Chippewa Valley Times

The 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, released on September 24, list the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UW-Eau Claire) fourth among 57 public regional universities in the 12-state Midwest region. Overall, UW-Eau Claire is ranked 20th out of 165 public and private regional schools in the Midwest, an improvement from last year's position.

“For 30 straight years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized UW-Eau Claire as one of the top public universities in the Midwest,” Chancellor James Schmidt stated. “This honor is more evidence that UW-Eau Claire is one of the premier comprehensive regional universities in the country, and we continue to build on our tradition of excellence by offering our students a distinctive, world-class educational experience.”

Now in its 40th year, U.S. News rankings evaluate nearly 1,500 national colleges and universities. Data was collected during spring and summer 2024 from and about each school, using 13 key measures of academic quality to produce the rankings for regional universities. The rankings emphasize outcomes such as graduation and retention rates.

UW-Eau Claire also received high marks as a “Best College for Veterans” and a “Best Value School.” Additionally, it was recognized as a “Top Performer on Social Mobility,” with several undergraduate programs listed in the rankings.

“The U.S. News & World Report rankings show prospective students and families the positive outcomes produced by our high-quality academic programs,” said Billy Felz, vice chancellor for enrollment management. “Blugolds receive an extraordinary education at an affordable cost, so they leave the university with manageable debt and a valuable degree that provides high salaries in their first jobs.”

In terms of support for veterans, UW-Eau Claire ranks eighth among regional colleges in the Midwest and is the highest-ranking public university in Wisconsin and Minnesota. These rankings highlight schools that make college education more affordable for veterans and active-duty service members.

For value assessment, UW-Eau Claire is rated as the highest public regional university in Wisconsin under the “Best Value School” category and ranks No. 39 among all regional universities in the Midwest. U.S. News factors academic quality against cost after accounting for total expenses and financial aid to determine value.

The university's inclusion on the "Top Performers on Social Mobility" list reflects its success in graduating economically disadvantaged students.

Several undergraduate programs at UW-Eau Claire saw significant improvements in their rankings this year. Programs recognized include business, computer science, engineering, nursing, and psychology.

In addition to U.S. News & World Report's recognition, UW-Eau Claire has been featured on other national lists over recent months including Money’s 2024 Best Colleges in America, Princeton Review’s 2025 Best Colleges: Region by Region, Forbes' 2024-25 Top Colleges list, and The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse's 2025 Best Colleges list.