The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Showcase / University receives honors from U.S. News and World Report
A drone captures a stunning sunset over Abilene Christian University’s campus, with golden hues illuminating the iconic Tower of Light and the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building. (Photo by Daniel Curd)

University receives honors from U.S. News and World Report

October 15, 2025 by Leslie Carrigan

The University ranked in six categories nationally in the U.S. News and World Report this year.

University ranks in six categories in U.S. News and World Report Rankings. (Photo courtesy of ACU)

The school ranked:
11th in Service Learning
13th in First-year Experience
11th in Learning Communities
36th in Study Abroad
254 in Undergraduate Nursing
329 in Best University

Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the University, said he is proud of the University and the rankings are cause for celebration.

“That’s just a great testament to the good work that we’re doing at ACU,” Schubert said. “The impact it’s having on the student experience and the fact that people across the country are watching and taking notes.”

The U.S. News and World Report makes its rankings based on a mix of primary data the school provides and secondary data from the U.S. Department of Education, according to the U.S. News and World Report rankings.

To qualify for overall rankings, each University must “Offer a broad curriculum under the 2021 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s Basic Classification system,” the USNWR website said. “Enroll at least 100 undergraduates. Report a six-year bachelor’s graduation rate for an entering cohort of at least 25 first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree-seeking students.”

In the category of learning community, the school moved up three spots compared to last year; however, the school ranked lower compared to last year in service learning (7), first-year experience (11), study abroad (18), undergraduate nursing (254) and best university (329).

Schubert said he was unconcerned by a few of these rankings because the school still performed well overall.

“Having [three] areas in the top 25, that’s great to me,” Schubert said.

Looking forward, Schubert hopes to continue to grow in many of the categories.

“I’d like to be maybe in the top ten in study abroad,” Schubert said. “That’s a ranking that’s pretty competitive across the country and I’d like to see us with three or four top ten rankings.”

Filed Under: News, Showcase

Other News:

  • Concert culture shifts as students document more

  • Open letter resisting ‘Christian nationalism’ signed by over 1,000

  • ACU Gives raises $1.4 million in annual day of giving

About Leslie Carrigan

You are here: Home / Showcase / University receives honors from U.S. News and World Report

Other News:

  • Concert culture shifts as students document more

  • Open letter resisting ‘Christian nationalism’ signed by over 1,000

  • ACU Gives raises $1.4 million in annual day of giving

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
9 May

BREAKING: The 2026 teacher of the year is Dr. Clint Buck, assistant professor of accounting in the College of Business Administration.

Reply on Twitter 2053158226070257771 Retweet on Twitter 2053158226070257771 Like on Twitter 2053158226070257771 2 Twitter 2053158226070257771
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
4 May

BREAKING NEWS: James Bradshaw and Maddie Grace Fridge are the 2026 Mr. ACU and Miss ACU.

Reply on Twitter 2051110655172784350 Retweet on Twitter 2051110655172784350 Like on Twitter 2051110655172784350 4 Twitter 2051110655172784350

Optimist on Facebook

This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.
Click to show error
Error: Server configuration issue Error: No posts available for this Facebook ID

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2026 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved