New rankings from U.S. News and World Report look at the best colleges in the Pittsburgh area. 

The "U.S. News Best Colleges" rankings for 2026, released on Tuesday, break down every detail to determine the best national universities and liberal arts colleges. The latest lists evaluated more than 1,700 colleges and universities across the nation, with more than 400 schools making the ranking for national universities. 

Six schools in the Pittsburgh area made the national universities ranking, with Carnegie Mellon University leading the way at No. 20. The university in the steel city's Oakland neighborhood was the only school with Pittsburgh ties in the top 50 of the national universities ranking. 

Three Pittsburgh-area schools were mentioned in the top national liberal arts colleges rankings, led by Washington and Jefferson College at No. 84. 

Top national universities in the Pittsburgh area

• Carnegie Mellon University, No. 20
• University of Pittsburgh, No. 69
• Duquesne University, No. 169
• Robert Morris University, No. 208
• Chatham University, No. 213
• Point Park University, No. 318

Top liberal arts colleges in the Pittsburgh area

• Washington and Jefferson College, No. 84
• Saint Vincent College, No. 121
• University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, No. 183-201

Top national universities in Pennsylvania

• University of Pennsylvania, No. 7
• Carnegie Mellon University, No. 20
• Lehigh University, No. 46
• Villanova University, No. 57
• Pennsylvania State University, No. 59
• University of Pittsburgh, No. 69
• Drexel University, No. 80

These seven schools were the only ones in Pennsylvania to make the top 100 in the national universities rankings. 

Top liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania

• Swarthmore College, No. 4
• Haverford College, No. 24
• Bryn Mawr College, No. 30
• Bucknell University, No. 30
• Lafayette College, No. 30
• Franklin and Marshall College, No. 35
• Dickinson College, No. 45
• Gettysburg College, No. 58
• Muhlenberg College, No. 70
• Allegheny College, No. 76
• Ursinus College, No. 84
• Washington and Jefferson College, No. 84
• Juniata College No. 92
• Lycoming College, No. 96
• Susquehanna University, No. 96

These 15 schools were the only ones in Pennsylvania to make the top 100 in the national liberal arts colleges rankings. 

U.S. News and World Report explains methodology 

U.S. News and World Report said its rankings were determined by 17 factors that measured "academic quality and graduate success," including graduation rates, full-time faculty and student-faculty ratio. 

The schools also had to meet a long list of general criteria, including issuing bachelor's degrees and holding regional accreditation, plus enrolling at least 100 undergraduate students.