Rankings and Recognitions

Among the Nation’s Best Colleges

U.S. News & World Report

Among the best in the nation: Hope is ranked #84 (up six spots) in National Liberal Arts Colleges according to U.S. News & World Report's 2026 edition of Best Colleges.

• #22 for Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects: Hope’s national reputation for undergraduate research continues to advance in the nation among institutions of all types — including major research universities and Ivy League schools. Hope has been on the research/creative project list every year since the category debuted in the 2003 edition.
• #28 Most Innovative Schools: College presidents, provosts and admissions deans were asked to nominate up to 15 colleges or universities in their U.S. News “Best Colleges” ranking category, that they believe are making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities. This ranking was based on that peer-assessment survey that recognized several Hope initiatives such as its “Hope Forward” program, the “Anchored Tuition Pledge,” a prison-education program and more.
• Also recognized as:
  
  • #36 for Undergraduate Teaching Programs
  • #82 for Undergraduate Engineering Programs
  • #92 in Best Value Schools
  • #150 in Top Performers on Social Mobility

WALL STREET JOURNAL

The WSJ/College Pulse 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranks Hope among 584 colleges nationwide on how well they prepare students for financial success. 

American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation

Hope College ranks among the nation’s top research institutions, including being one of only 28 undergraduate-only schools recognized in the Research Colleges and Universities category by the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Carnegie Foundation.

Money Magazine's Best Colleges

Hope is recognized on Money's list of Best Colleges — 732 colleges that combine quality and affordability, “where your tuition (and time) is likely to pay off.”   

“The college is at the forefront of dialogue about affordability and accessibility.” —Money Magazine

Niche Best Colleges

Niche ranks Hope College among the top schools in Michigan and nationwide including

• #1 Best Christian College and #1 Top Private University in Michigan
• #1 Best College in the Grand Rapids metro area
• #3 Best College for Student Life in Michigan 
• #3 Best College for Education in Michigan 
• #4 in eight statewide categories, including Best College, Best College Campus, Best Academics and Best College for Student Athletes, in addition to Best College for Business and for Communications in Michigan 
• #11 of 314 Best Christian Colleges in America and #40 out of 181 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in America

FISKE Guide to Colleges

Hope is one of only about 320 colleges and universities highlighted as “the best and most interesting institutions in the nation — the ones that students most want to know about.” The 2022 Fiske Guide to Colleges said this about Hope:

• “I feel pushed to work hard and study to perform at my best.”
• “This is a place where people are involved and love to build community.”
• “Hope is a place where students are challenged to become better students…  but, more important, better people.”

Forbes

• America’s Top Colleges: Hope
  is included in Forbes’ 2026 list of “Top Colleges” and ranks #49 in the Midwest when looking at alumni salary, debt, graduation rate, return on investment, retention rate, and academic success."
   
• Top Liberal Arts Universities: Hope ranks #57 among liberal arts universities in the nation.

“Overall, the school ‘boasts great academic programs that are lead by professors that typically care about your whole personal development.’ The pre-med, science, engineering and music programs are all ‘excellent’ and are both ‘community-focused’ and ‘focused on global learning.’ Hope has one of the ‘greatest undergraduate research programs in the nation and it shows.’” —Princeton Review

Princeton Review 

• Hope is one of 150 institutions recommended by Princeton Review as a 2026 “Best in the Midwest.”
• Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2025 Edition recommends Hope for having exceptional commitment to sustainability.

Washington Monthly

Washington Monthly ranks Hope #116 — and #35 in research — of only 194 Liberal Arts Colleges in 2024 based on contributions to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and promoting public service.  

GREAT EDUCATION AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

LendEDU

According to LendEDU, Hope is included in the “Top 500 Colleges & Universities with the Lowest Student Loan Debt for Parents" and recognized for “One of the Lowest Default Rates in Michigan and the country."

Great Value Colleges

Great Value Colleges named Hope one of the 30 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the Midwest.

