SIUE Debuts Among Washington Monthly’s Top National Universities

EDWARDSVILLE, IL – After being classified as a master’s-large institution for most of its history, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was reclassified in January 2019 by The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education to the newly created doctoral/professional universities category. The classification upgrade is significant as Washington Monthly has ranked SIUE 115th in its 2019 National University Rankings of 395 doctoral institutions.

SIUE was fourth among Illinois public institutions, behind the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois-Chicago, and Illinois State University. SIUE was rated ahead of a significant number of regional peers, including Missouri State (154), University of Missouri-St. Louis (176), SIU-Carbondale (257), Saint Louis University (259) and Lindenwood University (327). For the previous nine years, SIUE was in Washington Monthly’s Top 100 nationally for master’s universities.

For the complete listing, visit washingtonmonthly.com/2019college-guide/national. For the fourth consecutive year, SIUE is also included in the “Best Bang for the Buck” among Midwest institutions.

Unlike conventional college rankings, Washington Monthly evaluates an institution’s “contribution to the public good” in three broad categories: social mobility—educating low-income students; research—producing cutting-edge scholarship and PhDs; and service—encouraging students to give something back to their communities. The data is based on the three most recent fiscal years.

Washington Monthly’s annual rankings are significant as SIUE follows through on its mission to shape a changing world,” says SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook. “It is impressive for this emerging university to be included in the top third of institutions nationally.”

SIUE has invested an average of nearly $19 million in research expenditures during the past three fiscal years. This investment allows a significant number of SIUE undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to participate in research projects in their fields of study.

SIUE students have many opportunities to work on service projects throughout the year through the university’s Kimmel Student Involvement Center. Those initiatives include service-learning through coursework, volunteer projects, the SIUE Experience, scholarship requirements, the AmeriCorps America Reads program, and student organizations that track their service hours.

About Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose to shape a changing world. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research, and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of more than 13,000.

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.