Annual institutional rankings praise Nashville university’s innovation, undergraduate programs and student experience
Belmont University was once again recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top institution in the country, according to the 2026 Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday, Sept. 23. Belmont, which is recognized among more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities that are evaluated, was listed No. 86 in Best Value Schools and tied for No. 33 in First-Year Experience, No. 39 in Undergraduate Teaching Programs and No. 56 in Most Innovative Schools, all in the National category.
Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said, “As a mid-sized university, we are honored to stand among the top institutions in the nation and know that it is a remarkable testament to the extraordinary work of our faculty and student-first focus that defines Belmont. We’re proud to see our commitment to academic excellence and innovation reflected in these rankings and will continue to build on that foundation to prepare our students for future success.”
The National rankings list for U.S. News includes 434 institutions and is based on the 2021 Carnegie Basic Classification. According to their methodology, National Universities “offer a range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research.” Belmont’s focus on teaching over research makes it even more remarkable to see the University appear high in so many rankings’ categories, particularly among a list led by five research-intensive institutions: Princeton, MIT, Harvard, Stanford and Yale.
The University’s Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing, which celebrated 50 years of nursing excellence throughout the 2022-23 school year, was also recognized as a top Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs. The college’s Center for Nursing Innovation, a first-of-its-kind program in Tennessee, will host the second annual Nursing Innovation Summit in November to shape the future of health care in Tennessee and beyond.
Belmont’s Massey College of Business, which also celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022-23, was recognized for its undergraduate business programs. With 12 majors ranging from entrepreneurship to marketing to supply chain management, Massey provides a 98 percent outcomes rate, indicating students’ success in finding employment, achieving graduate school acceptance or pursuing military/volunteer service within six months of graduation.
The University was additionally recognized among the Top Performers on Social Mobility, Undergraduate Psychology Programs and as a Best Colleges for Veterans. For more on the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, visit U.S. News Best Colleges site.