Rider University ranked as top college by U.S. News and Wall Street Journal

Rider University was named to U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges list and the Wall Street Journal's Top U.S. College list. Rider was listed among the top quarter of the best 179 regional colleges in the north by U.S. News and among the top 400 colleges in the United States by the Wall Street Journal.

Rider also earned additional accolades from U.S. News in a number of categories in the north region. Rider was ranked No. 28 in Best Values Schools, No. 21 in Most Innovative School and No. 96 in Top Performers on Social Mobility.

"These rankings are a testament to the value of a Rider education and the positive effect our University has on enriching student lives," says Rider President Gregory G. Dell'Omo, Ph.D. "They are also a great measure of our performance as an institution and the dedicated work of our faculty and staff who help students achieve their goals."

U.S. News and World Report uses 15 performance measures that range from outcomes to expert opinions to student excellence. The Wall Street Journal's rankings also use 15 individual performance metrics and group them into four categories: resources, engagement, environment and outcomes. Approximately 20% of the rankings are derived from the annual Times Higher Education U.S. Student Survey, which includes data from more than 170,000 current U.S. students across all ranked colleges.

Rider provides students the freedom to explore their passions and interests with more than 100 majors and minors, many of which are complementary. With the launch of the Engaged Learning Program in 2017, Rider students are able to actualize what every graduate of the University knows to be true — the best way to learn is by doing.

"Through their hard work and the support of our community, Rider students achieve things they may never have believed possible," Dell'Omo says. "Our faculty and staff foster an environment that encourages exploration so students can understand, and reach, their potential."

At Rider, students are required to complete at least two high-impact engaged learning experiences, such as study abroad or guided research, to satisfy their graduation requirements. Those experiences are documented on an Engaged Learning Transcript that is earned alongside an academic transcript, which demonstrates to graduate schools and prospective employers the breadth of their undergraduate experience.

This year, more than 950 new students, including transfer students, chose Rider as the next step in their academic journey. The incoming Class of 2023 is the most diverse in Rider history. They're beginning amidst substantial investments being made throughout the University, particularly in facilities. The work is being supported, in part, through significant gifts made by University alumni and friends. Rider recently reported its second record-breaking fundraising year in a row.