Truman Earns No. 1 Ranking for 28th Year in a Row

Truman has again been recognized as the No. 1 public university in the Midwest Region by U.S. News & World Report.

The University earned multiple recognitions in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, including another year as the No. 1 public school in the Midwest Region. Among both public and private institutions, Truman was No. 5 overall for the Midwest Region. Notably, Truman was the only Missouri public school to be included in the top 60 spots.

“These rankings are additional validation of the power and value of a Truman education and recognize that through our distinctive curriculum and exceptionally dedicated and caring faculty and staff, Truman students are well-prepared to achieve success,” said University President Susan L. Thomas.

Truman faculty members’ commitment to students helped the University improve in another noteworthy category. Always a fixture in the Undergraduate Teaching Programs list, Truman improved seven spots to tie for the No. 3 position this year. This subcategory, compiled from peer assessment, highlights schools that emphasize providing high-quality instruction to undergraduates. Of the 13 institutions to make this ranking, Truman was the lone public school to be included.

“Our faculty members epitomize a teacher-scholar approach,” Thomas said. “They are highly motivated to share their expertise and knowledge to empower their students. Whether it is serving as a research mentor, advising a student organization or helping arrange an internship opportunity, Truman faculty members put students at the center of what they do, and they go above and beyond to make sure all students reach their full potential.”

As usual, the University fared well on a number of supplemental tabs included in this year’s Best Colleges rankings. Coming in at No. 11 on the list of Best Value Schools for the Midwest Region, Truman was the only Missouri public institution included in the top 40 spots. This ranking was determined by examining key indicators such as: academic quality; the percentage of full-time students receiving need-based scholarships or grants; and the average discount from a school’s sticker price for full-time undergraduates receiving the average need-based grant.

U.S. News & World Report also recognized Truman on its list of Top Performers on Social Mobility, and four of the University’s academic programs – business, computer science, nursing and psychology – again earned inclusion on rankings of their respective disciplines. The entire Best Colleges rankings can be found online at usnews.com/best-colleges.