The U.S. News & World Report has ranked UNC-Chapel Hill fifth in their list of top public schools among national universities.
This marks 20 years that UNC has been ranked among the nation’s best universities. The ranking from the U.S. News & World Report also placed UNC among their best value schools list among public national universities and 14th overall among both public and private institutions.
“Carolina strives every day to serve the people of our state, the nation and the world through excellence in teaching, research and service,” said UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz in a release. “Our passion and dedication to this effort has earned Carolina a top-five ranking among public universities for the 20th consecutive year. Remaining accessible and affordable to all is fundamental to our mission, and we are honored with the distinction of ‘best value’ among public universities.”
The public universities ranked above UNC were University of California – Los Angeles, University of California – Berkley, University of Michigan, and University of Virginia. UNC was tied with Wake Forest for 28th overall among both public and private schools.
Princeton, Harvard, Columbia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Yale rounded out the top five in terms of overall national universities.
Read the entire list from the U.S. News & World Report here.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
Related Stories
‹

UNC Sees 30 Graduate Programs Place Highly in 2025 U.S. News & World Report RankingsTwo UNC graduate schools placed in the top three of their respective categories in the 2025 rankings shared by the U.S. News & World Report.

UNC Ranked No. 5 Public University, Best Value in Latest U.S. News & World Report ListThe latest rankings from the U.S. News & World Report continued UNC 23-year streak of top 5 finishes among public universities.

UNC Rises to No. 4 in Princeton Review's List of Best Public University ValueUNC is ranked highly once again in The Princeton Review and U.S. World & News Report's latest university rankings.
![]()
UNC's Reputation Holds Steady in National, Global College RankingsUNC tied for 28th - unchanged from last year - in this year's edition of U.S. News & World's Report's list of "America's Best Colleges."

'Safety Threat' at Kenan Stadium Leads UNC Police to Investigate; People Told to Avoid AreaUNC Police are responding to a safety threat at Kenan Stadium on Thursday afternoon, according to an alert shared with the campus community.

UNC Soccer and Lacrosse Venue Christened Dorrance Field at Play2Dream Legacy StadiumDorrance Field, the home venue for the UNC soccer and lacrosse programs, has expanded its name to Dorrance Field at Play2Dream Legacy Stadium. The expanded name comes in recognition of a gift from Kathleen Welsh and Gary Loveman, parents of two former UNC women’s soccer players. UNC describes Play2Dream as “a private family foundation” founded […]
![]()
What The Supreme Court Ruling on Transgender Athletes Means for Them and Title IX – On Air Today (July 8, 2026)UNC law and sports administration professor Barbara Osborne speaks with 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell on Wednesday, July 8.

UNC Men's Soccer Announces Schedule for 2026 SeasonThe UNC men’s soccer program has announced its schedule for the 2026 regular season. The Tar Heels are looking to build off a 2025 season which saw them reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It’s about that time ⏳ The 2026 season is just around the corner and we’ve finalized our schedule. Save […]

Construction to Close Lane of UNC Campus Intersection Through AugustThe latest phase of a steam tunnel replacement project on the UNC campus will force the closure of a lane at the intersection of South Columbia Street and South Road beginning Wednesday, July 8. The closure is expected to last through Monday, Aug. 10. Northbound traffic on South Columbia Street will not be allowed to […]
![]()
What's Trending: Shibumi Goes The DynamiteTrending today: Myrtle Beach bans the Shibumi Shade, an increasingly popular beach accessory that was first created by a trio of UNC grads.
›