Westminster continues to rise in U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges ranking

Westminster College has increased its standing in the annual U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges list, jumping 11 spots this year in the National Liberal Arts Colleges category.

Westminster placed No. 112 among the best liberal arts colleges in the nation in the Best Colleges 2024 edition, which evaluated about 1,500 colleges and universities. Westminster has again been recognized as one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country for economically disadvantaged students. Ranking 16th nationwide in the Top Performers in Social Mobility category, this is Westminster’s fifth consecutive year appearing in the category’s top 20 list.

The Top Performers list assesses how well schools graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants, a form of need-based federal financial aid. Pell Grant recipients come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000.

This year, U.S. News & World Report made refinements to this year’s rankings formula, placing a greater emphasis on social mobility and outcomes for graduates. More than half of a college’s rank now looks at how well it enrolls and graduates students from all backgrounds, without over-burdening them with debt and leaving them with post-graduate success.

In addition to Pell Grants and other need-based and merit scholarships, special programming such as the College’s TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is also available to make a Westminster education affordable and accessible. First-generation, income-eligible students and students with disabilities have access to services and resources to help them successfully navigate their college education. Services and resources include academic tutoring, academic success and wellness coaching to promote classroom achievement and personal wellbeing, support for learning and other disabilities, and career and college mentoring.

U.S. News ranks schools in four categories – National Liberal Arts Colleges, National Universities, Regional Colleges and Regional Universities. Westminster falls in the National Liberal Arts classification.

To see all of U.S. News’ Best College Rankings and Lists, click here.

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