Latest Rankings and Ratings
Purchase College is proudly recognized by a variety of publications, including the #11 spot on U.S. News and World Report’s Top Public Schools list.
Purchase has been selected for inclusion in several publications that rank the best colleges and programs in the nation.
U.S. News and World Report
Purchase College landed at #11 on U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges list of Top Public Schools. We’re also a best National Liberal Arts College and a Top Performer in Social Mobility.
The Princeton Review 2025
Purchase is among The Princeton Review’s 2025 Best 390 Colleges, which profiles only about 15% of America’s four-year colleges. The Princeton Review chooses colleges by their academic reputation mixed with information based on data from surveys of college students attending the schools who report on their experiences at their institutions.
The guide praises Purchase for its vibrant campus, creative culture, accepting community, engaged faculty, and wide range of hands-on programs with one student saying,
“We’re all about finding new ways to think about things, from science to art to management.”
Purchase also lands on their lists:
- Best Northeastern College
- Top Green College
- Best College Theater
The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter has named Purchase as one of the Top 25 Acting Programs in the World for 2024 and among the best NYC-area film schools, noting our outstanding alumni and affordability.
Fiske Guide To Colleges
The Fiske Guide to Colleges selected Purchase as one of the 300 “best and most interesting colleges in the U.S., Canada, and U.K.” commended for an “academic environment that provides a strong sense of community yet celebrates individuals for their unique talents and contributions.”
“There’s a raw energy that exists on campus—in the students and professors—that I don’t think many other colleges have.”
Read more about the Fiske ranking.
Backstage
Backstage magazine named Purchase among the 27 Acting Colleges You Should Know.
“It’s one of only five acting schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs…. Purchase’s program offers intensive, individualized training in topics such as movement, speech, theater history, dramatic literature, improvisation, and Lecoq technique.”
Money Magazine
Money included Purchase in their list of 745 Best Colleges, which evaluates colleges based on “graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries, and more.”