5 Can't-Miss Best Colleges Rankings Lists
Go Beyond the Top-Ranked Schools
The 2016 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings are well known for providing information on the nation's top National Universities and National Liberal Arts Colleges. But the depth of information goes far beyond those two categories, with nearly 50 specialized rankings and lists.
Here are five that prospective students and their families should look at.
Best Undergraduate Business Programs
The ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs focuses on those accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. U.S. News also ranks schools on a variety of specialties like accounting, international business and entrepreneurship.
2016 Best Undergraduate Business Programs
The top-ranked undergraduate business schools for 2016 include:
2 (tie). Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2 (tie). University of California--Berkeley
Learn more about how these rankings were calculated.
Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
U.S. News ranks schools with doctoral programs separately from those that offer only bachelor's and master's degrees for its Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs rankings. The rankings are based solely on the views of school officials at peer institutions.
2016 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
The top-ranked engineering schools for 2016 that do not have doctoral programs include:
1 (tie). Harvey Mudd College (CA)
1 (tie). Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (IN)
3 (tie). Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (MA)
3 (tie). United States Military Academy (NY)
Learn more about how these rankings were calculated.
Top Public Schools
The affordability of public colleges makes them an attractive choice for many students. Many of these schools have academic programs that match up favorably with the rigor of private colleges with much higher sticker prices.
U.S. News ranks public colleges in all categories, including National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Colleges and Regional Universities.
2016 Top Public Schools
The top-ranked public National Universities for 2016 include:
1. University of California--Berkeley
2. University of California--Los Angeles
Learn more about how these rankings were calculated.
Best Undergraduate Teaching
The Best Colleges for Undergraduate Teaching were ranked based on a survey conducted in spring 2015. The top schools in each ranking category received the most votes from high-level college administrators for their commitment to teaching undergrads.
2016 Best Colleges for Undergraduate Teaching
The top-ranked Best National Universities for Undergraduate Teaching for 2016 include:
1. Princeton University (NJ)
2. Dartmouth College (NH)
3. Brown University (RI)
Learn more about how these rankings were calculated.
Best Colleges for Veterans
The Best Colleges for Veterans list features schools that participate in federal initiatives, such as the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program, that help veterans and active-duty service members pay for school.
2016 Best Colleges for Veterans
The top-ranked Best National Universities for Veterans in 2016 include:
1. Princeton University (NJ)
2. Harvard University (MA)
3. Yale University (CT)
Learn more about how these rankings were calculated.
Explore More Best Colleges Rankings
In addition to these categories, check out the complete roundup of rankings and lists of the 2016 U.S. News Best Colleges. And be sure to follow U.S. News Education on Facebook and Twitter for the most recent tips and advice on researching, applying to and attending college.
Travis Mitchell is an education Web producer at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at tmitchell@usnews.com.
