U.S. News & World Report has released its 2026 college and university academic rankings. This year, the evaluation of Big Ten schools includes significant changes due to the recent addition of Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA from the Pac-12. These changes have affected both the athletic and academic landscapes of the conference.
Evaluation Criteria
U.S. News assesses institutions based on several factors, including:
- Graduation rates
- Retention rates
- Graduate success
- Academic resources
Big Ten Schools in the 2026 Rankings
Here’s how each Big Ten school ranks nationally in the latest report, along with their previous year’s position:
| Rank | University | City | National Ranking | 2025 Rank | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | University of Nebraska — Lincoln | Lincoln, NE | No. 158 (tied) | No. 152 | 87% |
| 17 | University of Oregon | Eugene, OR | No. 110 (tied) | No. 109 | 85% |
| 16 | University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA | No. 102 (tied) | No. 98 | 84% |
| 15 | Indiana University — Bloomington | Bloomington, IN | No. 73 (tied) | No. 73 | 78% |
| 14 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI | No. 64 (tied) | No. 63 | 85% |
| 12 (tie) | University of Minnesota — Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN | No. 59 (tied) | No. 54 | 80% |
| 12 (tie) | Pennsylvania State University — University Park | University Park, PA | No. 59 (tied) | No. 63 | 61% |
| 11 | Purdue University — Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN | No. 46 (tied) | No. 46 | 50% |
| 8 (tie) | University of Washington | Seattle, WA | No. 42 (tied) | No. 46 | 39% |
| 8 (tie) | University of Maryland, College Park | College Park, MD | No. 42 (tied) | No. 44 | 45% |
| 8 (tie) | Rutgers University — New Brunswick | Piscataway, NJ | No. 42 (tied) | No. 41 | 41% |
| 7 | The Ohio State University | Columbus, OH | No. 41 | No. 41 | 61% |
| 5 (tie) | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Champaign, IL | No. 36 (tied) | No. 33 | 42% |
| 5 (tie) | University of Wisconsin — Madison | Madison, WI | No. 36 (tied) | No. 39 | 45% |
| 4 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | No. 28 | No. 27 | 10% |
| 3 | University of Michigan — Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI | No. 20 (tied) | No. 21 | 16% |
| 2 | University of California — Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | No. 17 (tied) | No. 15 | 9% |
| 1 | Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | No. 7 (tied) | No. 6 | 8% |
Big Ten Academic Landscape
The rankings reflect a diverse academic landscape among Big Ten schools. Northwestern University remains the highest-ranked institution, closely followed by UCLA and the University of Michigan. The addition of new members has reshaped academic standings, emphasizing a blend of academic rigor and athletic achievement in the conference.
As institutions strive for improvement, these rankings will influence future academic initiatives and athletic strategies within the Big Ten.
