U.S. News & World Report put out its 2027 rankings this week. New College of Florida came in at #150 among national liberal arts colleges — its fifth drop in five editions.
New College of Florida is now #150 in U.S. News. Before the 2023 takeover it was #76, its best rank ever.
Before 2023 the college was climbing. It went from #102 in the 2020 edition (Patch) to #84 (Sarasota Magazine), then #82 (Sarasota Magazine). It peaked at #76, its best ever, in the edition released in September 2022 (New College).
In January 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed new trustees. Richard Corcoran took over as president the next month (WFLX). The next edition dropped New College 24 spots to #100 (Tampa Bay Times via Yahoo). It has fallen in every edition since.
2020 edition: #102 (Patch)
2021 edition: #84 (Sarasota Magazine)
2022 edition: #82 (Sarasota Magazine)
2023 edition: #76 (New College)
2024 edition: #100 (Higher Ed Heist)
2025 edition: #122 (Higher Ed Heist)
2026 edition: #135 (Higher Ed Heist)
2027 edition: #150 (Higher Ed Heist)
Not just the big list
New College has also dropped among public liberal arts colleges, a list of fewer than 40 schools. It went from #5 in the 2023 edition to #16 today, including a fall from #10 to #16 this year alone (Florida Phoenix; Creative Loafing Tampa). In 2006 it was #1 (Tampa Bay Times via Yahoo).
Chart sources: Higher Ed Heist (overall); USA Today via Yahoo, Wikipedia, Florida Phoenix (public).
[FTIC vs. spending chart goes here]
What alumni and insiders are saying
“New College's ranking has fallen from 76 to 150. At this point, alumni are saying that the College's governing board has a duty to react.”
— William Rosenberg, President, Novo Collegian Alliance, via Higher Ed Heist
Higher Ed Heist laid out the five-edition slide the day the rankings came out, with statements from Novo Collegian Alliance leaders. Read the report →
Nathan Allen was New College's vice president for strategy from 2023 to 2024 (WUSF) and now writes about the college on Substack. “New College Responds to U.S. News Rankings Collapse” →
Novo Collegian Alliance is an independent New College alumni group that works outside the New College Foundation (The Catalyst). Reports →
Five editions. Five drops. 74 places.
All Good Here
An embarrassing mascot can’t be helping
More coverage: Florida Phoenix · Tampa Bay Times · Creative Loafing Tampa · Inside Higher Ed
