This Portland university is among the best in the west, report says

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The University of Portland has once again landed a top spot on the U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Colleges ranking, released last week.

The annual report evaluates 1,700 colleges and universities across the country and compares each school using 17 different measures. 

“We are thrilled that U.S. News has once again recognized UP’s excellence in teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership,” said Robert Kelly, the university’s president.

The university ranked second for Best Regional Universities in the West, which includes private and public institutions.  

“While rankings never tell the full story, we nevertheless hope that our historic performance will prompt prospective students and families to learn more about our best-in-state graduation rate, remarkable outcomes, our beautiful campus, and our welcoming Catholic, Holy Cross mission.”

The university was also ranked first for Best Undergraduate Teaching, and sixth for Best Value School in the U.S. News Report.

The Wall Street Journal also included the university in its own list of Best Colleges in the U.S., released Oct. 1. The list ranked UP as the top institution in the Pacific Northwest, public or private.

There were 13 other schools in Oregon and Washington that made it onto the Wall Street Journal’s list of top institutions nationally, but only UP and the University of Washington landed in the top 100. 

On the WSJ’s Top 584 universities, UW ranked 97 and UP ranked 86. Portland State University ranked 308, while the University of Oregon landed at 321.