On Sept. 22, U.S. News & World Report released its 2027 Best Colleges rankings, placing Case Western Reserve University at No. 44 among national universities.
The ranking places CWRU among the top 50 national universities in the country and marks one of the largest increases among universities in the top 50. The university was ranked No. 51 in last year’s rankings.
Third-year pre-law student Ethan Park commented on the newly released ranking. “I didn’t expect a seven-spot jump,” Park said. “But I think all the new construction and publicity contributed greatly to CWRU’s success.”
According to CWRU’s The Daily, the increase is partly attributed to changes in U.S. News’ ranking methodology, which placed greater emphasis on student outcomes, including graduation rates. CWRU said its recent growth in graduation rates to reach 75% contributed to the university’s rise.
The 2027 rankings evaluate national universities, which U.S. News defines as institutions offering undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees. This year, U.S. News also introduced separate rankings for public and private universities. CWRU ranked No. 31 among private universities nationally.
Second-year student Sophia Wang believes that CWRU’s opportunities for research are comparable to other top universities.
“Intersections, the research symposium, was a really helpful experience in preparing me to present my research to professionals,” Wang said. “All of the research mentors are very supportive and just want to see you succeed.”
CWRU also saw changes in several undergraduate program rankings. The university ranked No. 12 in nursing, up one spot from last year, while biomedical engineering ranked No. 23, down six spots. Business rose two spots to No. 39, and marketing ranked No. 43 for its first appearance in the rankings.
Second-year nursing student Nathan Chung believes the rise in the nursing program’s rankings is due to the strong clinical opportunities and connections with local hospitals Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.
“I didn’t know nursing moved up rankings, but I think that it is a good indicator of our nursing program,” Chung said. “Although there are a lot of classes, I like the structure of the program and how connected we are to the nearby hospitals for work. CWRU lets you work in the hospital as a first-year student, while most schools don’t provide clinical hours until junior year. By the time nursing students graduate, they have over a thousand hours in the clinic.”
The university also rose eight spots in U.S. News’ undergraduate research and creative projects category, ranking No. 36 nationally.
In an interview with CWRU’s The Daily, CWRU President Eric W. Kaler said the ranking reflects the university’s focus on helping students prepare for their future careers.
“Obviously, no single list can fully demonstrate the exceptional work happening in classrooms, labs and clinical spaces across our campus,” Kaler said. “But I am pleased this ranking recognizes areas that matter most: preparing students to graduate and excel in their careers.”
Provost and executive Vice President Joy K. Ward said the ranking recognizes the work of CWRU faculty in education and research.
“This latest ranking is another recognition of the exceptional work of our faculty in educating our students and advancing our research,” Ward said. “It’s fitting to have this recognition in our bicentennial year, and I’m eager to see the momentum we will have in the years ahead.”