last updated 22 Mar 2024
See Trump and Biden below
In a 2000 American Perspective Article, "Where Have You Gone, Franklin Roosevelt?", Michael Nelson says:
In 1948 Professor Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr. called on 55 of his fellow historians to grade each president (excluding the incumbent, Harry S. Truman) as either "great," "near great," "average," "below average," or a "failure." When Schlesinger averaged each president's grades, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, and Andrew Jackson scored as great presidents, Ulysses S. Grant and Warren G. Harding were rated as failures, and the rest fell in between.
There have been numerous studies since then.
My original rankings are based on averages of 6 quantitative rankings by groups of scholars from 1996 to 2016 as listed at Historical rankings at Wikipedia.
My latest iteration
uses two new rankings by Sienna College in 2022 using over 141 scholars ranking them on 20 different categories and the 2023 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey was conducted online
from November 15 to December 31, 2023. Respondents included current and recent members of the
Presidents & Executive Politics Section of the American Political Science Association, which is the
foremost organization of social science experts in presidential politics, as well as scholars who had recently published peer-reviewed academic research in key related scholarly journals or academic
presses. They had 154 contributors.
Presidents like Grant and Eisenhower have risen in the ranking since those earlier surveys.
In recent surveys George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Lyndon Johnson moved up. Regan has moved down.
Joe Biden entered at #14 in 1 survey and #19 in another.
I computed a 10 pt. rating by combined scores from these two survies and rank ordered them assigning ratings from 1 to 10 like grading on the curve with a normal distribution looking for groupings in the scores and ended with more 5s and 6s and than 9s and 10s or 1's, which you would expect.
Pty - Party: F- Federalist, D-R - Democratic-Republican, R-W National Republican/Whig, W - Whig
R - Republican, D - Democrat
No. | Name | Pty | State | Dates | Rat- ing | Previous |
1 |
Washington, George | F | VA | 1789-97 |
10 |
General |
2 |
Adams, John | F | MA | 1797-1801 |
7 |
VP - Founding Father from MA |
3 |
Jefferson, Thomas | D-R | VA | 1801-09 |
9 |
Founding Father from VA |
4 |
Madison, James | D-R | VA | 1809-17 |
7 |
Founding Father - Representative from VA -Father of the Constitution |
5 |
Monroe, James | D-R | VA | 1817-25 |
6 |
VA Senator |
6 |
Adams, John Quincy | R/W | MA | 1825-29 |
7 |
MA Monroe's Secy of State |
7 |
Jackson, Andrew | D | TN | 1829-37 |
6 |
TN War of 1812 General |
8 |
Van Buren, Martin | D | NY | 1837-41 |
5 |
In Jackson's cabinet |
9 |
Harrison, William Henry | W | IN | -1841 |
2 |
Governor of IN |
10 |
Tyler, John | W | VA | 1841-45 |
2 |
VP |
11 |
Polk, James | D | TN | 1845-49 |
5 |
Congressman from TN |
12 |
Taylor, Zachary | W | MS | 1849-50 |
3 |
Mexican War General |
13 |
Fillmore, Millard | W | NY | 1850-53 |
2 |
VP - Succeeded |
14 |
Pierce, Franklin | D | NH | 1853-57 |
1 |
NH Senator |
15 |
Buchanan, James | D | PA | 1857-61 |
1 |
PA Senator and Polk's Secretary of State |
16 |
Lincoln, Abraham | R | IL | 1861-65 |
10 |
IL Congressman |
17 |
Johnson, Andrew | D | IN | 1865-69 |
1 |
TN Senator, VP succeeded |
18 |
Grant, Ulysses S. | R | OH | 1869-77 |
6 |
Civil War Union General |
19 |
Hayes, Rutherford B. | R | OH | 1877-81 |
