Rankings on the Rise

This year’s rankings demonstrate UW–Madison’s strength across a broad range of academic disciplines. Althea Dotzour

UW–Madison fared well in the 2027 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. The university was ranked 34th overall out of 422 public and private doctoral institutions and eighth among public universities, its highest placements in close to two decades.

This year’s rankings demonstrate UW–Madison’s strength across a broad range of academic disciplines. The university’s undergraduate economics program ranked fifth among public universities and 19th overall, while the undergraduate psychology program rose to fourth among public universities and eighth overall. Wisconsin School of Business’s undergraduate real estate program retained its first-place ranking for the fifth consecutive year, while the undergraduate insurance/risk management program rose two places to claim the first-place spot. Overall, UW–Madison undergraduate programs received top-25 rankings in business, computer science, economics, engineering, nursing, and psychology.

“These rankings — while only one measure of a school’s success — reflect the incredible breadth of educational programs, research opportunities, and cross-campus collaborations that makes UW–Madison unique,” says interim Chancellor Eric Wilcots. “From real estate to psychology, nursing to engineering, and in every discipline on campus, we are dedicated to excellence and preparing today’s learners to be tomorrow’s forward-looking leaders.”

The report also reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to financial support for its students. UW–Madison rose 23 places, to 24th, in the “Best Value Schools” ranking, and was ranked fourth in the nation for “Best Value Schools for In-State Students,” a new category this year.

Wilcots says that UW–Madison’s high placement in these categories is a “validation of the many innovative programs we offer to make college accessible and affordable, such as Bucky’s Pell Pathway and Bucky’s Tuition Promise.”

Both programs are designed to put a world-class education within reach for lower-income students. In 2024–25, nearly 57 percent of all UW–Madison undergraduates received financial aid, and the total value of scholarships was close to $129 million. Two-thirds of Badgers earn a degree with no student-loan debt.

In the 2027 Best Colleges ranking, UW–Madison also saw increases in its faculty resources rank, student outcomes rank, and faculty research rank. In the “Best College for Veterans” ranking, the UW ranked eighth among public universities and 16th overall.

Published in the Winter 2026 issue