2025 Best U.S. Colleges Rankings Announced

U.S. News Releases 2025 Best U.S. Colleges Rankings

The latest edition prioritizes social mobility and postgraduate success.

WASHINGTON, September 24, 2024 — U.S. News & World Report, a leader in education rankings, has announced the 2025 Best Colleges in the USA. The national rankings evaluate nearly 1,500 colleges and universities using up to 17 measures of academic quality and prioritize social mobility and postgraduate success. This serves as a guide for prospective students and their families.

More than 50% of an institution’s ranking includes various outcome measures related to its success in enrolling and graduating students from all backgrounds with manageable debt, as well as the earnings of postgraduates.

LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for Education at U.S. News, stated, “As we celebrate the 40th year of the Best Colleges rankings, we are proud to continue providing valuable information for students and their families. Our rankings consider factors such as social mobility and postgraduate success to help students select schools that offer a quality education and prepare them for a successful and fulfilling future.”

For this year’s edition, the following national universities saw significant increases in their rank:

D’Youville University (NY) +61
University of Texas – San Antonio +49
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University +49
Andrews University (MI) +47
Eastern Kentucky University +41
Dominican University New York +40
Union University (TN) +40
University of North Texas +40
Winston-Salem State University (NC) +40
The University of Texas – El Paso +38
Florida Institute of Technology +38
Augusta University (GA) +36
Boise State University (ID) +36
Prairie View A&M University +36
The Master’s University and Seminary (CA) +36
Wichita State University (KS) +36
Mary Baldwin University (VA) +34
Mount St. Joseph University +34

This edition also includes specialized rankings, such as the best value schools, most innovative colleges, top performers on social mobility, historically Black colleges and universities, and universities with the most significant commitment to undergraduate teaching. Additionally, you can find programs that enhance the student experience, including first-year experiences, co-ops/internships, service learning, study abroad, and undergraduate research/creative projects.

“Given the rising cost of higher education, it is more important than ever that students and their families have access to the information that U.S. News Best Colleges provides,” said Eric Gertler, executive chairman and CEO of U.S. News. “The rankings data and accompanying editorial content offer crucial information to those seeking to make the best decision about their college education.”

U.S. News ranks colleges and provides valuable content about the college selection process, offering advice on topics such as “No Loan Colleges — What they want to Know” and “A Look at 20 Years of Tuition Costs at National Universities.”

The 2025 Best Colleges methodology uses up to 17 key measures of academic quality for National Universities and 13 indicators for the National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. The formula relies on data reported by schools or available from third-party sources. Schools are not required to participate in U.S. News surveys to be eligible for ranking.

2025 Best National Universities – Top 3

1. Princeton University (NJ)
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Harvard University (MA)

2025 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges – Top 3

1. Williams College (MA)
2. Amherst College (MA)
3. Swarthmore College (PA)

2025 Top Public Schools: National Universities – Top 3

1. University of California, Los Angeles
2. University of California, Berkeley
3. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

2025 Top Historically Black Colleges and Universities – Top 3

1. Spelman College
2. Howard University
3. Florida A&M University (tie)
4. Tuskegee University (tie)

2025 Top Performers on Social Mobility: National Universities – Top 3

1. Florida International University (F.L.) (tie)
2. University of California, Riverside (tie)
3. California State University, Long Beach (tie)
4. University of California, Merced (tie)

2025 Top Performers on Social Mobility: National Liberal Arts Colleges – Top 3

1. Lake Forest College (I.L.) (tie)
2. Spelman College (G.A.) (tie)
3. Salem College (N.C.)

U.S. News offers a diverse suite of educational resources, including the Scholarship Finder tool, which grants prospective and current undergraduate students access to a comprehensive database comprising over 18,000 scholarships and financial aid options. Moreover, U.S. News College Compass furnishes students and their parents with extensive rankings and data, thus facilitating informed decision-making in pursuing higher education.

Source: U.S. News & World Report, L.P.