U.S. News: Emerson Again a Top Ten Regional University

For the fifth year in a row, Emerson is ranked among the top 10 in the U.S. News & World Report Regional North overall category, and made top 10 lists for Most Innovative Schools and Undergraduate Teaching among northern universities.

Emerson came in at #9 in the 2021 U.S. News rankings. In addition, the College was ranked #6 for Most Innovative Schools regionally, and, for the first time, made the top 10 list for Undergraduate Teaching, landing at #9. 

“We are so pleased to again be recognized as a leader and innovator in the arts, communication, and liberal arts,” President Lee Pelton said.

U.S. News weighs a number of criteria in calculating its rankings: outcomes, including graduation rates, retention rates, and social mobility; faculty resources, including class size, salary, and faculty degrees; an institution’s reputation among its peers; financial resources; and alumni giving.

The Most Innovative Schools list recognizes those colleges and universities “making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.” Undergraduate Teaching is based on a survey of top college administrators.

In August, the Hollywood Reporter ranked Emerson #9 on its annual list of “The Top 25 American Film Schools.” In explaining the ranking, the Reporter touted the College’s Global BFA in Film Art program with Paris College of Art; its Emerging Media Lab; ELA’s campus; the Norman Lear Scholarship Fund, established in 2018 to provide a four-year scholarship to students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds; and Emerson’s vast and supportive alumni network.

Ranking and college search company College Factual currently ranks Emerson’s journalism, communications, and writing programs in the top 1 percent of the nation. And the Princeton Review, in its most recent ranking, has WERS has the #2 Best College Radio Station in the country. Emerson also ranked highly for Best College Theatre (#7), Most Politically Active (#13), and Most LGBTQ-Friendly (#17).