Smithfield, RI—Bryant University continues to rise in higher education rankings. Bryant is again being recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s annual “2026 Best Colleges” list, where Bryant broke into the top five best Universities in the North region, while being named the 16th Most Innovative School and the 11th best Undergraduate Teaching Program in the region, tied in that category with Bentley University.
The U.S. News rankings provide a comprehensive overview of the measures that matter when evaluating a university: academic quality, social mobility, and outcomes for graduating students. Bryant’s ascent in the rankings is the result of delivering on those data points, thanks to a community that drives transformation, empowers innovation, and develops leaders with impact.
“Bryant’s rising rankings and recognitions, including being named among the Most Innovative Schools, reflects our faculty and staff’s focus on students and their ability to adopt curriculum and our academic programs with changes in technology, areas of economic opportunity and societal needs. It also recognizes our students’ drive, accomplishments, and the distinctive education they receive here,” says Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D. “This year’s U.S. News & World Report’s ranking affirms the strong impact of a Bryant education in preparing graduates to launch meaningful careers and make an immediate impact in the professional world and communities they live in.”
You can feel the excitement on campus, as major projects are transforming Bryant’s physical footprint and showcasing a bold new approach to higher education. Last year marked the opening of the Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center, the new home of the college of Business, housing a range of future-focused labs dedicated to artificial intelligence, financial market and data analytics, and sales. The recently christened Navigant Credit Union Field House is a state-of-the-art facility to empower student-athletes and provide a next-level fan experience. The Puishys Residence Complex is a contemporary space that fosters a strong student life and a sense of belonging. Salmanson Dining Hall renovations have brought a new look and a range of new features to a space affectionately known as “Salmo.” Last year marked the opening of the new Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Center, housing a range of future-focused labs dedicated to artificial intelligence, data analytics, and sales. And the cutting-edge Psychology Research Center and Center for Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking have opened their doors this fall to serve as new hubs for innovation and impactful outcomes.
These major advancements contributed to Bryant recruiting and enrolling the largest first-year class in its 162-year history and welcoming its first cohort of doctoral students with the launch of the PsyD program.
“This is a time of incredible growth for Bryant, and what drives these new learning spaces and new programs is a strategic and unrelenting focus on delivering student success,” says Rupendra Paliwal, Ph.D., Bryant’s provost and chief academic officer. “We have an exceptional faculty who inspire students to think critically, a curriculum rooted in experiential education and a commitment to lead with purpose. That approach and the student outcomes it generates are being recognized with this ranking, particularly the Undergraduate Teaching recognition.”
It's not just U.S. News & World Report that sees how Bryant is preparing students to lead and thrive in a rapidly changing global landscape. Just last month, LinkedIn’s inaugural Top 50 Colleges ranking placed Bryant at #38 nationwide and showcased Bryant’s strength in the area of internships and recruiter demand, naming it a top five school in that category along with MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Caltech, and Bentley. That comes on the heels of the Princeton Review naming Bryant to its “Best 391 Colleges” and “Best Value Colleges” lists. And Forbes recently placed Bryant among “America’s Top Colleges,” while both Bryant and Brown University received top-tier rankings in Money.com’s ranking of best colleges.
Bryant’s rising national reputation is driven by results: faculty and staff dedicated to graduating career-ready leaders, alumni who provide a strong network of support and blaze trails for the next generation, and students whose bold determination has forged a community of learners that push each other to grow and succeed.
That Bulldog tenacity is getting noticed, not just by major rankings platforms, but by the employers who understand the value of a Bryant education and know Bryant graduates will take on challenges, influence change, elevate the people around them, and have a positive impact on the bottom line.
About Bryant University
For more than 160 years, Bryant University has been at the forefront of delivering an exceptional education that anticipates the future and prepares students to be innovative leaders of character in a changing world. The university delivers an integrated academic and student life experience with nationally recognized academic programs at the intersection of business, liberal arts, and health and behavioral sciences.
Located on a 465-acre contemporary campus in Smithfield, R.I., Bryant enrolls approximately 3,800 undergraduate and graduate students from 41 states and 50 countries. Bryant is recognized as a top 1 percent national leader in student education outcomes and ROI and regularly receives high rankings from U.S. News and World Report, QS Stars, Money, Bloomberg Businessweek, Wall Street Journal, and College Factual. Bryant.edu