High Point University Is Top 3 in the Nation in 3 Categories According to The Princeton Review
HPU ranks at the top as a Best-Run College and for Best Career Services, Best Classroom Experience and more.
HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 18, 2026 – High Point University continues to be recognized as one of the country’s top universities by The Princeton Review, earning Top 3 rankings for Best-Run College, Most Beautiful Campus and Best College Dorms.
HPU is the only university in North Carolina to be ranked in the Top 5 for Best-Run Colleges, Most Beautiful Campus and Best College Dorms. These rankings come as HPU has continued to invest in campus enhancements, including the construction of the new $100-million John and Lorraine Charman Library that is scheduled to open next summer.
This is the 10th consecutive year that HPU has been named one of the top schools in the nation by The Princeton Review rankings, which are based, in part, on responses from students.
HPU also has the distinction of being ranked in 10 categories in The Princeton Review’s “Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition,” including Best Career Services, which reflects HPU’s place as a national leader in post-graduate success. In addition, HPU was ranked this year in a new category for Best Classroom Experience based on survey responses from students regarding how they rate their professors, their classrooms and their lab facilities.
With the latest rankings from The Princeton Review, HPU continues its legacy of leading the nation in these categories:
- #3 Best-Run Colleges
- #3 Best College Dorms
- #3 Most Beautiful Campus
- #14 Best Career Services
- #15 Best Student Support and Counseling Services
- #16 Most Active Student Government
- #22 Everyone Plays Intramural Sports
- #25 Best Classroom Experience
In addition, HPU was once again included in The Princeton Review’s list of the Best Colleges in the South.
“These rankings reflect how much our students value and appreciate HPU’s dedicated faculty and staff and their commitment to equip students with the premier life skills that employers look for when hiring new graduates,” HPU President Nido Qubein said. “While we appreciate these national rankings, our mission remains focused on preparing our students for the world as it will be.”
This is the fifth consecutive year that The Princeton Review has named HPU as one of the Best-Run Colleges in the nation. During that time, HPU’s campus has grown as the university opened several new academic schools, including the Kenneth F. Kahn School of Law and the Workman School of Dental Medicine.
99% Career Outcomes and Academic Milestones
This is an exciting time at HPU with plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Data collected by HPU in accordance with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards shows 99% of graduates from the Class of 2025 were employed or furthering their education within 180 days of graduation. This career outcomes rate is 13 points higher than the national average, according to NACE’s most recent data.
HPU’s graduating classes in 2022, 2023 and 2024 also had placement rates of 99% percent, reflecting HPU’s reputation as a consistent top producer of college graduate outcomes.
The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) awarded HPU the 2025 Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments (AURA). This national award recognizes an institution with exemplary programs that provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduate students.
In addition, the Teresa B. Caine School of Nursing achieved a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN, the national licensing exam for registered nurses. That mark is 12 points higher than the national pass rate for first-time test takers who were educated in the U.S., according to the most recent data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
Students in the Stout School of Education undergraduate teacher licensure programs earned a 100% pass rate for a fifth consecutive year on the national licensure assessment, the edTPA. Students in the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) programs also achieved a perfect pass rate on the exam.
HPU has continued to earn national accolades. Over the summer, HPU was named a College of Distinction for the 2026-27 academic year, marking the 16th consecutive year that the university has been recognized for its strong commitment to providing students with a transformative undergraduate experience. HPU received honors in several categories on the Colleges of Distinction list, including Career Development, Business, Education and Best Colleges of North Carolina.
