How to Use College Rankings

Each year, different publications roll out their “top schools” list, giving us an inside look into which schools are leading the pack. Some of the best-known college rankings in the country come from U.S. News (Best National Universities), Forbes (America’s Top Colleges), and Niche (Best Colleges in America). While you’ll find many of the same colleges and universities topping these lists, each organization has its own ranking system and methodology for naming the best schools.

While many students rely on college rankings during their college search, these rankings have drawbacks. The top-ranked schools are often highly competitive, and focusing only on these institutions might cause students to overlook other incredible, less prominently featured schools. Understanding how college rankings work and how to use them can help students make a more informed decision and ensure they’re considering a wide range of options.

What are college rankings?

College rankings categorize schools based on a number of factors, including graduation rates, return on investment, financial support, and more. They offer a perspective on the top schools in the country and are generally updated each year. The Princeton Review, Times Higher Education, the WSJ, and other independent ranking sites also publish annual lists.

These lists don’t just feature the country’s best colleges — they often include sub-categories as well, like the best:

• Liberal arts colleges
• Value colleges
• Women’s colleges
• HBCU schools
• Colleges by region
• Colleges by major
• Colleges for study abroad

Exploring various lists can help you find colleges aligned with your goals. For example, if you want an engineering degree, check out Niche’s Best Colleges for Engineering list or U.S. News’s list of the Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs.

Are college rankings reliable?

For the most part, yes — but it depends on what you’re looking for and the methods each ranking site uses to choose its feature schools. For instance, the Forbes Top Colleges list uses alumni salary as a determining factor; U.S. News does not. Evaluative methods include quantitative metrics like graduation and retention rates and qualitative (or subjective) metrics like peer rankings from presidents, provosts and deans of admissions.

College Scorecard, Payscale, the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, and the American Association of University Professors are several sources providing data used to generate these lists. Federal data sources are generally accurate, but sites that collect self-reported data may contain inaccuracies. To learn more about data sources, you can read about how Forbes ranks America’s best colleges or how U.S. News narrows its top contenders.

While the information used to determine these rankings may be accurate, it doesn’t mean a school ranked #30 will provide a lesser education than a school ranked #5. Rankings offer a good starting point, but choosing the best-fit school requires a deeper look.

3 tips for using college rankings

Here are three tips for incorporating rankings into your college search.

1. Look beyond the top 10. The same schools often earn the top spots, but there are plenty of excellent colleges further down the list. Don’t cross off schools missing from that spotlight — these gems offer great opportunities, too.
2. Factor in your wants. Lean into your interests and needs, and let them dictate your college search, not lists and rankings. If a school lacks the program you want, isn’t the right size, or is too far from home, don’t add it to your list.
3. Don’t get caught up in the numbers. Consider college rankings as one tool in your college search toolkit. Instead of hyper-focusing on a school’s ranking, visit the campus, talk to current students, and research specific programs. 

Remember: Finding the best college for you is much more than its ranking on a list — it’s about discovering a place where you’ll grow and thrive.

Want more tips and insights? Check out our full Guide to College Admissions here.