Earlham College shines in U.S. News & World Report rankings for value and teaching

Earlham College continues to earn national recognition for the quality and value of its undergraduate education, earning multiple distinctions in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. 

Earlham ranks 29th among national liberal arts colleges for “Best Value” and 46th for “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” placing the College among the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions in both categories. 

“Taken together, these recognitions reflect something that has been central to Earlham for generations: a deep commitment to the undergraduate experience,” said Earlham President Paul Sniegowski. “Our students work closely with faculty, engage in meaningful work beyond the classroom, and are challenged to think deeply about what they are learning and how they will use it. That combination of rigorous academics, personal attention and opportunity is what makes an Earlham education distinctive.” 

U.S. News’ “Best Undergraduate Teaching” ranking is based on a survey of top college administrators conducted in spring and summer 2025. The schools on the list received the most votes from college leaders for placing a particular focus on undergraduate teaching. 

The “Best Value” ranking recognizes the combination of academic quality and cost. U.S. News calculates the category using a college’s academic quality and the 2024–25 net cost of attendance for an out-of-state student receiving the average amount of need-based scholarship or grant aid. Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are considered for the ranking. 

The 2027 U.S. News rankings place significant emphasis on student outcomes, which account for 52% of the overall methodology. Measures include graduation and retention rates, performance against predicted graduation rates, outcomes for students receiving Pell Grants, and graduates’ earnings. Other factors include faculty resources, financial resources, standardized test scores, and peer assessment. 

“Higher education is an investment in a student’s future, and we’re proud to recognize the institutions that continue to raise the bar for academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News. “The Best Colleges rankings celebrate schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to student success, providing prospective families with a roadmap to discover high-performing institutions that align with their specific academic, career and personal goals.” 

Overall, Earlham ranks 79^th among top private schools and 83^rd among national liberal arts colleges in U.S. News’ 2027 rankings. This latest recognition builds on several recent national and state rankings highlighting Earlham’s academic experience. 

In The Princeton Review’s 2027 edition of The Best 392 Colleges, Earlham ranked 11th nationally for Best Classroom Experience, marking also the 11th consecutive year the College has earned a Top 25 ranking in the category. Earlham also ranked 12th for “Most Accessible Professors” and 19th for “Professors Get High Marks.” 

Niche’s 2026–27 rankings placed Earlham 1st across Indiana for “Most Diverse Colleges,” 2nd among the state’s “Best Liberal Arts Colleges,” and 5th for “Best Academics” and “Best Professors.” Earlham also ranked 63rd among the “Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America.” 

“While these different rankings use different methodologies and look at different aspects of the college experience, it is encouraging to see Earlham’s strengths recognized from multiple perspectives — from the quality of classroom experiences and our faculty relationships to academic quality and value,” Sniegowski said.

Explore Earlham’s rankings and other markers of excellence in academics, teaching, global education, student outcomes, and more at earlham.edu/about/rankings.

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About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.