Boston College improved to 36th place in U.S. News & World Report's 2026 national university rankings, with strong performances in undergraduate teaching, first-year experience, and study abroad programs, while also ranking highly in specific schools like nursing and business. The university's overall ranking has been steadily improving, though it remains affected by methodological changes favoring public universities.
Purdue University is ranked as Indiana's top public university and is among the top 50 in the U.S., with 20 undergraduate programs in the top 20 nationally, especially excelling in engineering and STEM fields, according to U.S. News & World Report 2026 rankings.
The University of Michigan remains the No. 3 public university in the U.S. and ranks 20th overall among all institutions, with top rankings in business, engineering, nursing, and other undergraduate programs, reflecting its academic excellence and comprehensive educational offerings.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has been ranked 35th overall and 12th among public universities in the 2024 edition of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges rankings. This is the university's highest ranking in the past 15 years and marks its fifth consecutive year of improvement. The rankings underwent changes in methodology, placing a greater emphasis on student-focused factors such as graduation rates. UW-Madison also received high rankings in specific undergraduate programs, including engineering, business, computer science, nursing, economics, and psychology.
Duke University has risen to the 7th spot in the U.S. News and World Report Best National University rankings, climbing three places from last year. The university is tied with the California Institute of Technology. The ranking methodology has been revamped, with a focus on a school's success in graduating students from diverse backgrounds. Duke's School of Law and School of Medicine recently withdrew from U.S. News' rankings due to concerns about their design and influence. Public universities, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of California, Berkeley, have also seen improvements in their rankings.
