NICHE BEST COLLEGE RANKINGS 2020-2026

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

2020 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday, August 23, 2019    
      
National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank) 

17. University of Notre Dame • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 19% • Net Price: $27,453 • (#1)
24. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 16% • Net Price: $27,420 • (#2)
81. Villanova University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 36% • Net Price: $35,491 • (#4)

  ----------------------- Dividing Line A+/A for Top 2½% of Ranked Colleges  ---------------------

138. Saint Louis University • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 64% • Net Price: $31,718 • (#7)
150. University of Dayton • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $35,077 • (#10)
      
----------------------- Dividing Line A/A- for Top 10% of Ranked Colleges  -----------------------

180. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $31,481 • (#12)
185. Gonzaga University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 65% • Net Price: $34,085 • (#14)
206. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 89% • Net Price: $32,377 • (#17)
233. Fordham University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 46% • Net Price: $38,503 • (#20)
235. Providence College • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 52% • Net Price: $36,099 • (#21)
238. DePaul University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $32,927 • (#22)

----------------------  Dividing Line A-/B+ for Top 20% of Ranked Colleges  -------------------------

254. Duquesne University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $30,540 • (#24)
280. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $28,700 • (#28)
301. St. Joseph's University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 77% • Net Price: $35,290 • (#32)
338. St. Bonaventure Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 71% • Net Price: $22,409 • (#38)
392. Xavier University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $30,190 • (#45)

-------------------------  Dividing Line B+/B for Top 33% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------

601. La Salle University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 79% • Net Price: $26,276 • (#72)
639. St. John's University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 68% • Net Price: $25,981 • (#77)

--------------------------  Dividing Line B/B- for Top 50% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------

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2021 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday, August 21, 2020

National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank)

16. University of Notre Dame • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 18% • Net Price: $30,229 • (#1)
25. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 15% • Net Price: $28,509 • (#2)
64. Villanova University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 29% • Net Price: $36,958 • (#4)

-------------------------  Dividing Line A+/A for Top 2½% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------

132. Saint Louis University • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 58% • Net Price: $31,460 • (#8)
151. University of Dayton • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $34,718 • (#10)   

-------------------------  Dividing Line A/A- for Top 10% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------

157. Fordham University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 46% • Net Price: $39,011 • (#11)
195. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 71% • Net Price: $31,317 • (#14)
198.  Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $33,081 • (#15)
205. Gonzaga University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 66% • Net Price: $35,612 • (#17)
222. DePaul University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 68% • Net Price: $30,584 • (#20)
253. Providence College • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 49% • Net Price: $37,842 • (#25)
259. Duquesne University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $30,710 • (#27)
277. St. Joseph's University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 76% • Net Price: $35,344 • (#29)

-------------------------  Dividing Line A-/B+ for Top 20% of Ranked Colleges  -------------------------

292. St. Bonaventure Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $21,613 • (#30)
293. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+  • Accept. Rate: 70% • Net Price: $29,974 • (#31)
397. Xavier University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $31,240 • (#45)

-------------------------  Dividing Line B+/B for Top 33% of Ranked Colleges  ---------------------

548. La Salle University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 81% • Net Price: $24,473 • (#62)

-------------------------  Dividing Line B/B- for Top 50% of Ranked Colleges  -----------------------

809. St. John's University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $25,816 • (#99)

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2022 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday August 14, 2021

National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank)   

19. University of Notre Dame • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 16% • Net Price: $30,536 • (#1)
24. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 14% • Net Price: $28,442 • (#2)
66. Villanova University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 28% • Net Price: $36,840 • (#4)

-------------------------  Dividing Line A+/A for Top 2½% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------

128. Saint Louis University • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 58% • Net Price: $31,098 • (#8)
152. University of Dayton • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $33,372 • (#10)

-------------------------  Dividing Line A/A- for Top 10% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------
   
180. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $32,145 • (#13)
216. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 83% • Net Price: $34,120 • (#18)
230. DePaul University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 68% • Net Price: $32,022 • (#20)

-------------------------  Dividing Line A-/B+ for Top 20% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------

240. Fordham University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 46% • Net Price: $39,558 • (#23)
252. Gonzaga University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 70% • Net Price: $36,738 • (#25)
265. St. Joseph's University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 77% • Net Price: $35,242 • (#26)
269. Providence College • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 47% • Net Price: $35,796 • (#27)
271. Duquesne University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $30,732 • (#28)
 277. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+  • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $30,909 • (#29)
278. St. Bonaventure Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 75% • Net Price: $23,445 • (#30)

------------------------  Dividing Line B+/B for Top 33% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------

481. Xavier University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 76% • Net Price: $32,229 • (#56)
562. La Salle University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 78% • Net Price: $25,059 • (#64)

-------------------------  Dividing Line B/B- for Top 50% of Ranked Colleges  ------------------------ 

865. St. John's University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $25,816 • (#104)

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[Fieldhouse Flyer]

2023 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday, August 26, 2022

National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank)

17. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 17% • Net Price: $30,442 • (#1)
19. University of Notre Dame • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 19% • Net Price: $29,981 • (#2)
69. Villanova University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 31% • Net Price: $38,303 • (#4)

------------  Dividing Line for Top 2½% of 1,555 Colleges: Last A+ is #82 • First A is #83  -------------   

132. Saint Louis University • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 56% • Net Price: $27,872[/b] • (#7)
144. University of Connecticut • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 56% • Net Price: $22,233
 
------------   Dividing Line for Top 10% of 1,555 Colleges: Last A is #144 • First A- is #145  ------------- 

150. University of Dayton • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 81% • Net Price: $32,768 • (#10)
151. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 64% • Net Price: $32,355 • (#11)
213. DePaul University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 70% • Net Price: $33,319 • (#17)
228. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $34,732 • (#18)
244. St. Bonaventure Univ. • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 76% • Net Price: $23,748 • (#19)

------------  Dividing Line for Top 20% of 1,555 Colleges: Last A- is #244 • First B+ is #245  -------------

245. Loyola University Chicago • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 71% • Net Price: $37,731 • (#20)
273. Gonzaga University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $36,880 • (#26)
287. Virginia Commonwealth Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 91% • Net Price: $20,566                 
292. Fordham University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 53% • Net Price: $41,569 • (#27)
317. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 78% • Net Price: $33,652 • (#31)
323. Butler University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 76% • Net Price: $42,627
356. Duquesne University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 77% • Net Price: $32,408 • (#39)
379. Providence College • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 54% • Net Price: $37,284 • (#43)
   
------------   Dividing Line for Top 33% of 1,555 Colleges: Last B+ is #412 • First B is #413  ------------- 

443. St. Joseph's University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 80% • Net Price: $35,780 • (#50)
664. Xavier University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 81% • Net Price: $34,945 • (#82)
738. La Salle University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 76% • Net Price: $25,401 • (#90)

--------   Dividing Line for Top 50% of 1,555 Colleges: Last B is #763 • First B- is unranked #864 ---------

830. St. John's University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 75% • Net Price: $26,771 • (#98)
   
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2024 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday, August 25, 2023

National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank)
   
12. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 12% • Net Price: $23,049 • (#1)
27. University of Notre Dame • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 16% • Net Price: $30,513 • (#2)
56. Villanova University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 25% • Net Price: $33,123 • (#4)

------------  Dividing Line for Top 2½% of 1,537 Colleges: Last A+ is #74 • First A is #75 -------------

128. University of Dayton • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 81% • Net Price: $29,933 • (#7)
136. University of Connecticut • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 56% • Net Price: $22,168         

  ------------  Dividing Line for Top 10% of 1,537 Colleges: Last A is #137 • First A- is #138  -------------       

191. Saint Louis University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 70% • Net Price: $30,096 • (#10)
196. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 78% • Net Price: $31,040 • (#11)
213. DePaul University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 69% • Net Price: $31,872 • (#15)
229. Loyola University Chicago • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 77% • Net Price: $29,371 • (#17)

------------   Dividing Line for Top 20% of 1,537 Colleges: Last A- is #237 • First B+ is #238 ------------

243. Virginia Commonwealth Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 93% • Net Price: $19,656 
277. Marquette University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 86% • Net Price: $33,566 • (#20)
315. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 77% • Net Price: $33,177 • (#24)
320. St. Bonaventure Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 78% • Net Price: $25,633 • (#25)
351. Gonzaga University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 78% • Net Price: $35,529 • (#29)
382. Butler University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 81% • Net Price: $38,643                 
401. St. Joseph's University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 83% • Net Price: $33,438 • (#36)
426. Providence College • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 58% • Net Price: $39,566 • (#40)

------------   Dividing Line for Top 33% of 1,537 Colleges: Last B+ is #434 • First B is #435  -------------

453. Fordham University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 58% • Net Price: $37,583 • (#45)
561. Duquesne University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 84% • Net Price: $34,505 • (#59)

--------   Dividing Line for Top 50% of 1,537 Colleges: Last B is #761 • First B- is unranked #762 ---------

803. Xavier University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 84% • Net Price: $32,370 • (#87)
890. La Salle University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 81% • Net Price: $24,130 • (#96)
943. St. John's University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 85% • Net Price: $26,665 • (#106)

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2025 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday, September 20, 2024

National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank)

13. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 13% • Net Price: $37,967 • (#1)
26. University of Notre Dame • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 12% • Net Price: $29,083 • (#2)
59. Villanova University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 25% • Net Price: $37,946 • (#4)

------------  Dividing Line for Top 2½% of 1,517 Colleges: Last A+ is #70• First A is #71  -------------

128. University of Dayton • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 62% • Net Price: $31,551 • (#7) 

  ------------   Dividing Line for Top 10% of 1,517 Colleges: Last A is #129 • First A- is #130  -------------       

137. University of Connecticut • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 54% • Net Price: $22,324     
196. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $33,364 • (#12)
217. Saint Louis University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $30,911 • (#13)

----------------   Dividing Line for Top 20% of 1,517 Colleges: Last A- is #229 • First B+ is #230  -------------

