Five universities in Washington are among best in the US, new ranking shows

A Seattle-based university is one of the top 50 in the country, according to a new national ranking – and the school even moved up on the list compared to the previous year.

The University of Washington tied for No. 42 on U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of the 2026 Best National Universities, gaining four spots compared to the 2025 list.

Four other Washington universities also made the list.

The national universities ranking is one of several 2026 Best Colleges lists published Sept. 23 by U.S. News & World Report, which has been evaluating colleges for decades. Several Washington colleges and universities also made other U.S. News lists for 2026, from Best National Liberal Arts Colleges to Best Regional Universities.

“Over the years, Best Colleges has evolved into a comprehensive tool that reflects the changing landscape of higher education, providing prospective students with a crucial starting point to identify schools that align with their academic and personal goals,” LaMont Jones, a managing editor at U.S. News & World Report, said in a news release.

Here’s a closer look at the national universities ranking and how Washington schools fared: What are the best universities in Washington?

The 2026 Best National Universities ranking includes 400-plus schools across the country, with five schools from the Evergreen State on the list.

The University of Washington moved up four spots to No. 42, tying with Boston University, Rutgers University – New Brunswick, and the University of Maryland, College Park.

The school, which offers hundreds of degrees and had more than 62,700 students across its three campuses in 2024-25, is kicking off its autumn term this week.

Meanwhile, Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University both gained ground on the ranking compared to the previous list – by one spot and 31 spots, respectively – while Gonzaga University and Washington State University both dropped a few spots.

• Here’s a look at how the Washington universities ranked on U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 national list: University of Washington, No. 42 (tie) Gonzaga University, No. 102 (tie) Seattle University, No. 151 (tie) Washington State University, No. 192 (tie) Seattle Pacific University, No. 242 (tie) What are the best universities in the U.S.?

The top national university for 2026 is once again Princeton University, according to U.S. News & World Report. The New Jersey school, part of the Ivy League, ranked first in 2025 as well.

Overall, the very top of the list saw little movement, relatively speaking, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and Stanford University also keeping their spots.

• Here’s a look at the top 10 national universities, per U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 ranking: Princeton University, No. 1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, No. 2 Harvard University, No. 3 Stanford University, No. 4 (tied) Yale University, No. 4 (tied) University of Chicago, No. 6 Duke University, No. 7 (tied) Johns Hopkins University, No. 7 (tied) Northwestern University, No. 7 (tied) University of Pennsylvania, No. 7 (tied) How did Washington colleges and universities rank on other lists?

Several colleges and universities in Washington were represented on other U.S. News & World Report rankings for 2026, including Best National Liberal Arts Colleges and Best Regional Universities West, among others.

• Here’s a look at the Washington schools on U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best National Liberal Arts colleges list: Whitman College, No. 58 (tie) University of Puget Sound, No. 96 (tie)
• Here’s a look at the Washington schools on U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 regional universities west list: University of Washington Bothell, No. 6 University of Washington Tacoma, No. 7 (tie) Whitworth University, No. 15 Western Washington University, No. 23 (tie) Pacific Lutheran University, No. 28 (tie) Central Washington University, No. 46 (tie) Walla Walla University, No. 46 (tie) Eastern Washington University, No. 52 (tie) Northwest University, No. 52 (tie) Heritage University, No. 54 Saint Martin’s University, No. 56 (tie) The Evergreen State College, No. 67 (tie) How did U.S. News & World Report come up with its rankings?

U.S. News & World Report has said it creates college rankings to guide students and their families in the important decision of picking a place for higher learning.

In all, it evaluated 1,700-plus colleges and universities in the U.S. for its 2026 rankings, using as many as “17 factors to measure academic quality and graduate success,” it said.

U.S. News said it drew on data submitted by the schools, plus data from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Commerce and other sources.

For the national universities ranking, U.S. News looked at factors including graduation rates, first-year retention rates and Pell graduation rates, among others, the outlet said.

The factors were given various weights.