ERIE, Pa. — New rankings by U.S. News & World Report for 2027 place Penn State Behrend among the top "Regional Colleges in the North." Behrend is ranked No. 11 among regional colleges and is No. 6 among public schools.
Behrend also is listed as a “Best Value School,” ranked No. 15 in the regional north category. The college is ranked No. 3 for veterans.
“These rankings validate the Behrend educational experience and our Open Lab model of learning, where students partner with business and industry to solve real-world problems,” Chancellor Ralph Ford said. “Through internships, capstone projects and meaningful undergraduate research, our students apply their learning and refine their ability to make an immediate impact in their careers and their communities.”
The rankings are an assessment of academic quality, according to U.S. News, which measures success in 13 metrics, including student-to-faculty ratio, financial aid, graduation rates and graduate salaries.
The U.S. News rankings amplify Behrend’s recent Carnegie Classifications as a “Research College and University” and a “Higher Earnings” institution ― two new designations by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
The “Research College and University” designation recognizes high-achieving research institutions. To qualify, a college must produce at least $2.5 million in annual research and development spending.
Behrend generates nearly $10 million in sponsored research every year.
Just 10% of all U.S. colleges and universities received Carnegie’s “Higher Earnings” designation, which measures graduates’ earnings eight years after they enroll at a college.
“The Carnegie Classifications and the new U.S. News rankings reinforce what we consistently hear from our graduates, who find success and competitive compensation in their chosen careers,” Ford said. “That’s important not only for our graduates, who build a résumé before they even leave Behrend, but also for prospective students and their families, who are just beginning the college experience and want to be strategic with that investment.”