St. Edward's University Rises to 5th Place in the U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Universities Rankings
AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward’s University has advanced to No. 5 in the U.S. News & World Report 2025 rankings for Best Regional Universities in the West, further strengthening its position in the region and higher education.
“This ascension in the rankings exemplifies our university's unwavering commitment to providing personalized, top-tier education and invaluable experiences for all students — equipping them with knowledge and skills necessary for achieving lifelong success on the hilltop and beyond,” said St. Edward’s University President Montserrat Fuentes.
For the first time, St. Edward’s has also earned 2nd place for Undergraduate Teaching Programs in the West. This category recognizes institutions whose faculty and administrators excel in delivering exceptional methods of instruction to undergraduate students. “Earning this prestigious ranking for teaching reflects our focus at St. Edward’s as a leading university for academic excellence and distinction as outlined in Strategic Plan 2027. This achievement also underscores the expertise of our esteemed faculty, whose dedication to excellence in teaching plays a pivotal role in shaping our students’ future success,” said President Fuentes.
In addition to advancing from #6 to #5 for its overall ranking, St. Edward’s rose in the rankings from #5 to #3 in the Best Value Schools in the West category based on the institution’s academic quality and cost. Furthermore, U.S. News again ranked the university #4 in the Best Colleges for Veterans category and #7 as a top-performing institution for Social Mobility recognizing the successful efforts in graduating economically disadvantaged students who receive federal Pell Grants.
Read more about St. Edward’s as the 5th Best Regional University in the West and our Strategic Plan 2027 Year 2 progress to become a Destination University for a More Just World. The report highlights the U.S. News ranking of The Bill Munday School of Business’s AACSB-accredited online graduate programs #12 nationally and #1 in Texas for student engagement for 2024-2025, the Excelencia in Education Seal of Excelencia for success in serving Latino students, the establishment of our School of Health Sciences and the launch of our Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs in Fall 2024, among many other accomplishments.
About St. Edward’s University
St. Edward’s University is a private university in the Catholic, Holy Cross tradition with approximately 3,000 students. Located in Austin, Texas, it is one of the top universities in the state and offers more than 50 undergraduate, seven master’s degree programs and a doctorate program. St. Edward’s delivers a premier, highly personalized education that provides students distinctive academics and extensive internships, research and service learning opportunities on a vibrant and inclusive hilltop campus in a world-class city. St. Edward’s has been recognized for 22 consecutive years as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2025 Best Colleges rankings, St. Edward’s ranked #5 in the Best Regional Universities in the West.
