US News & World Report, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and more place Lafayette College in top rankings

In multiple recent rankings from national publications, Lafayette has once again been rated one of the top colleges in the country. While each of these rankings prioritize different factors—including graduation rates, institutional resources, alumni earnings, survey responses, demographic information, and more—all have named Lafayette a leader among liberal arts colleges.

“We always appreciate when these ranking organizations take note of the exceptional work of our students, faculty, and staff,” President Nicole Hurd says. “This fantastic community creates excellence across this campus every day.”

“The College is always pleased to be recognized for our outstanding programs, faculty, staff, and students,” Forrest Stuart, vice president for enrollment management, says. “We do not make decisions based on rankings. Our focus is on student learning and growth. Each student and family is different, and regardless of how a college is ranked, the best educational experience and opportunity for any one student occurs at a college in which the student feels at home, can learn with faculty and other students who inspire and challenge them, and enjoys the experience.”

Lafayette has continued to expand its efforts to make the excellent education it offers accessible and affordable for outstanding students of every background. This includes its No-Loan Initiative, which enables students whose total family incomes are $200,000 and less to earn a Lafayette education without having to take out any loans. Instead, Lafayette provides the grants and financial aid these students need to pursue their Lafayette degree. 

The College has recently been ranked by these publications as follows.

U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report has named Lafayette the 31st Best National Liberal Arts College in the United States. In addition, it rated Lafayette among America’s top 20 Best Undergraduate Engineering programs, at number 18. 

USN&WR criteria in particular prioritize institutional resources and student outcomes.

The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse

In The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings, Lafayette is now ranked 58th. This ranking puts the top 500 public and private colleges and universities together in one list. Separating out liberal arts colleges named in this ranking, Lafayette sits at number 9 overall, and number 3 for top liberal arts colleges in the northeast.  

These rankings were determined from a variety of public data (e.g., salary impact and years to pay off net price, both from College Scorecard) and a student survey to which at least 50 replies are necessary. 

The Princeton Review

The Princeton Review named Lafayette the home of the 10th Best Career Services operation in the country, based on students’ ratings of career and job placement services. Lafayette was also named 19th in Princeton Review’s Top Schools for Financial Aid (Private Schools). 

This ranking also named Lafayette 41st, out of 50 colleges and universities ranked, for best overall private school value, with a Return on Investment score of 92 out of 99. According to The Princeton Review, schools included in the Best Value Colleges “all share three exceptional features: stellar academics, affordable cost, and strong career prospects for graduates.” 

The Princeton Review’s 2025 Guide also recognized Lafayette in their Top 50 Green Schools, coming in at number 35.

Forbes

The Forbes List of America’s Top Colleges placed Lafayette at number 60 in the nation among 500 colleges and universities. These rankings use return on investment, average student debt levels, and alumni outcomes to produce the list. According to Forbes, schools rank highly on its list “if their students returned after their first year, graduated on time, secured high salaries after graduation, and left college with little student debt.” 

Washington Monthly

Washington Monthly recognized Lafayette among its “20 Best Colleges for Women in STEM,” ranking the College fifth in chemical engineering and sixth in mechanical and civil engineering. The magazine also ranked Lafayette as number 37 in its 2024 Liberal Arts College Rankings, out of the 194 institutions it included. Washington Monthly’s criteria include three equally weighted factors: social mobility, research, and community and national service, which are analyzed across a sample size of 1,444 public and private colleges.