4 |
|
20 |
Garfield, James | R | OH | 1881-81 |
4 |
Ohio Senator |
21 |
Arthur, Chester | R | NY | 1881-85 |
4 |
VP - Succeeded |
22,24 |
Cleveland, Grover | D | NY | 1885-89, 1893-97 | 5 |
NY Governor |
23 |
Harrison, Benjamin | R | IN | 1889-93 |
4 |
Senator from Indiana |
25 |
McKinley, William | R | OH | 1897-1901 |
6 |
Congressman, OH Governor |
26 |
Roosevelt, Theodore | R | NY | 1901-09 |
9 |
NY Governor - VP Succeeded |
27 |
Taft, William H. | R | OH | 1909-13 |
5 |
Roosevelt's Secretary of War |
28 |
Wilson, Woodrow | D | NJ | 1913-21 |
7 |
NJ Governor |
29 |
Harding, Warren | R | OH | 1921-23 |
1 |
Governor of Ohio |
30 |
Coolidge, Calvin | R | MA | 1923-29 |
4 |
MA Governor |
31 |
Hoover, Herbert | R | IA | 1929-33 |
3 |
Coolidge's Secretary of Commerce |
32 |
Roosevelt, Franklin D. | D | NY | 1933-45 |
10 |
Governor of NY |
33 |
Truman, Harry S | D | MO | 1945-53 |
8 |
Senator from MO, VP Succeeded |
34 |
Eisenhower, Dwight | R | TX/NY | 1953-61 |
8 |
General - President of Columbia U. |
35 |
Kennedy, John F. | D | MA | 1961-63 |
7 |
MA Senator |
36 |
Johnson, Lyndon | D | TX | 1963-69 |
8 |
TX Senator, VP Succeeded |
37 |
Nixon, Richard | R | CA | 1969-74 |
4 |
CA Senator, VP |
38 |
Ford, Gerald | R | MI | 1974-77 |
5 |
MI Congressman, VP Succeeded |
39 |
Carter, Jimmy | D | GA | 1977-81 |
6 |
GA Governor |
40 |
Reagan, Ronald | R | CA | 1981-89 |
7 |
CA Governor |
41 |
Bush, George H.W. | R | TX | 1989-93 |
6 |
VP |
42 |
Clinton, William J. | D | AR | 1993-2001 |
7 |
AR Governor |
43 |
Bush, George W. | R | TX | 2001-08 |
3 |
TX Governor |
44 |
Obama, Barack | D | IL | 2009-2016 |
8 |
IL Senator |
45 |
Trump, Donald | R | NY | 2017-2020 |
1 |
Developer, Talk Show Host |
46 |
Biden, Joe | D | DE | 2021-2023 |
7 |
Delaware Senator, Vice President |
Average: Republicans - 4.9, Democrats - 5.7
Historical rankings of presidents of the United States in
Wikipedia lists rankings from a variety of organizations who survey presidential politics experts to come up with the rankings.
The top half - 23 presidents
Rank | President | Rating | 2022 Sienna | 2023 PGP |
1 | Abraham Lincoln | 10 | 2 | 1-93.9 |
2 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | 10 | 1 | 2-90.8 |
3 | George Washington | 10 | 3 | 3-90.3 |
4 | Theodore Roosevelt | 9 | 4 | 4-78.6 |
5 | Thomas Jefferson | 9 | 5 | 5-77.5 |
6 | Harry S. Truman | 8 | 7 | 6-75.3 |
7 | Dwight D. Eisenhower | 8 | 6 | 8-73.7 |
9 | Lyndon B. Johnson | 8 | 8 | 9-72.9 |
8 | Barack Obama | 8 | 11 | 7-73.8 |
10 | John F. Kennedy | 7 | 9 | 10-68.4 |
11 | James Madison | 7 | 10 | 11-67.2 |
12 | Bill Clinton | 7 | 14 | 12-66.4 |
13 | Woodrow Wilson | 7 | 13 | 15-61.8 |
14 | Joe Biden | 7 | 19 | 14-62.7 |
15 | Ronald Reagan | 7 | 18 | 16-61.6 |
16 | John Adams | 7 | 16 | 13-62.7 |
17 | Grant | 6 | 21 | 17-60.9 |
18 | Monroe | 6 | 12 | 18-60.2 |
19 | GHW Bush | 6 | 20 | 19-58.5 |
21 | John Quincey Adams | 6 | 17 | 21-55.4 |
21 | Andrew Jackson | 6 | 23 | 21-54.7 |
22 | Jimmy Carter | 6 | 24 | 22-54.3 |
23 | Taft | 5 | 25 | 23-51.7 |
45 | Donald Trump | 1 | 43 | 45-10.9 |
PGP - Presidential Greatness Project
American Presidents: Greatest and Worst | Sienna College Research Institute
Sienna 2022 published at Sienna at Historical rankings of presidents of the United States | Wikipedia
Sienna ranks: Monroe 12, Polk 15, Mckinley 22
Sienna College rankings by 20 attributes:
Presidents since FDR
See Sienna at Historical rankings of presidents of the United States | Wikipedia for a full list.
Overall is rank amongst all presidents. 1 is best.
