Creighton named a top 100 national university
Creighton University rose to No. 100 among national universities in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings, marking its highest position since joining the category in 2020. Creighton also ranked No. 55 among national private universities.
The top 100 recognition affirms Creighton’s place among the nation’s leading universities. Creighton combines academic excellence with a deeply personal Jesuit education, built on mentorship with accomplished faculty members, hands-on learning and individualized support. This tradition distinguishes Creighton and prepares students to thrive academically, personally and professionally.
“This milestone reflects the tremendous momentum we are seeing across Creighton and the strength of an education that has equipped students to lead and serve for nearly 150 years,” says the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, PhD, Creighton president. “Our commitment to academic excellence, innovative people and programs, and our Jesuit tradition allows us to form confident, connected, and aspirational students who are ready for the world around them.”
National recognition for academic excellence
Continuing its tradition of strong performance in U.S. News & World Report rankings, Creighton again placed among the nation’s best business and nursing programs. Three undergraduate programs in the Heider College of Business earned top 20 recognition: analytics at No. 14, finance at No. 17 and accounting at No. 20. The College of Nursing was also recognized among the nation’s best, ranking No. 36 and placing among the top 6% of Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs.
“This recognition is a testament to our outstanding faculty, our rising national prominence and the strength of our academic programs across all disciplines,” says Mardell Wilson, EdD, Creighton provost. “We are ambitious about Creighton’s future and intentional about providing students with the skills, experiences and supportive community they need to succeed.”
Personalized support helps Bluejays thrive
Creighton also moved up from No. 39 to No. 32 in U.S. News’ undergraduate teaching category. This ranking, combined with Creighton’s 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio, highlights an academic experience intentionally built around close relationships. Students engage with faculty through clinical education, research and internships.
Intentional advising helps students explore their goals and prepare for professional programs. With more than 50% of students arriving at Creighton interested in a pre-professional path, this individualized guidance is a defining part of the University’s student-centered academic experience. For selected students, the Creighton Pre-Professional Scholars Program provides enhanced mentorship and guaranteed admission to certain professional programs.
Creighton’s investment in personalized student support contributes to a 92% first-to-second-year retention rate and a graduation rate that exceeds national averages for both public and private institutions.
Experiences that prepare students for what’s next
Creighton students combine extensive advising and support with the opportunities offered by a nationally ranked university. Career development is embedded throughout the undergraduate experience, with 82% of students participating in an internship or research project.
Through these experiential opportunities, students build professional skills and discover where they can make a difference. To further prepare them for their careers, the undergraduate Magis Core Curriculum incorporates generative artificial intelligence, helping students think critically about its use within their fields of study. The goal is to form adaptive leaders who can collaborate, respond nimbly to change and bring an entrepreneurial mindset to the communities and professions they serve.
Personalized support, hands-on learning and student success have long defined a Creighton education. The top 100 ranking recognizes this tradition, as well as the high quality of our academic programs and faculty, and affirms the University’s commitment to helping students build meaningful lives. Most importantly, it highlights Creighton’s intentional effort to form the leaders our world needs: graduates prepared to collaborate, adapt, innovate and serve their communities with purpose.
U.S. News graduate program rankings are released in the spring.
