UNC Asheville remains among the nation's top 10 public liberal arts colleges in 2025 U.S. News ranking

The University also ranks highly in social mobility

Once again, the University of North Carolina Asheville holds the No. 9 spot in the U.S. News Best Colleges "Top Public Schools - National Liberal Arts Colleges" category.

Long regarded as one of the nation's top public liberal arts and sciences universities, UNC Asheville also improved nine spots to No. 132 among all schools - public or private.

To determine its rankings, U.S. News uses a methodology that rates nearly 1,600 bachelor's degree-granting institutions on 19 indicators of academic quality, which range from institutional reputation to social mobility.

For the sixth year in a row, UNC Asheville was ranked a "Top Performer for Social Mobility," coming in at No. 94 in the nation. To be recognized in this category, a school must be "more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants."

The ranking is testament to the University's focus on combining academic excellence with affordability.

Currently, 34 percent of all UNC Asheville students receive a Pell Grant, a number that has seen a steady recent increase. Enrollment of first-generation students also continues to grow, with 24 percent of UNC Asheville students currently among the first in their family to pursue a college degree.

Part of this growth can be attributed to the recently launched Access Ashevillefinancial aid program, which guarantees tuition and fees (a $7,501 value) for qualified North Carolina residents.

In its inaugural year, 21.5 percent of the Fall 2024 incoming class are Access Asheville recipients, including both new first-time and transfer students.

Two UNC Asheville academic programs also received national recognition. Psychology was ranked No. 249 overall and computer science came in at No. 281. Both are among the University's most popular majors.

Among currently declared majors, psychology holds the top spot, followed by art, environmental science, biology, and English. Computer science, new media, business, health sciences, and mass communication round out the top 10.

Known for its focus on developing critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills in an interdisciplinary setting, UNC Asheville prepares its graduates for impactful careers and lives of meaning and purpose.

An average 67 percent of those graduates conduct collaborative research or complete some form of creative endeavor with a faculty mentor. More than 90 percent also engage in at least one high-impact learning experience, such as an internship, service learning, or study abroad. In addition to moving directly into careers, nearly one-quarter of UNC Asheville graduates go on to pursue advanced degrees that prepare them for management and leadership roles.

All U.S. News rankings are available at usnews.com/best-colleges.

For more information about UNC Asheville and to schedule a visit or apply, visit unca.edu/admission/.