F&M Stories

Franklin & Marshall Earns High Marks in Latest U.S. News Rankings

Franklin & Marshall College has risen in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of the nation’s best liberal arts colleges, earning high marks in one of the most widely followed annual assessments of higher education.

F&M ranks No. 34 in the 2027 Report of Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, up one spot from 2026 — highlighting consistent recognition of the College’s dedication to academic excellence and the student experience. The College also appears for the first time in the subcategory of First-Year Experiences across all American colleges and universities, ranking No. 33.

“We’re pleased to continue to be recognized as one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges,” said F&M President Andrew Rich. “The ranking reflects the extraordinary achievements of our students and the strength of the educational experience we provide. It is especially rewarding to be recognized for the strength of our first-year experience, where we support students in exploring their curiosity with hands-on learning from day one.” 

Recognition Across National Rankings

The latest recognition in U.S. News adds to a growing list of national distinctions for Franklin & Marshall.

The Princeton Review ranks F&M among the nation’s Best Value Colleges and Best in the Mid-Atlantic. F&M is also among 50 schools in Princeton’s list of Colleges That Create Futures — those that “empower students to discover practical applications for their talents and interests through experiences that complement their classes and coursework.”

F&M also earned national recognition from TIME, which recently released its inaugural edition of America’s Best Colleges. The College is No. 128 in the TIME ranking, which highlights 500 private and public colleges and universities and is built on a rigorous methodology centered on student outcomes, including graduate earnings and completion rates.

The 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings evaluate colleges and universities using a range of measures related to academic quality and student outcomes. The methodology considers factors including graduation and retention rates, undergraduate academic reputation, faculty resources, financial resources, and student selectivity, among other measures.

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