College also ranks No. 3 for Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs

Westminster College has been ranked No. 2 for Best Value among Regional Colleges North in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” guide, placing the College among the region’s highest-ranked institutions for providing students with a high-quality education at an affordable cost.

Westminster also earned a No. 3 ranking for Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs, No. 6 among Top Private Colleges and a No. 12 overall ranking. The College was also named on this year’s Top Performers on Social Mobility list.

“We are pleased to see Westminster recognized in so many areas that reflect the experience we strive to provide for our students,” said Westminster College President Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson. “The No. 2 ranking for Best Value is especially meaningful because it reflects our commitment to providing an exceptional education while making that experience accessible and affordable. These rankings also recognize the quality of our teaching, our close faculty-student relationships and the many opportunities our students have to learn by doing.”

A strong return on investment

The Best Value ranking reflects Westminster’s longstanding commitment to affordability. In 2025, the College launched the Westminster Advantage Scholarship, which can cover remaining tuition costs for eligible Pennsylvania students after other grants and scholarships are applied.

The College also continues to invest in programs and resources designed to support student success. Westminster’s Comprehensive Program for Advancing Student Success (ComPASS) provides a coordinated approach to helping students develop the habits, mindsets and skills that contribute to academic achievement and persistence.

Recognition for undergraduate teaching

Westminster’s No. 3 ranking for Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs reflects peer recognition of the College’s strength in undergraduate teaching. For this ranking, college presidents, provosts and admissions deans participating in the annual U.S. News peer assessment survey were asked to nominate up to 15 schools in their Best Colleges ranking category with strengths in undergraduate teaching. The Best Undergraduate Teaching rankings are based solely on responses to this separate section of the peer assessment survey.

Westminster’s commitment to effective teaching and experiential learning is also reflected in student feedback. In the College’s most recent National Survey of Student Engagement, Westminster ranked among the top 10% of all participating institutions for effective teaching practices, while 100% of students reported graduating with meaningful hands-on experiences in their majors—twice the national average.

A continued commitment to student success

The College’s placement on the list of Top Performers on Social Mobility continues a longstanding pattern of recognition from U.S. News for Westminster’s commitment to access and student success. The social mobility ranking evaluates how effectively institutions enroll and graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants, a form of need-based financial aid. Westminster has appeared among U.S. News’ top performers in social mobility for several consecutive years.

The 2027 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings evaluate colleges and universities using measures related to academic quality and student outcomes.

For more information about Westminster College, visit www.westminster.edu.

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