Several universities have publicly stepped away from U.S. News & World Report's rankings. Columbia University, one of the few undergraduate schools to abstain, said last June that concern about the ranking's “outsized influence” in the undergraduate admissions process was a major factor in their decision.

Here’s what you need to know about the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings:

A number of schools in Greater Columbus and around Ohio found a spot on one of U.S. News and World Report's lists, including best national universities, best national liberal arts colleges, best historically Black colleges and universities, and best regional universities in the Midwest.

U.S. News released its 2025 Best Colleges rankings Tuesday. The University of Mississippi is the state's top public university while Millsaps earned top spot for the state's best liberal arts colleges, both maintaining their top titles from last year's rankings.

An Indiana university is among the nation's best, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report's 2025 ranking.

The methodology had only minor changes this year, including the elimination of first-generation graduation rates as factors.

Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College took some of the top spots in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.