LOS ANGELES, CA — UCLA may not have cracked the top 10 in Niche's new ranking of the best colleges in America, but the Westwood university still came out on top in six categories — including best public university, best campus and best college food.
The Pittsburgh-based college search and review site evaluated more than 4,000 colleges and universities nationwide, using federal data along with student and alumni reviews.
Stanford University ranked No. 2 nationally on Niche's 2027 Best Colleges in America list and No. 1 in California. California Institute of Technology (Caltech) ranked second, followed by Harvey Mudd College, UCLA, and Pomona College.
UCLA was ranked No. 17 among all schools nationwide. In addition to being ranked the No. 1 best public university in the country, UCLA was also the top ranked school in five other categories:
Niche publishes rankings for categories including value, academics, professors, student life, campuses, majors, public universities and liberal arts colleges, as well as rankings by state.
Niche's rankings combine federal data with reviews from students and alumni, weighing factors including academics, value, professors, campus life, diversity and safety.
For 2027, Niche also added a measure that compares colleges with similar institutions based on their missions and outcomes. The site also introduced pilot grades for student wellness and "future readiness," including career services, internships and exposure to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
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