About Southwestern

Rankings & Recognition

Tops in Texas
In addition to being named Texas’ leading liberal arts college by publications and ranking services, Southwestern is also a “Best Buy” and boasts a nationally ranked Office of Career Services.

Princeton Review

Southwestern earned a coveted place among  The Princeton Reviews’ 2024 Best 389 Colleges Guide.  Southwestern is #1 in Texas and #13 in the nation for Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact (Private Schools). The Center for Career & Professional Development is #5 in the nation—and keeps its position as #1 in Texas—for Best Career Services. SU garnered additional rankings as #25 in the country and #1 in Texas for Top 50 Green Colleges. SU was further acknowledged in The Princeton Review’s unranked lists of Best Value Colleges and Best Southwest Colleges.

New York Times

Southwestern University was named the top university in Texas for the greatest economic diversity among its students, according to The New York Times Magazine College-Access Index. Southwestern was 21st among national liberal arts universities, and 28th in a list of the 286 “most-selective colleges in the country” as defined by Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges. The list included both private and public universities across the U.S.

Forbes

Southwestern is recognized as one of America’s Top Colleges.

Colleges That Change Lives

Southwestern is one of 44 colleges included in Colleges That Change Lives.

Washington Monthly

Washington Monthly rates schools based on their contribution to the public good. Southwestern is ranked among the best liberal arts colleges nationwide.

Veteran Friendly   

Southwestern is routinely recognized as a Veteran Friendly school and was again included in the 2023-24 Guide to Military Friendly Schools®.

Fiske Guide

Southwestern is one of the colleges and universities to be named in the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

U.S. News & World Report

In the 2023-2024 U.S. News & World Report National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings, Southwestern secured its position as one of the top national liberal arts colleges in Texas and ranks 89th nationally. The University has also garnered recognition as a Top Performer in Social Mobility.

Money

Recognized for its academic excellence and strong student outcomes, Southwestern was named one of Money magazine’s top schools in The Best Colleges in America 2023. Renowned for its unwavering commitment to academic excellence, innovative programs, and nurturing learning environment, the University solidified its place among the nation’s top educational institutions.

College Raptor

Southwestern has been named a 2024 Best Southwest College by College Raptor. This leading college planning platform helps families discover college matches driven by AI algorithms to find the best colleges at the best price. Out of hundreds of colleges in the southwest, Southwestern University is ranked #13 on the platform’s list.

Methodologies and Practices

Read a summary of ranking methodologies and practices used by the various publications, which include Southwestern University.