Return on investment

Hope College is listed in the Top 10 Higher Education Institutions by Median Lifetime Return on Investment (ROI) in Michigan. A Hope College graduate's ROI is over $340,000 higher than the mean ROI according to the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. ($554,407 compared to $214,085).

COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC DIVERSITY

New York Times

Hope was included on The New York Times’ third annual College Access Index, a ranking of just 150 colleges based on their commitment to economic diversity. Headlined the “Top Colleges Doing the Most for the American Dream,” the ranking is based on a combination of the number of lower- and middle-income students enrolled and the price it charges these students.

BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS

In 2021, OnlineChristianColleges.com ranked Hope the #30 Most Beautiful Christian College Campuses in North America based on awards and recognition, student enjoyment, notable features, and historical significance/environmental friendliness.

CHANGING LIVES

Hope is included in the book Colleges that Change Lives, which recognizes 45 colleges that develop a lifelong love of learning and provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college. According to the book, “Hope is first rate across the board, attracting students because of the reputation of its programs. Hope raises higher education’s moral and intellectual level.”

Sustainability

Hope College has been honored with Tree Campus USA® recognition by the Arbor Day Foundation since 2018.

The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) commends Hope College with "Gold" status for its transparent, self-reporting framework used to measure sustainability performance. Hope is also recognized for being among the top colleges and universities in the nation for research related to sustainability.

Innovative

Out of the "50 Underrated Colleges Doing Great Things," Hope is ranked #23 by College Consensus who also ranked Hope #18 in Best Christian Colleges & Universities and #9 in Best Colleges and Universities in Michigan.

ADVANCING SCIENCE

Hope was named by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement as the #1 undergraduate institution for dollars received in the foundation’s 100-year history (2012).

Top 25 for Peace Corps Volunteers

Coming in at #22, Hope made the top 25 among small colleges and universities producing Peace Corps Volunteers in 2017 — the only school from Michigan on the "small institutions" list and one of only three Michigan institutions of any size to be recognized.

Also included in:

• All-American Colleges: Top Schools for Conservatives, Old-Fashioned Liberals and People of Faith
• Putting Students First: How Colleges Develop Students Purposefully 
  Hope is one of of 10 faith-based colleges highlighted for doing an exemplary job in educating students holistically.
• Creative Colleges: A Guide for Student Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers
  Hope’s dance and writing programs recognized as among the best in the nation.
• The Insider's Guide to Colleges

OTHER NOTABLES

• Insight into Academia's 2025 “Higher Education Excellence and Distinction (HEED) Award” for “demonstrating  an outstanding commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming campus for all.
• The first private, four-year, undergraduate liberal arts college in the country to achieve national accreditation in all four of the arts. 
• The only college or university in Michigan where business students can participate in the George F. Baker Scholars Program, which provides a wide range of real-world experiences beyond the classroom. One of only several dozen Baker Scholars Programs in the country.
• One of only 286 institutions in the U.S. to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest scholastic honorary society.
• Hope is ranked #22 Best Bachelor’s in Biology in the country for 2021 by BachelorsDegreeCenter.org.
• 13th in the nation for CPA exam pass rates among 294 comparable institutions
• 77% of Hope graduates were employed and 24% were in graduate school within six months of graduation.
• 92% of Hope seniors who apply to graduate school are accepted to their first or second choice.
• 85% of Hope pre-med students with a 3.5 GPA or higher are accepted to medical school.
• 75% of all Hope pre-med students get into medical school.
• On average, Hope’s medical school acceptance rate is more than 30% higher than the national average for all applicants.
• 86% of Hope pre-dental students with a 3.3 GPA or higher get into dental school.
• 85% of Hope pre-law students are accepted to law school.
• 82% of the most recent graduating class are “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their jobs.
• Hope ranks in the top 0.7% of colleges for graduates pursuing Ph.D.s in chemistry.
• Hope ranks among the top 5% of colleges for grads pursuing Ph.D.s in all fields.
• Hope grads consistently land fellowships at top Ph.D. programs — Cornell, Duke, Harvard, Michigan, Stanford and more.

See the Grad Survey with data from our most recent graduating class