The university posted its highest mark for social mobility in recent years and a significant jump in the best value category.
North Park University (NPU) improved in every category for which it was recognized for high rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges list, released today. The most notable gain came in Social Mobility – Regional Universities (Midwest), where NPU moved to #5, its highest spot in recent years. The category considers the number of students with Federal Pell Grants that a university enrolls and measures the graduation rates among those students, a marker of success in educating those from economically underprivileged backgrounds and setting them up to achieve a higher earnings bracket following graduation.
NPU also climbed to #13 in Best Value – Regional Universities (Midwest)—a 12-spot jump after the university’s first appearance in the category in recent years in the 2026 rankings—and rose eight spots to #46 (tied) among Regional Universities (Midwest) and was placed at #36 (tied) in the Top Private Schools – Regional Universities (Midwest) segmentation.
President Mary K. Surridge said, “This continued rise in the rankings reflects the momentum we see across North Park University and affirms our mission in action. Through academic excellence, faithful service, and an unwavering commitment to our students, we are preparing graduates to lead lives of significance and service.”
This year’s gains, particularly in social mobility, align closely with the North Park Promise, the university’s strategic plan for 2025–30. The plan’s Flourishing Students pillar is committed to helping every student persist and graduate through proactive advising, affordable access, and career preparation—the same outcomes that the social mobility ranking measures. The North Park Promise was affirmed by the North Park University Board of Trustees and the Evangelical Covenant Church Executive Board and officially launched this fall. However, the work has already been underway, including a new required first-year course that began in fall 2025, titled “Flourishing Student Experience,” which introduces students to the resources they’ll need to thrive at college while identifying and pursuing their passions.
“These rankings provide important external validation of the progress taking place across North Park for our students,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management, Marketing, and Strategic Planning Anthony Scola. “Our improvement, especially in social mobility and best value, shows that our focus on affordability, persistence, and long-term student outcomes is making a measurable difference that students and their families are drawn to.”
North Park welcomed 576 traditional undergraduate students to its community at the start of the fall 2025 semester, including 445 first-year students and 131 transfer students.
U.S. News & World Report bases its Best Colleges rankings on measures such as graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, financial resources, and social mobility outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did North Park University rank in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges list? NPU placed #46 (tied) in Regional Universities (Midwest), #36 (tied) in Top Private Schools – Regional Universities (Midwest), #13 in Best Value – Regional Universities (Midwest), and #5 in Social Mobility – Regional Universities (Midwest).
Did North Park’s rankings improve this year? Yes. NPU improved in every category it was ranked in compared to the 2026 rankings, gaining eight spots in Regional Universities (Midwest), 12 spots in Best Value – Regional Universities (Midwest), and one spot in Social Mobility – Regional Universities (Midwest).
What does the social mobility ranking measure? It reflects how successfully a university graduates students who received Federal Pell Grants, which typically go to students from lower-income households. NPU’s #5 placement is its highest in recent years.
How does U.S. News & World Report determine its Best Colleges rankings? The magazine weighs factors such as graduation and retention rates, faculty and financial resources, and social mobility outcomes across degree-granting institutions nationwide.
What is the North Park Promise, and how does it relate to these rankings? The North Park Promise is North Park University’s strategic plan for 2025–30, centered on four pillars, with Flourishing Students at the core. That pillar commits to helping every student persist and graduate through proactive advising, affordable access, and career preparation—the same student-success outcomes reflected in NPU’s rise in the social mobility ranking.
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