Report: Princeton University Named Best National University In United States
PRINCETON, N.J. (CBS) -- A university in New Jersey has been ranked the No. 1 national university in the country. The U.S. News and World Report named Princeton University the best overall national university in its 2021 U.S. News Best Colleges report.
The report examined several factors that directly impact students and their families including, financial resources, student excellence, outcomes, faculty resources, and alumni giving.
They also added two ranking indicators measuring student debt, increased the weight of outcome measures, new weights and indicators applied to Historically Black Colleges and Universities ranking, ranked test-blind schools, and a new ranking of computer science programs.
"The pandemic has affected students across the country, canceling commencement ceremonies and switching classes from in person to remote," said Kim Castro, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News. "Whether students have slightly altered their college plans or changed them entirely, it remains our mission to continue providing students and their families with the tools they need to help find the right school for them."
Princeton University's rankings included No. 2 in Best Value Schools, tied for No. 4 in Best Undergraduate Teaching, No. 12 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs.
Harvard University ranked No. 2 overall and Columbia University No. 3.
Philadelphia's University of Pennsylvania was listed No. 8 in the country and Villanova University fell just short of the top 50 in the country, ranking No. 53.
The report also broke out a separate ranking for the top Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States.
Pennsylvania's Swarthmore College was named the third best Liberal Arts College in the country.
Their rankings included No. 4 in Best Value Schools, No. 6 in Best Undergraduate Teaching and they tied for No. 11 in Writing in the Disciplines.
