Rider named best college by U.S. News and Wall Street Journal

Rider University was once again named to U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges list and to the 2021 The Wall Street Journal / Times Higher Education College Rankings.

Rider earned the No. 38 spot on the list of best regional universities in the north from U.S. News. The Wall Street Journal ranked Rider among the top 310 colleges in the country and in the top half of colleges in the Northeast region.

The University earned additional accolades from U.S. News in the north region, ranking as the No. 27 best value school among regional universities in the north. It was also recognized for its undergraduate business program and as a top performer on social mobility.

"Rider is continually ranked based on its outstanding academics and proven track record of student success," says Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs DonnaJean Fredeen, Ph.D. "Each year, we are proud to see Rider's reputation recognized for providing a transformative educational experience that leads to rewarding careers."

U.S. News rates institutions using 17 indicators of academic quality that range from outcomes to graduation rates to student excellence. The Wall Street Journal uses 15 individual performance metrics, grouped into four pillars: resources, engagement, outcomes and environment. 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. Students are able to actualize what every graduate of the University knows to be true — the best way to learn is by doing — through its Engaged Learning Program. 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.

As part of a new University initiative called Lifting Barriers, Rider has set a new target that 95% of all students, beginning with the Class of 2025, will participate specifically in career preparation experiences such as internships, fieldwork and co-ops. As a whole, Lifting Barriers is designed to strengthen the overall value of a Rider education, including a 22% tuition reduction and robust support for career preparation and academic success.