PEPPER PIKE, Ohio — Ursuline College has been ranked No. 1 in Ohio for helping students move up in life and eighth among Regional Universities in the Midwest, according to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
The ranking, officially called upward social mobility, measures how well colleges help students from lower-income families earn degrees and achieve better career and income opportunities than their parents, Ursuline College said in a news release. At Ursuline, nearly half of students are the first in their families to attend college, and 40% qualify for Pell Grants, federal aid for those with the greatest financial need.
“Approximately half of our students are the first in their families to attend college and 40 percent are Pell-eligible,” Ursuline College President David King said in the news release. “Our mission of educating for service, leadership, and professional excellence goes together with helping our students pursue their full potential. We change the trajectory of not just their lives but the lives of their families’ for generations.”
According to the news release, this marks the first year Ursuline College appeared in the Best Colleges for Veterans and Best Value Schools categories, placing 29th in both groups. Within Ohio, that translates to 4th for serving veterans and 7th for overall value among regional universities.
Ursuline’s Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions also earned high marks. Its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program ranked in the upper third nationwide and 8th in Ohio, reinforcing the college’s reputation in healthcare education, the release says.
“These rankings reflect that Ursuline provides not only an excellent education at a great value,” King said. “But also, the personal attention and dignity that each student deserves to be successful.”
The new rankings cap off a year of momentum for Ursuline College. Last spring, the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation designated the college as Northeast Ohio’s only Opportunity College, a title reserved for schools that provide students with both greater access to higher education and higher earning potential after graduation, the release says.
Ursuline College also leapt 48 spots from last year’s ranking, now standing 10th in Ohio and 61st among all Midwest Regional Universities.
The recognition comes in the wake of Ursuline College’s strategic merger with Gannon University, scheduled to be completed in late 2026.
“We’re looking forward to offering even more opportunities to our students and the people of Northeast Ohio through our strategic partnership with Gannon,” King said.