By Justin Bell
On Sept. 23, U.S. News & World Report released its list of the 2026 Best Colleges. The University of Louisville soared in multiple areas.
The U.S. News and World Report has published education rankings since 1983. Its system relies on multiple factors. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies colleges by their mission. 17 additional measures, including academic excellence, graduation and retention rates, and student-to-faculty ratio, also influence the rankings.
UofL climbed 13 spots in the Top Public Schools ranking, reaching No. 84. It also rose 21 spots in the Best National Universities ranking, now at No. 158.
The increase is the largest among schools in the ACC. UofL is now tied with the University of Cincinnati in public schools.
President Gerry Bradley commented on the ranking. “We are so pleased by the university’s advancement as proved, in part, through these national rankings.”
Photo by Jai’Michael Anderson / The Louisville Cardinal
