Media Releases
North Central College Ranks among Top 20 Midwest Institutions in Latest U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” Rankings
Sep 23, 2025
For more than 30 consecutive years, North Central College has been named among America’s Best Colleges in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings. This year, North Central ranked No. 20 out of 159 institutions in the Best Regional Universities Midwest category. The College improved its ranking in two significant affordability categories, coming in at No. 27 on the list of Best Value Schools, a one place improvement over last year, and leaping 13 places to No. 35 in the Top Performers on Social Mobility category. North Central was also recognized for its strong undergraduate programs in engineering and psychology, and the College continues to be lauded for its support for student veterans, ranking No. 9 in the Best Colleges for Veterans category.
For more than four decades, U.S. News & World Report has produced its Best Colleges rankings as a guide for students and their families who are embarking on a college search. The 2026 rankings evaluated more than 1,700 U.S. college and universities, using up to 17 different factors to measure academic quality and graduate success.
“These recognitions from U.S. News & World Report paint an exciting picture of the positive momentum we are experiencing right now at North Central College,” said President Abiodun Goke-Pariola. “This fall, we welcomed our largest-ever incoming class and set a new record for total student enrollment. The latest rankings further affirm that North Central College offers a transformational, high-quality education that is affordable, accessible and centered around the student experience.” North Central College offers more than 90 undergraduate majors across its three distinct academic units, as well as 25 graduate degree and graduate certificate programs. To learn more about North Central College, visit northcentralcollege.edu/why-ncc. To see the College’s complete U.S. News & World Report rankings and profile, go to www.usnews.com/best-colleges/north-central-college-1734.
Media Contact:
Jeremy Borling, Senior Director of Communication
North Central College
