Gallaudet University’s 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings announced

Gallaudet University has again been recognized in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.

The 2026 edition, released September 23, placed Gallaudet in the top tier of colleges and universities. More than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities were evaluated, using up to 17 factors to measure academic quality and graduate success. Within this framework, Gallaudet is ranked among 436 National Universities:.

Gallaudet ranked:

• 198th among 436 National Universities, a double-digit improvement from last year.
• 62nd in Social Mobility, a significant acknowledgement of the impact of our education on our students’ futures.
• 18th in Best Value among National Universities, affirming our commitment to affordability.

“These rankings highlight Gallaudet’s continued commitment to academic excellence, preparing our students for future opportunities while ensuring affordability,” said President Roberta J. Cordano. “Gallaudet remains committed to preparing graduates for meaningful careers, civic engagement, and lifelong leadership in a rapidly changing world.” 

How U.S. News measures these rankings

• National Universities: Overall ranking combining factors such as graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, and peer assessments.
• Social Mobility: Measures how well a university enrolls and graduates students who receive Pell Grants, reflecting success in supporting students from lower-income backgrounds.
• Best Value: Compares academic quality with net cost to students receiving need-based aid, highlighting schools that deliver strong outcomes at an affordable price.

These national rankings underscore Gallaudet’s unique mission as the world’s only bilingual university for Deaf and hard of hearing students, and its reputation for affordability, accessibility, and student success.

Context and Considerations

This year’s U.S. News rankings evaluated more than 400 national universities across the United States. U.S. News gets their data from institutions themselves as well as third-party sources such as IPEDS, Common Data Set (CDS), College Scorecard, and peer surveys. While the rankings are widely followed, the methodology is not without controversy. Critics point out that reputation surveys, the weighting of resources and selectivity, and the way outcomes for low-income or first-generation students are measured may favor larger or more heavily resourced institutions.

Even so, Gallaudet takes pride in its performance. These rankings provide one lens among many to assess our progress, particularly in affordability and social mobility, and serve as motivation to keep improving access, opportunity, and student success. To learn more about the methodology, visit U.S. News Best Colleges Rankings.