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Ƶ Sustains Distinction in U.S. News & World Report's Latest Best Colleges Rankings

Pepperdine students collaborating

Ƶ remains one of the nation’s “Best National Universities” according to the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. For the 2025–2026 year, Ƶ is ranked 84 out of 436 national institutions of higher education—the highest position achieved by a Protestant Christian university in this rankings cycle. 

“Ƶ has always been steadfast in advancing its foundational pillars of academic excellence and spiritual formation,” says Lee Kats, dean of Seaver College. “The most recent U.S. News rankings affirm our wholehearted pursuit of providing a world-class, student-centered education to undergraduates. At the same time, Seaver College remains focused on developing as an institution to better promote our mission, our impactful scholarship, and our unwavering goal of producing graduates equipped to change the world for the better.”

The consistent success Pepperdine has experienced as a U.S. News top 100 institution is due, in part, to its distinctive international programs, dedicated, world-renowned faculty, and commitment to student veterans. 

Study Abroad: #12 (tied)

Pepperdine’s International Programs continues to stand out as one of the nation’s preeminent study abroad programs. With residential campuses in , Argentina; , Italy; , Germany; , Switzerland; , England; and , Ƶ offers students the unique opportunity to study and learn in different cultural centers around the world. In total, 95 percent of undergraduate students at Seaver College study abroad throughout their education, which allows them to develop dynamic cultural competencies while still pursuing their vocational interests. 

In August, Pepperdine announced its newest international program in Kyoto, Japan, that is currently collecting student applications for the fall 2026 semester. 

Undergraduate Teaching: #39

At Pepperdine students are developed holistically by world-renowned faculty members who actively invest in their academic, spiritual, and future-focused pursuits. In the classroom, Seaver College promotes learning by maintaining a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. These small class sizes ensure that each undergraduate is seen, heard, and valued throughout their course schedule and larger educational journey.

Furthermore, Ƶ is successful at creating unique experiential learning opportunities for students to further their studies outside the typical curriculum. As an R2 research institution, the University actively involves undergraduates in the pursuit of new knowledge. More than 240 students—almost one-third of the student body—take part in undergraduate research on a yearly basis. For Seaver College’s class of 2024, 91 percent of these undergraduate researchers were settled in professional employment or graduate school within six months of graduation. 

Best Colleges for Veterans: #53 (tied) 

Pepperdine supports more than 500 enrolled veterans, service members, , and their dependents. An active participant in the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program, the University offers $3 million worth of annual tuition to eligible students. Moreover, Pepperdine does not place a limit on the number of Yellow Ribbon students they are willing to support to ensure these members of the community receive their education at no cost to themselves. 

Student veterans on campus enjoy a flourishing and growing community through the University’s PeppVet Center. Led by Eric Leshinsky, director of student veteran affairs and a retired Air Force colonel, the PeppVet Center is dedicated to offering personalized support to undergraduate veterans pursuing their degree.

Commenting on these rankings and the institution’s overall position in U.S. News’ latest Best Colleges list, Jay Brewster, provost and chief academic officer of the University, shared: “Pepperdine continues to mature as a reputational university, providing world-class scholarly influence, clear missional vision, and student-focused priorities.”

For more information on Pepperdine’s 2025–2026 rankings, visit the