Abbreviations
Bg: Background (family, education, experience)
Im: Imagination
Int: Integrity
IQ: Intelligence
L: Luck
WR: Willing to take risks
AC: Ability to compromise
|
EAb: Executive ability
LA: Leadership ability
CAb: Communication ability (speak, write)
OA: Overall ability
PL: Party leadership
RC: Relationship with Congress
CAp: Court appointments
|
HE: Handling of U.S. economy
EAp: Executive appointments
DA: Domestic accomplishments
FPA: Foreign policy accomplishments
AM: Avoid crucial mistakes
PV: Present overall view [the average of polled experts]
O: Overall rank [average of individual parameters]
|
President
|
Party
|
ATTRIBUTES
|
ABILITIES
|
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
|
AVERAGE
|
Bg
|
Im
|
Int
|
IQ
|
L
|
WR
|
AC
|
EAb
|
LA
|
CAb
|
OA
|
PL
|
RC
|
CAp
|
HE
|
EAp
|
DA
|
FPA
|
AM
|
PV
|
O
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt
|
Dem |
1 |
2 |
14 |
10 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
1
|
Harry S. Truman
|
Dem |
28 |
13 |
8 |
19 |
11 |
9 |
13 |
8 |
8 |
14 |
10 |
12 |
15 |
12 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
3 |
7 |
5 |
7
|
Dwight D. Eisenhower
|
Dem |
11 |
20 |
4 |
16 |
4 |
18 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
18 |
7 |
9 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
12 |
7 |
7 |
3 |
6 |
6
|
John F. Kennedy
|
Dem |
12 |
5 |
27 |
12 |
27 |
10 |
8 |
14 |
7 |
3 |
12 |
16 |
12 |
13 |
9 |
4 |
14 |
12 |
15 |
10 |
9
|
Lyndon B. Johnson
|
Dem |
16 |
10 |
31 |
18 |
18 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
9 |
16 |
6 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
6 |
3 |
39 |
35 |
9 |
8
|
Richard Nixon
|
Dem |
17 |
21 |
44 |
17 |
36 |
12 |
21 |
25 |
27 |
26 |
25 |
23 |
32 |
26 |
22 |
30 |
16 |
14 |
41 |
36 |
28
|
Gerald Ford
|
Dem |
24 |
33 |
13 |
30 |
32 |
32 |
15 |
30 |
30 |
35 |
30 |
28 |
20 |
23 |
38 |
22 |
33 |
26 |
29 |
28 |
30
|
Jimmy Carter
|
Dem |
21 |
19 |
2 |
11 |
40 |
26 |
24 |
31 |
29 |
24 |
26 |
37 |
37 |
18 |
34 |
16 |
25 |
23 |
32 |
23 |
24
|
Ronald Reagan
|
Dem |
36 |
18 |
24 |
35 |
3 |
13 |
17 |
19 |
10 |
7 |
21 |
6 |
8 |
21 |
21 |
28 |
21 |
16 |
17 |
19 |
18
|
George H. W. Bush
|
Dem |
8 |
27 |
17 |
22 |
24 |
27 |
12 |
17 |
22 |
28 |
19 |
24 |
17 |
36 |
26 |
20 |
27 |
8 |
12 |
22 |
20
|
Bill Clinton
|
Dem |
19 |
12 |
40 |
9 |
10 |
17 |
4 |
16 |
16 |
9 |
11 |
13 |
18 |
7 |
5 |
14 |
12 |
18 |
33 |
13 |
14
|
George W. Bush
|
Dem |
20 |
35 |
34 |
41 |
23 |
22 |
32 |
37 |
35 |
37 |
37 |
21 |
22 |
34 |
39 |
37 |
34 |
41 |
38 |
35 |
35
|
Barack Obama
|
Dem |
18 |
7 |
6 |
7 |
14 |
21 |
10 |
11 |
15 |
6 |
8 |
19 |
27 |
9 |
10 |
8 |
10 |
19 |
9 |
8 |
11
|
Donald Trump
|
Dem |
45 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
17 |
23 |
44 |
44 |
43 |
43 |
43 |
32 |
42 |
43 |
41 |
45 |
43 |
45 |
43 |
44 |
43
|
Joe Biden
|
Dem |
15 |
22 |
12 |
27 |
34 |
24 |
9 |
21 |
25 |
30 |
23 |
25 |
31 |
10 |
14 |
10 |
19 |
21 |
16 |
20 |
19
|
See Siena College Research Institute Presidential Expert Poll 1982-2010 | Wikipedia
for a full list.
More detail at American Presidents: Greatest and Worst | Sienna College Research Institute
Trump and Biden
Biden Of the 20 attributes ranked
Biden was in the top half for all presidents for all except
Communication (verbal, written), Relationship with congress, and Luck
Biden was in the top quartile for all presidents for
Integrity, Ability to compromise, Court Appointments, and Executive Appointments,
In the top 1/3 for
Handling the economy
Trump
Only Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan scored lower overall that Trump
Trump was above average in only
Luck and willingness to take risks
A 2021 Gallup poll asked 1,023 American adults the following question about the 10 most recent presidents: "How do you think each of the following presidents will go down in history as an outstanding president, above average, average, below average, or poor?"
asked 1,023 American adults the following question: "How do you think each of the following presidents will go down in history—as an outstanding president, above average, average, below average, or poor?"
Sorted by weighted average from worst to best
President | Weighted Average |
John F. Kennedy | 3.83 |
Barack Obama | 3.45 |
Ronald Reagan | 3.41 |
Bill clinton | 3.08 |
George H. W. Bush | 3.06 |
George W. Bush | 2.91 |
Jimmy Carter | 2.81 |
Donald Trump | 2.30 |
Richard Nixon | 2.14 |
|