For the third year in a row, Wake Forest has dropped in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best National Universities list. After falling dramatically from a top 30 spot in 2023, Wake Forest is now below the top 50 line.
Wake Forest tied with five other universities for the No. 51 spot — Case Western Reserve University, Florida State University, Texas A&M University and Virginia Tech.
Most of the metrics were consistent with the 2023 methodology, which introduced a new way of ranking schools, changing 17 of the 19 measures. This year, many top-ranked universities maintained their positions on the ranking. Princeton, MIT and Harvard all took the No. 1, No.2 and No. 3 spots for the third consecutive year.
In 2023, Wake Forest’s ranking dropped 18 spots from its No. 29 spot. This was the first time the university has been ranked out of the top 30 since 1996 and its lowest ranking since joining the National Universities list. This year, the university dropped from No. 46 to No. 51.
Beginning in 2023, U.S. News no longer considers factors such as small class sizes, instruction by professors with a terminal degree, alumni giving average, graduate debt or students’ high school standings. Wake Forest highlights and prioritizes many of these elements, according to Vice President of Communications & Chief Communications Officer Brett Eaton.
The algorithm change in 2023 also added seven new indicators — four related to faculty research, two related to first-generation graduation rates and one related to graduate income.
U.S. News said it did not alter its formula this year, besides small adjustments.
A tumultuous year for colleges
Despite the governmental changes to higher education, a spokesperson for the U.S. News said that the tumult the White House has unleashed throughout higher education was not a factor.
Over the past year, President Donald Trump and his administration have targeted higher education by using money to leverage power. Examples include threatening funding, dismantling the education department, ending research programs, cracking down on efforts at campus diversity, constricting the flow of foreign students and cutting student loan programs.
Harvard University was especially targeted by the government this year. President Trump claimed they should make changes in their governance, but Harvard refused. The administration froze billions of dollars in grants until Harvard agreed to end its diversity, equity and inclusion programs; adopt merit-based admissions and cooperate with immigration authorities. As of Sept. 2025, Harvard won the federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration.
Despite these problems, universities, including Wake Forest, have continued to successfully educate undergraduates.
University responds to ranking
The key appeals of a Wake Forest education, such as small class sizes and faculty with a terminal degree, have not been factors in the ranking methodology since 2023.
According to the University, the contrast between the high demand for and the high quality of a Wake Forest education and the rankings proves that rankings have little influence on prospective students and their families.
Their argument is that Wake Forest is special, no matter its ranking.
“This unique combination of a personalized academic experience within a comprehensive, national university sets Wake Forest apart from large public universities and private colleges,” President Susan R. Wente said. “Opportunities abound for mentored research, study abroad experiences, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary studies.”
In 2024, Provost Michele Gillespie commented on the ways in which Wake Forest is outstanding, even if the rankings disagree.
“Nearly 95% of Wake Forest’s full-time faculty have a doctoral or other terminal degree,” Gillespie said. “Our talented faculty teach and produce outstanding research and scholarship that makes an impact on society. They bring that research into the classroom and embrace experiential learning.”
Wake Forest was also ranked in the following categories:
- No. 34 in Best Value Schools (35th last year)
- No. 12 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (31st last year)
- No. 231 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (252st last year)
- No. 78 in Economics (83rd last year)
- No. 14 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (18th last year)
- No. 27 in Study Abroad
Wake Forest was also placed consistently lower in top-ranking lists, such as Forbes’ 2025-2026 ‘America’s Top Colleges’ list. Wake Forest is currently ranked No. 98 in Forbes’ ranking (88th last year).
Pro Humanitae Human • Dec 15, 2025 at 9:16 pm
You forgot William and Mary College for the list of tied universities