Niagara University Retains Status as the North’s “Best Value” in U.S. News College Rankings

Niagara University has been ranked as the "Best Value" in the North by U.S. News and World Report for the second year in a row.

The accolade reinforces the fact that Niagara offers students a better return on their educational investment than all 69 other colleges in the north region, according to the 2025 edition of U.S. News & World Report's annual survey of "America's Best Colleges."

The "Best Value" calculation considers a school's academic quality and the net cost of attendance for a student who receives the average level of need-based financial aid. The availability of need-based grant and scholarship support-financial aid that students do not need to pay back-was a major consideration in the analysis, because this type of aid is most beneficial to students.

"To be named the university that offers the best value in the North by U.S. News & World Report for the second consecutive year is a tremendous honor," said the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president of Niagara University. "This recognition is a testament to our steadfast commitment to providing a high-quality, transformational education that is accessible and affordable for all students. Our strong rankings in social mobility, for veterans, and in overall academic quality demonstrate that a Niagara University education is an excellent return on investment, preparing our graduates for successful and meaningful lives."

The university was also featured in several other of the publication's categories.

In the overall category of "Best Regional Universities (North)" Niagara moved up five places to #28, maintaining its position as one of the top schools in Western New York. This ranking is based primarily on student outcomes, including graduate earnings and debt.

In "Social Mobility," Niagara moved up significantly, from #76 to #48, earning the top spot among schools in the Buffalo-Niagara region. "Social Mobility" measures the graduation success of Pell Grant recipients and is based on Pell graduation rates, the proportion of students who receive Pell, and the comparison to graduation rates of non-Pell recipients.

Niagara also ranked as the best school for veterans in the Buffalo-Niagara region based on factors including GI-Bill certification, participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, and having 20 or more undergraduate students who are veterans or active service members. The university was also included on the list of "Undergraduate Business Programs," and "Undergraduate Nursing Programs." In addition, Niagara's six-year graduation rate is above 70% for the seventh year in a row, again overperforming U.S. News' expectations.