George Albu
Inscription on a bench that reads “Vanderbilt University 1984” in gold lettering, as photographed on Aug. 19, 2024. (Hustler Multimedia/George Albu)
U.S. News & World Report released its 2025 Best National University rankings on Sept. 24, with Vanderbilt remaining at No. 18 for the second year. The same day, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier sent an email to the Vanderbilt community criticizing the rankings and methodology change U.S. News underwent last year, a similar email to the two he sent last September.
Forbes ranked Vanderbilt at No. 15, while The Wall Street Journal ranked Vanderbilt at No. 44. The university’s ranking in The Princeton Review showed decreases in multiple categories, including best quality of life, happiest students, best campus food and best student support and counseling services, while the most beautiful campus ranking increased to No. 10.
U.S. News ranking
Vanderbilt’s second year at No. 18 in U.S. News is a decrease from No. 13 and No. 14 rankings the previous three years. No. 18 is the lowest U.S. News rank since 2009 for the university, whose mission for its Board of Trust is to help the university become one of the top 10 research and teaching universities in the country.
U.S. News significantly changed its methodology last year after top schools — including Vanderbilt Law School — opted out of the ranking due to concerns about the factors used in determining a school’s position. The methodology underwent no significant changes this year.
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