Jumping 18 places in three years, Trinity landed at No. 37 in the U.S. News & World Report (USNRW)’s 2026 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings, the university announced Tuesday. After debuting in the national category at No. 55 in 2023, Trinity placed No. 59 in 2024 and No. 40 in 2025.
Trinity also placed in the top 100 nationally across several other categories:
- No. 16 for Most Innovative Schools
- No. 30 for Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects
- No. 33 for Undergraduate Engineering Programs (no doctorate)
- No. 40 for Best Value Schools
- No. 51 for Undergraduate Teaching Programs
- No. 84 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
Trinity tied in all rankings except for Best Value Schools. In the category Best Undergraduate Research/Creative projects, Trinity tied with Vanderbilt University, and in Undergraduate Teaching Programs it tied with seven institutions, including Colgate University.
The continual rise in rankings show Trinity’s “long-term investment in student success, academic excellence, and a vision rooted in inclusion, affordability, and impact,” the press release states.
“These rankings reflect the dedication and vision of the entire Trinity community,” Trinity President Vanessa Beasley said, according to the press release. “Our continued rise in national rankings affirms our commitment to the powerful combination of adaptive, applied learning and critical thinking.”
