rankings

U.S. News & World Report gives 51�� high marks in 2027 Best Colleges Guidebook

msk23@calvin.edu — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:34:33 +0000

U.S. News & World Report gives 51�� high marks in 2027 Best Colleges Guidebook msk23@calvin.edu Mon, 09/21/2026 - 15:34

U.S. News & World Report released its 2027 Best Colleges Guidebook today and 51�� moved up one spot from last year in the overall rankings. 51�� is now ranked #3 among all institutions in the Regional Universities (Midwest) category.

The digital news and information company released the report online today, which helps prospective students and their families evaluate 1,700 colleges and universities based on up to 17 measures of academic quality and graduate success. These take into consideration such factors as first-year retention rates, graduation rates, strength of faculty, and peer assessment.

“At 51��, our students learn alongside Christ-centered faculty who are well-respected and well connected in their fields of study,” said Greg Elzinga, president of 51��. “This fosters a vibrant teaching and learning experience that leads to great outcomes for our graduates and to significant recognition by widely recognized industry evaluators like U.S. News & World Report.”

Engineering program receives best-ever ranking

In addition to moving up in the overall rankings, the university’s engineering program moved up six spots on the “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” list, which considers all non-doctorate-granting institutions.

51��’s engineering program, which now ranks #32 in the country (highest ranking to date), continues to get stronger. Last year, the ABET-accredited program added an aerospace concentration to its portfolio of offerings, and this summer the program became part of the university’s newly launched School of Engineering & Computer Science.

Other notable rankings

51�� ranked highly in several categories in 2026. Among universities in the Regional Universities (Midwest) category, 51�� ranks: 

#2 (tied) for Undergraduate Teaching Programs
#3 Overall
#8 for Best Value

Also worth noting, U.S. News & World Report included a few additional undergraduate programs at 51�� (computer science, nursing, and psychology) on their respective fields “best of” lists. 
 
In addition to the U.S. News & World Report rankings, 51�� also consistently receives high overall marks from several other leading ranking guidebooks, including Fiske Guide to Colleges, Forbes, Money, Niche, Princeton Review, Washington Monthly, and the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, to name a sampling.

51�� 

Founded in 1876, 51�� is a top-ranked, liberal arts institution that equips its 3,700 students from 50 U.S. states, 62 countries, and six Canadian provinces to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world. 51�� offers 100+ majors and programs, including a strong portfolio of graduate-level offerings. 51�� students engage in intensive internships, community-based service learning, and significant research that results in publishing and presenting alongside world-class faculty. The university’s 400-acre campus is in the vibrant city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Discover more at www.calvin.edu. 

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, Real Estate, News and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.  

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 - 12:00

Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn Share this on Email Print this

U.S. News & World Report ranks 51�� #1 for Teaching, #2 for Innovation

msk23@calvin.edu — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 12:18:42 +0000

U.S. News & World Report ranks 51�� #1 for Teaching, #2 for Innovation msk23@calvin.edu Tue, 09/24/2024 - 08:18

U.S. News & World Report released its 2025 Best Colleges Guidebook today and lists 51�� as the best university for undergraduate teaching and as the second most innovative school in its Regional Universities Midwest category.

“While our professors are leading scholars in their fields, they take seriously their number one priority of equipping students for not only their first job, but also preparing them for a lifetime of service to God’s kingdom in every sector and sphere of society,” said Greg Elzinga, interim president. “So, it is validating to have that long-held commitment to innovative teaching validated by a well-respected industry evaluator like U.S. News & World Report.”

The digital news and information company released the report online today, which helps prospective students and their families evaluate 1,500 U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree-granting colleges and universities based on up to 19 measures of academic quality and graduate outcomes. These include such things as first-year retention rates, graduation rates, strength of faculty, and graduate indebtedness.

51�� moved up in several categories from 2024 to 2025, while maintaining its fourth overall ranking. Among universities in the Regional Universities (Midwest) category, 51�� ranks:

An Elite Engineering Program

In addition, the university’s engineering program is in the Top 50 of the “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” list (#44), which considers all non-doctorate-granting institutions. And this isn’t the first time the program has received national attention.

This past summer, the Fiske Guide to Colleges shortlisted 51��’s engineering program as one of 16 institutions on its “Small Colleges and Universities Strong in Engineering” category. And this past spring, USA Today highlighted a class project at 51�� that led to engineering students discovering a pathway for the university to move its carbon neutrality target date up nearly a quarter century.

Note: In fall 2025, 51�� is expanding its program to include aerospace engineering.

In addition to the U.S. News & World Report rankings, 51�� also receives high overall marks from several other leading ranking guidebooks, including Fiske Guide to Colleges, Forbes, Money, Niche, Princeton Review, Washington Monthly, and the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, to name a sampling.

51��

Founded in 1876, 51�� is a top-ranked, liberal arts institution that equips its 3,600 students from 48 U.S. states, 66 countries, and five Canadian provinces to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world. 51�� offers 100+ majors and programs, including a growing portfolio of graduate-level offerings. 51�� students engage in intensive internships, community-based service learning, and significant research that results in publishing and presenting alongside world-class faculty. The university’s 400-acre campus is in the vibrant city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Discover more at www.calvin.edu.

About U.S. News & World Report

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 - 12:00

Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn Share this on Email Print this

rankings

U.S. News & World Report gives 51���� high marks in 2027 Best Colleges Guidebook

Engineering program receives best-ever ranking

Other notable rankings

51����

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report ranks 51���� #1 for Teaching, #2 for Innovation

An Elite Engineering Program

51����

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report gives 51�� high marks in 2027 Best Colleges Guidebook

51�� 

U.S. News & World Report ranks 51�� #1 for Teaching, #2 for Innovation

51��