JMU earns strong rankings from U.S. News, Niche

James Madison University continues to shine in national rankings, earning recognition in the 2026 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges. Now in its fourth year being ranked among national universities, JMU is listed at No. 22 for Best Undergraduate Teaching. 

The high ranking for undergraduate teaching highlights the university’s commitment to high-quality instruction and student engagement.  

The Sept. 23 report also ranks JMU No. 56 among Most Innovative Schools. 

Schools in the national universities category offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master's and doctoral programs. The rankings are based on in-depth analyses of a wide variety of data points. The 2026 edition evaluates more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities. 

Other notable rankings from U.S. News & World Report include: 

• No. 29 Best Undergraduate Engineering Program (non-doctorate) 

• No. 58 Best First-Year Experience 

• No. 98 Best Undergraduate Nursing Program  

Earlier this year, Niche recognized JMU for its vibrant campus life, ranking it: 

• No. 8 Best College Campus in America 

• No. 8 Best College Food 

• No. 29 Best Student Life