U.S. News recognition acknowledges Hilbert’s continued excellence in promoting leadership, social justice, respect, and service through a holistic education.
Hilbert College rose to the 9th spot among Regional Colleges in the North for Top Performers on Social Mobility and earned the 25th spot among Regional Colleges in the North overall for the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges rankings.
“We are deeply honored to be recognized again in the U.S. News rankings,” said Hilbert President Dr. Michael S. Brophy. “This acknowledgment is a testament to our Franciscan heritage and our values-based education. At Hilbert, we strive to create an inclusive and supportive environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background. This recognition reaffirms our mission: we aim to make a positive impact in our students’ lives so that they can make a positive impact in their communities.”
This year, the U.S. News rankings assessed more than a thousand U.S. bachelor's degree-granting institutions on 19 measures of academic quality. U.S. News published a distinct social mobility ranking for all assessed schools, measuring how well they graduated students who received federal Pell Grants – typically from households earning less than $50,000 annually. The social mobility ranking was computed by aggregating the two ranking factors assessing graduation rates of Pell-awarded students. The U.S. News full methodology can be found here: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings.
Hilbert’s Pell-eligible population and opportunity programs, such as Say Yes and Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), continue to grow to their highest levels. Hilbert’s 15-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, along with service learning and internship requirements, provide the support and experiential opportunities to lead to success after graduation for Hilbert students. Ranking as the No. 9 Top Performer in Social Mobility among Regional Colleges (up from #10 in the 2024 ranking) aligns with Hilbert’s mission and vision as a Catholic, Franciscan college providing access for a diverse student population, including a large percentage of first-generation students.