U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 ranking for the best colleges in the United States, and several Oregon colleges made the list.
The popular rankings are based on schools committed to groundbreaking research and offering a variety of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs.
Colleges were ranked in four categories, including national universities, national liberal arts colleges, regional universities and regional colleges.
The rankings assess schools based on metrics that include academics, institutional values and more.
Here are the Oregon colleges that made each list and how they ranked.
Oregon State University ranked 143rd on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best national universities.
Where did Oregon colleges rank on U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 best colleges list?
Best national universities:
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No. 110: University of Oregon
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No. 143: Oregon State University
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No. 222: Portland State University
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No. 232: Pacific University
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No. 283: George Fox University
Top three best national universities: Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University.
Best liberal arts colleges:
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No. 76: Willamette University
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No. 96: Lewis & Clark College
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No. 111: Linfield University
Top three best national liberal arts colleges: Williams College, Amherst College, U.S. Naval Academy.
Willamette University ranked 76th on U.S. News & World Report’s list of best liberal arts colleges.
Best regional universities (west):
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No. 2: Portland State University
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No. 56: Western Oregon University
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No. 71: Bushnell University
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No. 72: Corban University
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No. 75: Eastern Oregon University
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No. 90: Southern Oregon University
Top three best regional universities in the West: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, University of Portland, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona.
Western Oregon University ranked 56th on U.S. News and World Report’s list of the best universities in the West.
Best regional colleges (west):
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No. 4: Oregon Institute of Technology
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No. 6: Warner Pacific University
Top three best regional colleges in the West: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott, California State University-Maritime Academy, Carroll College.
What changed in this year’s rankings?
U.S. News kept its college ranking formula mostly unchanged this year, with only a few minor updates. Among the tweaks, the minimum student cohort size was raised from 20 to 25, and standardized test scores, ACT and SAT, were removed as ranking factors for regional colleges North and regional universities North.
USA Today Network reporter Jennifer Lindahl contributed to this report.
Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@gannett.com or on X at @GinnieSandoval.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: U.S. News & World Report ranks the best colleges in Oregon
