Trinity University has again ranked among the top 20% of universities in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report National Liberal Arts Colleges rankings, coming in at No. 35 in a new category for top private colleges. Trinity also ranked No. 15 among “Most Innovative Schools,” up one position from last year.
In the broader overall rank of national liberal arts colleges that includes the three service academies, Trinity ranked No. 38, one spot behind last year and in a three-way tie with Occidental College and Scripps College. Trinity placed No. 1 among liberal arts colleges in Texas and No. 5 among national liberal arts colleges in the South.
“Trinity is pleased to once again be recognized as one of the finest liberal arts and sciences universities in the country,” said President Vanessa B. Beasley, Ph.D. “The rankings reflect some of the things that set us apart, and yet they can’t capture everything. Our faculty and staff are constantly innovating to offer a purpose-driven, hands-on education, preparing our students for careers and meaningful lives after Trinity. On top of that, they work alongside students to build a sense of community, and that’s something that endures long after they graduate.”
This fall has been a strong ranking season for Trinity. Niche rankings, which are increasingly popular among high school students and their families, listed Trinity at No. 15 in the”Best Small Colleges in America” category, No. 16 among “Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America,” and No. 2 in “Best Colleges with No Application Fee.”
According to the Princeton Review, Trinity ranks No. 11 for “Best Science Lab Facilities,” No. 16 for “Great Financial Aid,” and No. 25 for “Best Health Services.” Forbes ranked the university No. 34 in its Top 50 “Small Private Colleges list.”
An internal analysis of the U.S. News rankings metrics reveals that Trinity has seen improvements in several priority areas, thanks to institutional investments. The university ranks 25th among national liberal arts universities in earnings among graduates, and students receiving Pell Grants are graduating at the same rate as non-Pell Grant recipients.
Applications to Trinity have topped 11,000 for five years in a row. The 654 first-year students in the Class of 2030 were accepted from nearly 12,000 applicants; the acceptance rate for the class was 28%. The retention rate for first-year students is 92%, ranking 33rd in the U.S. News rankings metrics.
The percentage of full-time, tenure-track faculty at Trinity has increased to 81%. This reduced the student-to-faculty ratio to 8:1, which improved the rank in that metric four places to 36th.
Giving to the university has also increased. Recent milestones include a $25 million gift from the Malú and Carlos Alvarez Family to name the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities and a $6.1 million gift from the Semmes Foundation to expand opportunities for undergraduate students and faculty in the D. R. Semmes School of Science.
Three Trinity students and one recent graduate won Fulbright Scholarships in the spring (one ultimately declined the award), and Alynn Jimenez Miranda ’27 became the university’s first Truman Scholar since 1998.
Trinity debuted as a U.S. News & World Report national liberal arts and sciences university in 2022 at No. 55. The university previously held the No. 1 spot among universities in its region for 29 out of 30 years.
Students can find out more about applying to Trinity at the Admissions website.