Bradley Earns Accolades from Multiple National Publications

Bradley University has once again earned national recognition, being named among the best colleges in the country by prestigious publications including The Princeton Review, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal.

These honors reflect Bradley’s commitment to academic excellence, student success, and innovation, placing the university in the top tier of higher education institutions nationwide. Details on these rankings are below.

The Princeton Review’s Best 390 Colleges for 2025

Bradley is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduates according to The Princeton Review. The education services company profiles and recommends Bradley University in the new edition of its annual college guide, The Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition.

Bradley was featured in the following lists and rankings as part of the publication: 

• The Best 390 Colleges
• Best Value Colleges
• Best Midwest
• Lots of Greek Life - #15 nationally
• Top 20 Best Schools for Internships (Private Schools) - #20 nationally
• Top 50 Game Design: Undergrad - #18 nationally
• Top Midwest Game Design: Undergrad - #2

Only about 15% of America’s 2,600 four-year colleges are profiled in the book. The Princeton Review chooses the colleges based on data it annually collects from surveys of 2,000 college administrators about their institutions’ academic offerings. The company also reviews data from its surveys of college students attending the schools who report on their experiences at their institutions.

The Wall Street Journal and College Pulse America's Best Colleges 2025

Bradley University has also been recognized as one of America’s Best Colleges by The Wall Street Journal. The America's Best Colleges 2025 ranking recognizes the colleges doing an outstanding job in higher education, and has ranked Bradley 118 nationally.

The final ranking of the top 400 colleges was based on learning environment, years to pay off the net price, degree completion rates, the likelihood of higher salaries post-graduation, and diversity. The results are derived from official data from the U.S. Department of Education and the Census Bureau, along with a nationwide survey of undergraduate students and recent alumni who graduated within the past five years.

Forbes Top Colleges List

Bradley was listed among the country’s top 500 schools on the Forbes Top Colleges List. According to Forbes, U.S. colleges and universities are ranked based on return on investment, average student debt levels, and outcomes for their graduates. Schools on this list are ranked higher if students returned after their first year, graduated on time, secured high salaries after graduation, and left college with little student debt.

Forbes also rewarded colleges that enrolled a greater percentage of low-income students. For a complete explanation of the Forbes methodology, click here.  

–Libby Derry