The newest U.S. News & World Report rankings show Nebraska Wesleyan University is among the best regional universities in the entire Midwest.
NWU is ranked No. 2 in Nebraska and No. 34 overall among Midwest regional universities in the 2027 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, which use up to 17 factors to measure academic quality and graduate success.
NWU’s No. 34 ranking represents a five-spot improvement from last year among U.S. News’ 12-state Midwest region that includes institutions of higher learning from Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, North Dakota, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
It’s one of three rankings in which NWU improved over last year. Nebraska Wesleyan is No. 20 in Best Value Schools, up from No. 24 last year, and No. 91 in Top Performers in Social Mobility, up from No. 104 last year.
In two new categories, Nebraska Wesleyan shines. NWU is No. 2 in Nebraska and No. 25 among Top Private Colleges in the Midwest, while ranking No. 14 the Midwest in Earnings by Major.
U.S. News publishes the Best Colleges rankings each year to provide prospective students and their families with information to compare the undergraduate programs at America’s colleges and universities. The rankings, which date back to 1983, offer detailed information of the institutions and data on factors such as graduation rates and post-graduate earnings.
“Higher education is an investment in a student’s future, and we’re proud to recognize the institutions that continue to raise the bar for academic excellence," said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News. “The Best Colleges rankings celebrate schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to student success, providing prospective families with a roadmap to discover high-performing institutions that align with their specific academic, career and personal goals.”