Macalester College continues to earn national recognition for the qualities that define the Macalester experience, including academic excellence, student support, study abroad opportunities, value, and its distinctive location and community. Recent recognition from U.S. News & World Report, Washington Monthly, Forbes, Money, Niche, and The Princeton Review highlights the college’s strengths across a range of measures and perspectives.
U.S. News & World Report ranked Macalester No. 25 among the nation’s top private liberal arts colleges. Macalester ranked No. 9 for undergraduate teaching and tied for No. 11 among the most innovative schools and No. 12 for best study abroad programs. U.S. News ranked Macalester No. 31 among liberal arts colleges for best value.
Washington Monthly ranked Macalester No. 2 on its list of the top 150 schools in the Midwest.
Macalester also received a four-star rating in Money’s “Best Colleges in America” list, which recognizes institutions based on measures including graduation rates, costs, financial aid, student debt, and alumni earnings.
“Once again, Macalester shines in the rankings categories that matter to our community most: academic distinction, access, value, service to society, and preparation of our students for lives of meaning and purpose,” President Suzanne M. Rivera said. “We are very proud to be recognized for both the strength of our academic programs and the relevance of our mission to create a more just and peaceful world.”
Students and alumni are also giving Macalester high marks. Niche, a college search and research platform that bases its rankings and grades in part on student and alumni surveys, awarded Macalester an overall grade of A-, including an A+ for academics. Niche also ranks Macalester No. 3 among the best colleges in Minnesota.
The Princeton Review, which uses student surveys to rank colleges across fifty categories, ranked Macalester No. 1 for best student support and counseling Services, No. 3 for most politically active students, and No. 11 among the top 20 best private schools for making an impact, among other distinctions.
Together, these recognitions highlight different dimensions of the Macalester experience, from academic programs and student support to global learning, value, and campus engagement. They offer a range of perspectives on the college’s continued efforts to prepare students to turn their learning into action by building meaningful careers and engaging thoughtfully with the world around them.