Penn State was ranked the No. 63 Best National University in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings.

Penn State was tied with Rutgers, George Washington, UCONN, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute at No. 63. Penn State was also ranked as the No. 23 best public school and again tied with Rutgers and UCONN for that placement, too.

Several other Big Ten universities were ranked close to Penn State. Northwestern was the highest at No. 9, and the lowest of which was Nebraska at No. 136. Michigan (No. 23), Ohio State (tie-No. 49), and Purdue (tie-No. 49) beat out Penn State.

Last year, Penn State was also ranked the 63rd-best school in the country. This year’s public school ranking (No. 23) tied with last year’s, too.

U.S. News and World Report also ranked Penn State the No. 33 best college for veterans and No. 174 in best value schools as well. Penn State received nods for its 21st-best engineering department and fourth-ranked supply chain program.

The annual report evaluates more than 1,400 schools across various factors, including overall cost and financial aid, size, campus services, graduation rate, “expert opinion,” social mobility, and safety, among others. It’s pretty subjective, so don’t lose any sleep over a less-than-ideal finish.

You can find U.S. News and World Report’s full rankings and report here.

About the Author

Nolan Wick

Nolan wrote for Onward State from 2021 until 2025. He mainly covered Penn State football, men’s hockey, and baseball, and he was also an associate editor. A Silver Spring, Maryland, native, Nolan is an avid D.C. sports and Liverpool fan. You can follow him on Twitter @nolan_wick.

The Complicated Legacy Of Joe Paterno 15 Years After His Firing

It’s been 15 years since Paterno’s historic tenure came to a sudden end, yet his legacy is just as in question as it was then.

Penn State Football’s Post-Washington Report Card

It was a tale of two halves for the Nittany Lions on Saturday.

Penn State Men’s Hockey ‘Still Trying To Find’ Identity 10 Games Into Season

The Nittany Lions take on No. 2 Michigan next.