2026 College Rankings: U.S. News & World Report Releases Latest List
U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Colleges rankings on September 23, 2025, evaluating over 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities based on academic quality and graduate success. The rankings, an influential tool for prospective students and families, continue to play a significant role in shaping college admissions and institutional prestige.
Top National Universities
The top three spots for national universities remain unchanged. Princeton University in New Jersey tops the list, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University. Yale and Stanford tied for fourth place.
The University of California, Berkeley, overtook UCLA to become the top-ranked public university, ranking 15 and 17 respectively on the list. Williams College has been named the top national liberal arts college, while Spelman College tops the list of historically Black colleges.
Only a handful of schools—the University of Chicago, the California Institute of Technology and Northeastern University—moved five or more spots compared with last year’s ranking. The University of Chicago rose to number six from 11 last year. Caltech switched places with it, falling from six to 11.
U.S. News Methodology
U.S. News & World Report ranks colleges using a weighted formula considering factors such as graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, academic reputation, financial resources, and student selectivity. The publisher said it made only minor adjustments to its methodology this year, following substantial changes last year that caused significant shifts in the rankings, particularly boosting several public universities.
The rankings emphasize student outcomes, academic resources, and reputation. Student outcomes account for 52% of the total weight, including graduation rates, retention, and success for low-income students. Peer assessment accounts for 20%, faculty resources account for 11-15%, financial resources account for 8%, and standardized tests account for 5%.
Rankings for Social Mobility
Several colleges have been recognized for their social mobility ranking. Meredith College included in a ranking that recognizes strong graduation rates for students with Pell grants. In the National Universities category, Montclair State University ranked number 9 among national universities in social mobility.
U.S. News & World Report writes “Economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for their achievement in high school. But some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.”
Regional Rankings Highlights
Cal Poly is the best overall master’s-level university in the West for both public and private institutions for the third consecutive year. This is the 33rd straight year Cal Poly is ranked best public institution in the West and the third year running it has been ranked tops among all 97 public and private institutions in the region.
Meanwhile, the rankings place the former Cal Maritime Academy in Vallejo as best public college in the West and second among private and public colleges reviewed. The academy is in the process of integrating with Cal Poly and is now called the Cal Poly Maritime Academy (located on the Cal Poly Solano Campus).
Individual University Achievements
Santa Clara University rose to No. 59 from No. 63 among more than 400 top national universities in the most recent “U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges” rankings. Among private universities, Santa Clara ranked 35th best in the nation.
UC Berkeley has been named the top public school in the country and it is the 16th time over the past two decades that Berkeley has claimed the top spot in the annual U.S. News Best Colleges rankings. Berkeley also came in No. 1 among all ranked colleges again for its data analytics/science programs, and for its civil engineering and electrical/electronic/communications engineering programs
In recognition of its exceptional teaching, high-impact research, generous financial aid and signature student experience, Brown University continued in 2025 to place among top schools in national and international rankings of universities. In the year after the University launched its Center for Career Exploration, significantly expanding support for students developing career paths, LinkedIn placed Brown at No. 14 on its “Top Colleges 2025” list.
The Value of Higher Education
Earning a college degree is an investment with far-reaching benefits. According to February 2025 data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, adults with bachelor's degrees earn a median of $20,000 more per year than those with a high school diploma. This increased income can mean a big difference in quality of life.
At the same time, there are serious financial realities to consider: education often comes with a hefty price tag. Over the last 10 years, tuition rates for both public and private colleges have increased by more than 20%, and student loan debt has increased alongside it, exceeding $1.8 trillion nationwide as of the second quarter of 2025, the highest on record.
Top 50 Public Colleges in America
Below is a list of top 50 public colleges in America based on Niche’s 2026 rankings:
| Rank | University | Location | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI | 18% |
| 2 | University of California - Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 9% |
| 3 | University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA | 17% |
| 4 | Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA | 16% |
| 5 | University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | 24% |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | 19% |
| 7 | University of Texas - Austin | Austin, TX | 29% |
| 8 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Champaign, IL | 44% |
| 9 | University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 12% |
| 10 | University of Georgia | Athens, GA | 37% |
| 11 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL | 25% |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin - Madison | Madison, WI | 43% |
| 13 | University of California - San Diego | La Jolla, CA | 25% |
| 14 | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA | 57% |
| 15 | Texas A&M University | College Station, TX | 63% |
| 16 | The Ohio State University | Columbus, OH | 51% |
| 17 | University of Washington | Seattle, WA | 43% |
| 18 | University of California - Irvine | Irvine, CA | 26% |
| 19 | Purdue University | West Lafayette, IN | 50% |
| 20 | University of California - Davis | Davis, CA | 42% |
| 21 | Florida International University | Miami, FL | 59% |
| 22 | University of Maryland - College Park | College Park, MD | 45% |
| 23 | William & Mary | Williamsburg, VA | 33% |
| 24 | University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | 41% |
| 25 | Penn State | University Park, PA | 54% |
| 26 | University of California - Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | 28% |
| 27 | Clemson University | Clemson, SC | 38% |
| 28 | New Mexico Tech | Socorro, NM | 54% |
| 29 | North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC | 40% |
| 30 | University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | 50% |
| 31 | Auburn University | Auburn, AL | 50% |
| 32 | University of Oklahoma | Norman, OK | 77% |
| 33 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | 40% |
| 34 | Indiana University - Bloomington | Bloomington, IN | 80% |
| 35 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | 77% |
| 36 | University of South Carolina | Columbia, SC | 61% |
| 37 | Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK | 71% |
| 38 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA | 85% |
| 39 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | 84% |
| 40 | Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Piscataway, NJ | 65% |
| 41 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, TX | 71% |
| 42 | University of Alabama - Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 88% |
| 43 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA | 58% |
| 44 | Arizona State University | Tempe, AZ | 90% |
| 45 | Kansas State University | Manhattan, KS | 79% |
| 46 | Binghamton University, SUNY | Vestal, NY | 38% |
| 47 | University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 54% |
| 48 | California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo, CA | 30% |
| 49 | The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 76% |
| 50 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT | 87% |
U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges rankings remain an important resource for students and families, despite ongoing debates about the methodology and impact of college rankings. Prospective students are encouraged to consider a variety of factors when choosing a college, including academic programs, campus culture, affordability, and personal fit.
