National Rankings Recognize UM as Mississippi’s Leading University

Ole Miss tied for no. 92 in the annual ranking of the top 100 public colleges and universities, marking the 15th consecutive year the university has been ranked among the nation’s top public universities.

The university also ranked no. 62 and tops in Mississippi among best values among public schools, underscoring UM's commitment to providing students with a high-quality education, workforce-ready skills and an affordable path to a degree.

U.S. News & World Report has published its annual "Best Colleges" rankings since 1983. It evaluates more than 1,500 four-year institutions and a wide range of academic programs. The rankings weigh graduation and retention, student outcomes, faculty and financial resources, peer assessments, and faculty research.

The publication also recognized several UM academic programs among public universities, including:

• Business, tied for no. 65
• Nursing, tied for no. 91
• Computer science, tied for no. 94
• Psychology, tied for no. 85

This recognition highlights the range of academic opportunities available to students and the university's role in preparing graduates across a variety of fields.

The rankings from U.S. News & World Report join other national acknowledgments for the university.

Niche, which has published its annual Best Colleges rankings since 2002, placed UM as its top college in Mississippi in its recent announcement. The publication evaluates thousands of institutions nationwide by combining federal data with millions of student and alumni reviews covering academics, value and campus life.

Forbes also named Ole Miss as the top school in Mississippi in its list of Top Colleges. The publication has issued rankings since 2008 and emphasizes student outcomes, graduation and retention rates, alumni earnings, leadership success and overall return on investment.

The university was included in The Princeton Review's list of Best Colleges for 2026. UM was the only school in Mississippi to make the list of 391. The Princeton Review has issued its rankings since 1992 and draws from extensive student surveys that gauge academics, quality of life, campus culture and overall student satisfaction.

Besides its academic reputation, Ole Miss is recognized for its distinctive campus life. Niche ranks the university no. 7 nationally for Best College Campus and no. 17 for Best Student Life among public schools. USA Today also recently named UM the nation's top school for sports fans.

With the university’s strong academic profile and cost value, these recognitions reaffirm Ole Miss as one of the nation’s most established public universities, developing leaders whose influence extends well beyond Mississippi.

Top: Students walk through the Walk of Champions archway on the edge of the Grove at Ole Miss as classes begin in fall 2025. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services