Wilkes University is once again ranked among national universities in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges ranking of American colleges and universities. Wilkes stands at 288 among 436 national universities in the 2025 report. This is the 21st consecutive year Wilkes has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report and its sixth year as a national university.
Wilkes continues to rank on the list of Top Performers on Social Mobility, which measures how well schools educate and graduate Pell Grant recipients, or students with the greatest financial need. Wilkes achieved a ranking of 181 in this category.
Wilkes was also recognized by U.S. News and World Report for its engineering bachelor’s degree programs among institutions that do not offer doctoral degrees in the engineering field, as well as the bachelor of science in nursing degree.
Other Recognition
Washington Monthly magazine ranks Wilkes 275 out of 438 national universities and includes Wilkes as a Best Bang for the Buck College in the Northeast, based on the university’s performance in social mobility.
The Princeton Review, a leading tutoring, test prep and college admissions services company, continues to include Wilkes on its list of schools deemed Best in the Mid-Atlantic. This recognition is based on feedback from students.
Niche, an online platform designed to connect students and families with colleges and schools, offers comprehensive profiles on every school in America. Niche ranks Wilkes among:
- The top 50% for Best Colleges in America
- The top 40% for Top Private Universities in the U.S.
- The Best Value Colleges
The platform also ranks Wilkes statewide among:
- The top 30% for Best Colleges in Pennsylvania
- The top 50% for Best Value Colleges
- The top 40% for Top Private Universities in Pennsylvania
Wilkes has been recognized by Niche in the top 30% of all colleges in the U.S. and top 25% in Pennsylvania based on the quality of professors and instructors. The University also landed in the top 20% nationally for best college dorms and was recognized among the most diverse colleges in America, best colleges for communications and colleges with the best academics.
The 2024 CollegeNet Social Mobility Index (SMI) ranks Wilkes in the top 35% out of 1205 institutions for its ability to educate students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
“Wilkes is honored to be recognized among the best universities in the country. It is a testament to our dedicated faculty and campus community’s commitment to mentoring students to achieve their full potential,” said Wilkes University President Greg Cant. “However, we know that rankings do not always show the full experience of a Wilkes student. Instead, we encourage our Colonels to carve their own pathways through all the opportunities Wilkes has to offer.”
