and academic career resources for universities worldwide.

The University of Michigan-Flint’s enrollment climb continues, with the university recording its fourth consecutive year of fall growth and increasing total enrollment by more than 21% since 2022.

UM-Flint enrolled 7,258 students this fall, 139 more than last year’s enrollment of 7,119, an increase of nearly 2%. Since enrollment stood at 5,985 students in 2022, the university has added 1,273 students during its sustained four-year climb.

The numbers come from UM-Flint’s official fall enrollment reporting, which is used for state and national reporting. The latest increase follows year-over-year gains of 2.4%, 6.5% and 9% from 2023 to 2025.

This fall also marks the second consecutive year UM-Flint has surpassed 7,000 students, something the university had not accomplished in consecutive fall semesters since 2018 and 2019.

“Four consecutive years of enrollment growth tell us that students and families see something important happening at the University of Michigan-Flint,” said UM-Flint Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander. “They see a university that provides an outstanding education at an exceptional value, prepares students for meaningful careers and gives them the support they need to succeed. This growth belongs to our faculty and staff, whose commitment to our students makes that possible every day. As we celebrate our 70th anniversary, I believe this momentum says something important about both where we’ve been and where we’re going. UM-Flint was founded to create opportunity in this community, and 70 years later, we are building on that mission in ways that will serve our students, our region and the state of Michigan for generations to come.”

Growth was recorded at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Graduate enrollment stands at 1,649 students, while undergraduate enrollment totals 5,609.

The university also saw continued strength among returning students, with 3,378 continuing undergraduate students and 1,222 continuing graduate students enrolled this fall. First-time-in-college enrollment stands at 506 students.

“Students today are looking for an education that is academically rigorous, personally supportive and directly connected to the opportunities that await them after graduation,” said Abby Parrill-Baker, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “At UM-Flint, we continually evaluate and strengthen our academic programs to meet the evolving needs of students, employers and our communities. Our willingness to innovate across disciplines, combined with experiential learning opportunities, dedicated faculty mentors and a personalized educational experience, ensures our graduates are prepared to succeed in a rapidly changing world. That commitment is helping more students choose UM-Flint, persist in their studies and graduate ready to make a meaningful impact wherever their careers take them.”

Transfer enrollment also reached a record high for the second consecutive year, with 1,063 undergraduate transfer students enrolled this fall. Before last year, UM-Flint’s previous transfer enrollment record was 957 students, set in fall 2011.

“Joining UM-Flint at a time of such momentum is incredible, but four consecutive years of growth demonstrate that our approach is delivering real, lasting results,” said John Ambrose, vice chancellor for enrollment management. “The numbers this fall tell a clear story: Students are choosing UM-Flint because initiatives like the Go Blue Guarantee, combined with strong transfer enrollment and student persistence, create a clear path to an affordable, high-value degree. We aren’t just opening doors. We’re helping students achieve their career goals. My priority is to build on this foundation by expanding access and ensuring every student who chooses UM-Flint has the support needed to succeed through graduation.”

Each of UM-Flint’s five colleges and schools enrolled more than 1,000 students this fall. The College of Arts, Sciences and Education remains the university’s largest academic unit with 2,171 students, followed by the School of Management with 1,391, the College of Health Sciences with 1,353, the School of Nursing with 1,327 and the College of Innovation & Technology with 1,016.

Online-only enrollment also continues to grow, with 2,450 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled exclusively online this fall, a 14.8% increase from last year’s benchmark.

Students registered for 78,537 credit hours this fall, compared with 75,580 at last year’s official count, an increase of approximately 3.9%.

The University of Michigan’s longstanding record of excellence across academic disciplines is reflected once again in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, with U-M remaining among the nation’s top universities and receiving high marks for both academic quality and value.

U-M remains the No. 3 public university in the country for undergraduate education — and was named the best public university value in Michigan — according to the 2027 U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Colleges list.

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• U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges

U-M is ranked 25th overall among public and private institutions in the list released Sept. 22. The only other public institutions among the top 25 are the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles, tied at No. 20.

U-M ranked No. 1 in Michigan and No. 13 in the nation in the new Best Value In-State ranking, which recognizes public institutions that are above average academically and cost less than comparable schools after accounting for the average financial aid they dispense for in-state students with need. This measure is an expansion of the Best Value ranking, which only compares costs and aid for out-of-state students.

U-M’s high rankings reflect the value of the university’s expertise across academic disciplines and its ability to leverage that excellence at scale to educate students and prepare the next generation of leaders.

U.S. News also ranks undergraduate programs in business, computer science, economics, engineering, nursing and psychology.

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business maintained a No. 4 ranking on the overall list of undergraduate business programs. Five specialties within the Ross School were ranked in the top five of their disciplines: management (No. 2), marketing (No. 2), production/operations management (No. 2), entrepreneurship (No. 4) and finance (No. 3).

The College of Engineering was ranked No. 6 on the overall list of undergraduate engineering programs. Six specialties ranked in the top five in their disciplines: environmental/environmental health (No. 3), industrial/manufacturing/systems (No. 3), electrical/electronic/communications (No. 5), materials (No. 5), mechanical (No. 4), and aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical (No. 5).

The School of Nursing maintained its No. 6 ranking on the overall list of undergraduate nursing programs.

In addition, several U-M undergraduate programs were highly ranked among the more than 1,700 schools evaluated. U-M ranked:

• No. 4 for psychology.
• No. 4 for undergraduate research and creative projects.
• No. 11 for computer science.
• No. 12 for economics.
• No. 14 for teaching programs.

U-M also earned a No. 8 ranking on the U.S. News list of best colleges for veterans and a No. 14 ranking among its list of most innovative schools.

UM-Dearborn placed 227th and UM-Flint was ranked 353rd overall. This is the first year UM-Dearborn was included in the overall national university rankings, previously being ranked among regional midwest universities.

U.S. News & World Report’s measurements do not consider extracurricular offerings — including access to the arts, clinics, studios, athletics, recreational sports, clubs and civic organizations — which are an essential part of what makes a U-M experience special.

U.S. News evaluated more than 1,700 four-year, bachelor’s degree-granting institutions in compiling its annual list for 2027. The rankings are based on an overall score calculated from weighted measures across various categories including peer assessment, graduation rates, financial resources per student and faculty salaries. A new measure called Earnings by Major compares graduates’ earnings with typical earnings in the same fields of study. This measure replaces the median federal loan debt factor previously used in the ranking calculation.