Elon continues to be the leader in the “Programs to Look For” feature as the only college or university in the country ranked in the top 20 in all eight categories of academic programs linked to student success and positive learning outcomes.
Elon University is ranked #1 in the nation for excellence in undergraduate teaching for the second straight year, according to the annual rankings released Monday by U.S. News & World Report, and moved up to receive a #6 ranking in the Most Innovative category among the nation’s most prestigious comprehensive universities.
Elon is listed among the top 100 universities in the country, with a #89 overall ranking among national universities in the annual U.S. News “Best Colleges” guide, which released its 2022-23 rankings on Monday, Sept. 12.
For an eighth straight year, Elon is the national leader in the guide’s “Programs to Look For” feature as the only college or university in the country ranked among the top 20 in all eight categories of programs that are linked to student success and positive learning outcomes. That recognition is across a broad range of experiences, including study abroad, first-year experience, learning communities, internships and undergraduate research.
“The depth and quality of the relationships between faculty and students at Elon is a hallmark of our culture, and we’re pleased this purposeful focus was recognized again this year with a #1 national ranking for teaching excellence,” said President Connie Ledoux Book. “Mentorship — inside and outside the classroom, by Elon faculty and staff — is a critical component of an Elon education as we focus on student success and building a foundation for lifelong learning.”
Since moving into the National Universities category in the 2020 rankings, Elon has ranked #1 or #2 each year among this list of elite universities that offer the highest quality of undergraduate instruction.
Top 10 national universities recognized for “Best Undergraduate Teaching”
#1 – Elon University
#2 – Brown University
#3 (tie) — Princeton University
#3 (tie) — Rice University
#5 (tie) — Boston College
#5 (tie) — Dartmouth College
#7 (tie) — Georgia State University
#7 (tie) — William & Mary
#9 (tie) — University of Maryland, Baltimore County
#9 (tie) — University of Notre Dame
Elon again led all other institutions in the “Programs to Look For” feature that is based on a survey of top college and university leaders from across the nation. Elon has the following rankings in the eight academic and cocurricular programs linked to student success and positive learning outcomes:
#1 — Learning Communities
#2 — First-Year Experience
#3 — Study Abroad
#3 — Service Learning
#5 — Senior Capstone
#7 — Undergraduate Research
#9 — Internships
#19 — Writing in the Disciplines
“Elon is a leader in positioning students to thrive in a broad range of opportunities with the support of invested and engaged faculty and staff,” Book said. “These recognitions reflect how Elon puts the student at the center of its mission and values creating well-rounded graduates that the world needs.”
With Elon ranked in the top 20 in eight categories, Duke University and Agnes Scott College were ranked in the top 20 in seven categories; Yale University was in the top 20 in six categories; and Amherst College, Carleton College, Princeton University and Stanford University in five categories.
Elon has moved up the list of the Most Innovative National Universities this year. These are universities making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities. The improved ranking comes just after the opening of Founders Hall and Innovation Hall, the newest buildings in the Innovation Quad. The facilities are designed to be a hub for collaboration around STEM fields involving disciplines from across the university.
The Top 10 “Most Innovative” national universities
#1 — Arizona State University
#2 — Georgia State University
#3 — Carnegie Mellon University
#4 — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
#5 — Stanford University
#6 — Elon University
#7 — Purdue University
#8 — Georgia Institute of Technology
#9 — California Institute of Technology
#10 — Johns Hopkins University
#10 — University of Maryland, Baltimore County
In the overall National Universities category, Elon is ranked #89, and #52 among private universities, based on the strong scores in several areas of the “Best Colleges” methodology. Elon ranks #21 in alumni annual financial support and #73 in graduation and retention rates, with 90 percent of first-year students returning for their sophomore year and 83 percent going on to graduate within six years.
Elon is the only top 100 national university ranked with no classes larger than 50 students.
Elon moved to the National Universities category in 2019 after being classified as a Doctoral/Professional University by the Carnegie Classification of Colleges. The top schools in the National Universities category this year are, in rank order: Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Stanford University, Yale University, University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Pennsylvania, California Institute of Technology, Duke University and Northwestern University.
U.S. News & World Report has been producing college rankings since 1983. The rankings are based on an extensive annual data survey of institutions along with opinion surveys of university faculty and administrators. Its methodology is available here.