Latest ratings and rankings of U.S. colleges and universities
Sep. 19—The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Just like last year and the year before that, Princeton University and Williams College have been named the top schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
U.S. News & World Report has released its annual list of the best colleges and universities in the U.S., ranking schools in a variety of categories. A total of about 1,500 schools were ranked.
Princeton was ranked as the top national university, while Williams took home the top honor for national liberal arts colleges. Those are the same results as last year's list.
U.S. News & World Report assesses colleges and universities based on 19 metrics of academic quality, with the most weight placed on graduation rates, peer assessments and financial resources per student.
A few new measures were added this year, including the graduation rates for first-generation college students and the proportion of graduates earning more than a high school graduate.
Schools are ranked in two dozen different categories, ranging from top national universities and liberal arts colleges to top regional universities and liberal arts colleges to best value schools to the schools with the best first-year experience.
Here is what the rankings showed nationally and for schools in Pennsylvania. For full rankings visit usnews.com/education/best-colleges.
Top national universities
#1 Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.
#2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
#3 (tie) Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
#3 (tie) Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.
#5 Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
#6 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
#7 (tie) California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
#7 (tie) Duke University, Durham, N.C.
#9 (tie) Brown University, Providence, R.I.
#9 (tie) Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
#9 (tie) Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.
Top national liberal arts colleges
#1 Williams College, Williamstown, Mass.
#2 Amherst College, Amherst, Mass.
#3 U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
#4 (tie) Pomona College, Claremont, Calif.
#4 (tie) Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa.
#4 (tie) Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass.
#7 U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs
#8 U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.
#9 (tie) Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine
#9 (tie) Carleton College, Northfield, Minn.
Top national universities in Pennsylvania
#1 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
#2 Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh
#3 Lehigh University, Bethlehem
#4 Penn State University, University Park
#5 (tie) University of Pittsburgh
#5 (tie) Villanova University
#7 Temple University, Philadelphia
#8 Drexel University, Philadelphia
#9 Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
#10 Duquesne University, Pittsburgh
Top national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania
#1 Swarthmore College
#2 Haverford College
#3 (tie) Bryn Mawr College
#3 (tie) Bucknell University, Lewisburg
#3 (tie) Lafayette College, Easton
#6 Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster
#7 Dickinson College, Carlisle
#8 Gettysburg College, Gettysburg
#9 Muhlenberg College, Allentown
#10 Allegheny College, Meadville
Money Magazine ratings
Money magazine has unveiled its "The Best Colleges in America 2023" list, which aims to identify schools that combine quality and affordability.
The magazine analyzed dozens of data points, including graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid and alumni salaries. The result was a star rating system. The list identifies 736 schools where the investment in tuition is likely to pay off.
There were 34 schools with the top rating of five stars.
To see the complete list visit money.com/best-colleges.
Here's how local schools fared in the two rankings.
Berks County schools
Albright College
U.S. News & World Report
#146 in national liberal arts colleges
#31 in top performers on social mobility
Alvernia University
Money
3 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#296 in national universities
#535 in nursing
#84 in top performers on social mobility
Kutztown University
Money
3.5 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#116 in regional universities (north)
#42 in top public schools
#145 top performers on social mobility
Penn State Berks
U.S. News & World Report
Unranked in regional universities (north)
#155 in undergraduate engineering programs
Schools in the region
Arcadia University
Money
3.5 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#69 in regional universities (north)
#11 in study abroad
#17 in most innovative schools
#63 in top performers on social mobility
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church
U.S. News & World Report
#174 in national liberal arts colleges
#101 in top performers on social mobility
Bryn Mawr College
Money
3.5 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#30 in national liberal arts colleges
#19 in best value schools
#14 in writing in the disciplines
#20 in first-year experiences
#26 in senior capstone
#9 in best undergraduate teaching
#18 in most innovative schools
#90 in top performers on social mobility
Cheyney University
U.S. News & World Report
#185-204 in national liberal arts colleges
#28 in historically black colleges and universities
#16-18 in top public schools
#67 in top performers on social mobility
Gwynedd Mercy University
U.S. News & World Report
#206 in national universities
#402 in nursing
#233 in top performers on social mobility
Haverford College
Money
4.5 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#21 in national liberal arts colleges
#21 in best value schools
#99 in economics
#18 in writing in the disciplines
#48 in undergraduate research/creative projects
#16 in senior capstone
#9 in best undergraduate teaching
#36 in top performers on social mobility
Lincoln University
Money
3 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#123 in regional universities (north)
#19 historically black colleges and universities
#45 in top public schools
#51 in top performers on social mobility
Neumann University
U.S. News & World Report
#123 regional universities (north)
#402 in nursing
#31 in best undergraduate teaching
#60 in top performers on social mobility
Rosemont College
U.S. News & World Report
#148 in regional universities (north)
#13 top performers on social mobility
St. Joseph's University
Money
4.5 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#8 in regional universities (north)
#26 in best value schools
#2 in best colleges for veterans
#13 in best undergraduate teaching
#7 in most innovative schools
#157 in top performers on social mobility
Swarthmore College
Money
4.5 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#4 in national liberal arts colleges
#4 in best value schools
#20 in best undergraduate engineering programs
#32 in economics
#9 in writing in the disciplines
#48 in undergraduate research/creative projects
#51 in first-year experiences
#4 in senior capstone
#4 in best undergraduate teaching
#15 in most innovative schools
#42 in top performers on social mobility
University of Valley Forge
U.S. News & World Report
#36 in regional colleges (north)
#16 in top performers on social mobility
Ursinus College
Money
4 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#86 in national liberal arts colleges
#63 in best value schools
#240 in economics
#96 in top performers on social mobility
Villanova University
Money
4.5 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#67 in national universities
#91 in best value schools
#105 in best undergraduate engineering programs
#23 in nursing
#126 in economics
#22 in service learning
#102 in best colleges for veterans
#342 in top performers on social mobility
West Chester University
Money
4 stars
U.S. News & World Report
#209 in national universities
#112 in top public schools
#111 in best value schools
#319 in nursing
#282-309 in economics
#147 in best colleges for veterans
#222 in top performers on social mobility
Widener University
U.S. News & World Report
#227 in national universities
#138 in best undergraduate engineering programs
#183 in nursing
#178 in top performers on social mobility
