The University of Michigan remains the No. 3 public university in the country for undergraduate education — a ranking it has held every year since 2019 — according to the U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Colleges list.
U-M was ranked 21st overall among public and private institutions in the rankings that were released Sept. 24. The university earned the same ranking last year.
U.S. News evaluated nearly 1,500 four-year, bachelor’s degree-granting institutions in compiling its annual list for 2025. Other U.S. public institutions within the top 25 include the University of California, Los Angeles, at No. 15, the University of California, Berkeley, at No. 17, and the University of Virginia at No. 24.
The rankings are based on an overall score calculated from weighted measures across various categories. Peer assessment, graduation rates, financial resources per student and faculty salaries are among the most-heavily weighted metrics.
However, the measurements do not consider all factors that contribute to the quality of an institution, and university officials noted that U-M prioritizes its commitment to academic excellence and societal impact.
U.S. News also ranks undergraduate programs in business, computer science, economics, engineering, nursing and psychology.
RELATED ARTICLE
UM-Dearborn was ranked the No. 16 best Midwest regional university.
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business maintained a No. 4 ranking on the overall list of undergraduate business programs. Six specialties within the Ross School were ranked in the top five of their disciplines: entrepreneurship (No. 2), finance (No. 4), management (No. 2), marketing (No. 1), production/operations management (No. 2) and quantitative analysis (No. 5).
The College of Engineering maintained a No. 5 ranking on the overall list of undergraduate engineering programs. Four specialties ranked in the top five in their disciplines: environmental/environmental health (No. 4), industrial/manufacturing/systems (No. 3), materials (No. 4) and mechanical (No. 5).
The School of Nursing was ranked No. 9 on the overall list of undergraduate nursing programs, and UM-Flint School of Nursing was ranked No. 74.
In addition, U-M undergraduate programs were ranked No. 10 for computer science, No. 15 for economics, No. 5 for psychology, No. 14 for teaching programs and No. 5 for undergraduate research and creative projects. U-M also maintained a No. 7 ranking on the U.S. News list of best colleges for veterans and earned a No. 12 ranking among its list of most innovative schools. The university was ranked No. 59 on the publication’s best value list.
