Rankings and Honors

A college education is a significant investment. So it’s especially rewarding when the experts recognize SLU’s efforts to keep tuition affordable and to ensure that all students can achieve a Saint Louis University education.

U.S. News & World Report "Best Value"

Saint Louis University is ranked No. 52 on U.S. News & World Report's 2026 list of "Best Value Schools." The University has received U.S. News' best-value designation for nine consecutive years. The rankings considered a school's academic quality compared to the cost of attendance.

U.S. News determines best value by comparing a school’s academic quality and its net cost of attendance. At SLU, 90% of all students receive financial assistance, and the University offers scholarship programs recognizing academic merit, financial need and diversity, among other areas.

Princeton Review "Best Value Colleges"

SLU was named to Princeton Review's 2027 "Best Value Colleges" list, which recognizes schools that combine strong academics, affordability and strong career prospects for graduates.

Kiplinger's "Best Values in Private Colleges"

SLU ranks No. 133 on Kiplinger's list of the 200 top values in American private universities. Rankings considered cost and financial aid, student indebtedness, competitiveness, graduation rates and academic support.

Barron's "Best Buys in College Education"

SLU was named one of approximately 220 U.S. colleges and universities that provides a "first­-class education at affordable prices." In the publication, Barron's 11th edition calls SLU an "urban research university that refuses to act like one, caring for each individual as a total person and drawing its undergraduates into the life of the surrounding community."

"Most Trusted Brands" Report

Trust is a core value at Saint Louis University, central to the University's mission as a leading Jesuit research institution. SLU ranks No. 39 among the most-trusted universities in the U.S., according to a 2022 Most Trusted Brands report by Morning Consult, a global decision intelligence company.

The Most Trusted Brands report also rated trust in universities among underrepresented groups. Among Hispanic adults, SLU was the No. 5 most-trusted university.

Across the nation and around the world, Saint Louis University is routinely recognized for rigorous scholarship and research in a variety of disciplines.

U.S. News & World Report

Saint Louis University is ranked No. 100 on U.S. News & World Report's 2027 list of "Best National Universities" and No. 55 on its 2027 list of "Top Private Schools."

Thirteen academic programs at SLU are currently ranked in the top 50. Rankings are for graduate programs unless otherwise noted.

• No. 1: Health Law
• No. 15: International Business (undergraduate)
• No. 15: Entrepreneurship (undergraduate)
• No. 16: Health Care Management
• No. 20: Supply Chain Management
• No. 25: Physical Therapy*
• No. 26: Physician Assistant
• No. 26: Part-time Law
• No. 36: Nursing (undergraduate)
• No. 37: Occupational Therapy*
• No. 42: Finance (undergraduate)
• No. 43: Social Work
• No. 43: Accounting (undergraduate)
• No. 49: Public Health

* Indicates most recent ranking. U.S. News does not rank all graduate programs every year. Some disciplines are ranked on four or six-year cycles.

Forbes: "America's Top Colleges"

Among the factors Forbes considers for their annual top colleges list are high alumni salaries and low student debt; proven leadership and entrepreneurial success; and high graduation and retention rates.

Princeton Review

SLU's excellence is noted in The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition. The organization's rankings are based on surveys of more than 160,000 students at all institutions.

Princeton Review ranks SLU in the top-50 schools for undergraduate entrepreneurship studies. This ranking recognizes colleges and business schools with faculty who are genuinely engaged in entrepreneurism, rich in-class and out-of-class experiential components, and extraordinary financial and networking support for students.

Niche’s "Best Catholic Colleges"

SLU ranks No. 10 on the Niche 2027 "Best Catholic Colleges in America" list. Niche bases its rankings on key statistics and student reviews.

Other top-100 national rankings from Niche are:

• No. 26: Best Colleges with No Application Fee
• No. 30: Best Colleges for Kinesiology and Physical Therapy
• No. 71: Best Colleges for Public Health
• No. 86: Best Colleges for Nursing
• No. 99: Colleges with the Best Professors in America

Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Saint Louis University received the “R1” designation — the highest classification that universities can attain for research activity — in the 2025 Research Activity Designations published by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Fewer than 190 universities nationwide have earned this distinction. 

Institute of International Education Open Doors Report

The 2021 Open Doors Report ranks Saint Louis University among the top-25 doctoral universities for undergraduate participation in study abroad, with nearly 33% of undergraduates participating in study abroad during their time at SLU.

Published by the Institute of International Education and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the annual Open Doors Report recognizes U.S. institutions that lead in educating international scholars and U.S. institutions that lead in sending U.S. students abroad for academic experiences.

Learning outcomes improve when students are curious, interested or passionate — in other words, “engaged.” At SLU, service is integrated into academics, extracurricular activities and nearly all we do, and the nation has taken notice.

Carnegie Foundation's Community Engagement Classification

This honor recognizes institutions' commitment to engaging with local, national and global communities. Nationwide, only 279 institutions hold the classification.

Princeton Review "Best Counseling Services"

SLU ranked No. 21 on Princeton Review's 2023 list of colleges and universities with the best counseling services. The rankings are based on students' assessment of the counseling services available on campus. SLU's University Counseling Center offers individual psychotherapy, case management, outreach and prevention, and educational groups.

U.S. News & World Report "Best Colleges for Veterans"

SLU is on the U.S. News 2026 "Best Colleges for Veterans" list, which recognizes schools that participate in federal initiatives to make a college education more affordable for veterans and active-duty service members.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "Green Power Partner"

Saint Louis University ranks No. 12 on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "Green Power Partners" colleges and universities, recognized as leaders in spurring innovation and promoting growth in the U.S. renewable energy market.