Denison’s position among the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions is again reflected in new college rankings from U.S. News & World Report. The university earned strong marks for innovation, teaching, career preparation, campus life, and overall value, reflecting growing momentum.
Denison has climbed 24 places since 2016 to #31 overall among all national liberal arts colleges, and for the third consecutive year, Denison is Ohio’s #1 national liberal arts college.
The college also jumped five spots to #24 for undergraduate teaching, improved to the nation’s #2 most innovative liberal arts college, and ranked #9 for internships and #41 for first-year experience among all 2,400 U.S. colleges and universities. With an emphasis on delivering a pragmatic, future-ready education, Denison received top honors for a strong return on investment, including top-50 rankings for best value and social mobility.
“We’re proud of this recognition, but even more proud of what’s behind it,” said Denison President Adam Weinberg. “Our faculty and staff are always asking how we can make a great Denison education even better and give our students the experiences they need to thrive here and long after they graduate.”
These latest results add to a growing body of national recognition for Denison. In August, The Princeton Review’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings, based on student feedback, ranked the university among the top 10 nationally in 13 categories spanning career preparation, academics, student experience, and campus life.
Denison ranked #3 for career services and #6 for internships, according to those results. Students also gave Denison high marks for their on-campus experience, placing the university among the nation’s top 10 for happiest students, quality of life, classroom experience, accessible professors, best-run colleges, and athletic facilities.
These combined recognitions come at a time of significant investment and innovation across the university. Last year, the college launched its most ambitious fundraising campaign, What We Can Be. And this fall, Denison opened the King Center for Data & Innovation in Knobel Hall, the first center at a liberal arts college dedicated to integrating data and AI fluency across the student experience.
Denison’s progress extends into the performance of its student-athletes as well. The Big Red have won five NCAA titles over the past two academic years, including 2026 team championships in women’s basketball, men’s swimming and diving, and baseball.
