WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2023 - Today, U.S. News & World Report, renowned worldwide for its authoritative education rankings, has released the highly anticipated 2024 Best Colleges rankings. This annual ranking serves as an invaluable resource for prospective students and their families, providing insights into the academic quality of 1,500 colleges and universities. The latest rankings introduce a significant shift in methodology, emphasizing social mobility and post-graduation success as never before.
This year, more than 50% of a school's ranking is determined by various outcome measures. These measures focus on a school's ability to enroll and graduate students from diverse backgrounds while ensuring manageable student debt and positive post-graduate outcomes. Notably, five factors were eliminated from the methodology: class size, faculty terminal degrees, alumni giving, high school class standing, and the proportion of graduates using federal loans.
Eric Gertler, the executive chairman and CEO of U.S. News, emphasized the importance of these methodology changes, stating, "For 40 years, students and their families have come to count on Best Colleges as a vital resource as they navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives. The significant changes in this year's methodology are part of the ongoing evolution to make sure our rankings capture what is most important for students as they compare colleges and select the school that is right for them."
In light of these outcomes-focused adjustments, several institutions have seen remarkable increases in their rankings. Some of the notable institutions and their rank improvements include:
- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (NC) +106
- University of Texas at San Antonio (TX) +92
- California State University, East Bay +88
- Florida Gulf Coast University +80
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley +72
- Gwynedd Mercy University (PA) +71
- University of Nevada, Reno +68
- Northern Arizona University +68
- The University of Texas at El Paso +68
- California State University, Fresno +65
- The University of Texas at Arlington +63
- Northern Illinois University +62
- Aurora University (IL) +62
- Texas Woman's University +62
- San Francisco State University (CA) +56
- Florida Atlantic University +54
- Augusta University (GA) +52
- University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (WI) +52
- Texas State University +51
- University of Houston, Clear Lake +51
For the first time, the Best Colleges rankings also include undergraduate economics and psychology degree rankings. Furthermore, this edition incorporates specialized rankings highlighting the most innovative colleges and universities committed to undergraduate teaching excellence.
The 2024 Best Colleges rankings are calculated based on 19 key measures of academic quality for National Universities and 13 indicators for the National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. These rankings rely on data universally reported by schools or obtainable from third-party sources, and school participation in U.S. News surveys is not a prerequisite for being ranked.
Top 3 in 2024 Best National Universities:
- Princeton University (NJ)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Harvard University (MA) (tie)
- Stanford University (CA) (tie)
- Top 3 in 2024 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges:
- Williams College (MA)
- Amherst College (MA)
- United States Naval Academy (MD)
- Top 3 Public Schools in 2024 National Universities:
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- University of California, Berkeley (tie)
- University of California, Los Angeles (tie)
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
- Top 3 Public Schools in 2024 National Liberal Arts Colleges:
- United States Naval Academy (MD)
- United States Air Force Academy (CO)
- United States Military Academy at West Point (NY)
- Top 3 Performers on Social Mobility in 2024 National Universities:
- California State University, Long Beach
- California State University, Fullerton (tie)
- California State University, Riverside (tie)
- California State University, San Bernardino (tie)
- University of California, Merced (tie)
- Top 3 Performers on Social Mobility in 2024 National Liberal Arts Colleges:
- Lake Forest College (IL)
- Agnes Scott College (GA) (tie)
- Salem College (NC) (tie)
- Spelman College (GA)
In addition to the rankings, U.S. News provides editorial content to aid in the college selection process. Topics covered include a comprehensive guide to the application process, requesting letters of recommendation, applying to college without fees, and more.
On September 28, U.S. News will host a free webinar to delve into the new edition of Best Colleges and its methodology, featuring presentations from lead-ranking analysts. Interested participants can register for the event
U.S. News & World Report's education portfolio has expanded to include CollegeAdvisor.com, offering expert support during the college admissions process. Furthermore, U.S. News College Compass provides students and parents with access to comprehensive rankings and data.
To obtain a copy of the "Best Colleges 2024" guidebook (ISBN 979-8-9864591-2-7), visit the U.S. News online store.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report stands as the global leader in quality rankings, providing consumers, business leaders, and policymakers with valuable insights to make informed decisions on critical life and community matters. As a multifaceted digital media company encompassing platforms for Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate, Careers, and 360 Reviews, U.S. News delivers rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice, and U.S. News Live events. With over 40 million monthly visitors to USNews.com for research and guidance, U.S. News, founded in 1933, maintains its headquarters in Washington, D.C.
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