232. DePaul University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $32,129 • (#15)
237. Virginia Commonwealth Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 93% • Net Price: $22,852
238. Marquette University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 87% • Net Price: $32,031 • (#16)
324. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 79% • Net Price: $31,624 • (#25)
327. Gonzaga University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 76% • Net Price: $40,295 • (#26)
333. St. Bonaventure Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $27,659 • (#28)
337. St. Joseph's University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 86% • Net Price: $36,392 • (#29)
353. Loyola University Chicago • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 81% • Net Price: $37,592 • (#30)
377. Providence College • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 49% • Net Price: $46,645 • (#34)
391. Butler University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 86% • Net Price: $40,140         
         
-------------   Dividing Line for Top 33% of 1,517 Colleges: Last B+ is #422 • First B is #423  ------------

564. Fordham University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 58% • Net Price: $45,368 • (#55)
578. Duquesne University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 79% • Net Price: $35,125 • (#59)
674.  Xavier University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 88% • Net Price: $31,542 • (#77)

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[Fieldhouse Flyer]

2026 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday, August 22, 2025

2026 BEST CATHOLIC COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Friday, August 22, 2025

National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank)   

17. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 13% • Net Price: $37,967 • (#1)
25. University of Notre Dame • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 12% • Net Price: $29,083 • (#2)
68. Villanova University  • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 25% • Net Price: $37,946 • (#4)

------------  Dividing Line for Top 2½% of 1,613 Colleges: Last A+ is #77 • First A is #78  -------------

115. University of Connecticut • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 54% • Net Price: $22,324
122. University of Dayton • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 62% • Net Price: $31,551 • (#7)

------------   Dividing Line for Top 10% of 1,613 Colleges: Last A is #138 • First A- is #139  ------------       

144. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $33,364 • (#9)
177. Saint Louis University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $30,911 • (#11)
223. Marquette University  • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 87% • Net Price: $32,031 • (#15)
225. DePaul University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $32,129 • (#16)
235. Virginia Commonwealth Univ. • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 93% • Net Price: $22,852

------------   Dividing Line for Top 20% of 1,613 Colleges: Last A- is #243 • First B+ is #244 ------------

251. Providence College  • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 49% • Net Price: $46,645 • (#18)
290. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+  • Accept. Rate: 79% • Net Price: $31,642 • (#21)
311. St. Bonaventure Univ. • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $27,659 • (#26)
388. Loyola University Chicago • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 81% • Net Price: $37,592 • (#30)

------------   Dividing Line for Top 33% of 1,613 Colleges: Last B+ is #422 • First B is #423  ------------

434. Duquesne University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 79% • Net Price: $35,125[/b • (#41)
466. Gonzaga University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 76% • Net Price: $40,295 • (#42)
476. St. Joseph's University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 86% • Net Price: $36,392 • (#44)
549. Butler University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 86% • Net Price: $40,140
581. Fordham University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 56% • Net Price: $45,368 • (#57)
708 • La Salle University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 86% • Net Price: $20,119 • (#76)
740. St. John's University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 80% • Net Price: $28,208 • (#81)

-------  Dividing Line for Top 50% of 1,613 Colleges: Last B is #753 • First B- is unranked #754 -------- 

Unranked • Rankings Page 37 • #922 • Xavier University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 88% • Net Price: $31,542 • (#95)
   
Note that the two underlined 2026 Best Colleges lines at the top are clickable links to the sources, as are the underlined names of selected colleges.
   
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COMPILATIONS AND ANALYSIS



MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY'S BEST COLLEGE RANKINGS 2020-2026

2020: 206. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 89% • Net Price: $32,377 • (#17)
2021: 198. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $33,081 • (#15)
2022: 216. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 83% • Net Price: $34,120 • (#18)
2023: 228. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $34,732 • (#18)
2024: 277. Marquette University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 86% • Net Price: $33,566 • (#20)
2025: 238. Marquette University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 87% • Net Price: $32,031 • (#16)
2026: 223. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 87% • Net Price: $32,031 • (#15)

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CHANGE IN BIG EAST'S BEST COLLEGE RANKINGS 2020-2026

2020 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday, August 23, 2019    
      
National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank) 

  24. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 16% • Net Price: $27,420 • (#2)
  81. Villanova University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 36% • Net Price: $35,491 • (#4)
180. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $31,481 • (#12)
206. Marquette University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 89% • Net Price: $32,377 • (#17)
235. Providence College • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 52% • Net Price: $36,099 • (#21)
238. DePaul University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 72% • Net Price: $32,927 • (#22)
280. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $28,700 • (#28)
392. Xavier University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $30,190 • (#45)
639. St. John's University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 68% • Net Price: $25,981 • (#77)


2026 BEST COLLEGES IN AMERICA – Niche.com – Published on Friday, August 22, 2025

National Rank. College • Niche Grade • Acceptance Rate • Net Price • (Catholic College Rank)   

  17. Georgetown University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 13% • Net Price: $37,967 • (#1)
  68. Villanova University  • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 25% • Net Price: $37,946 • (#4)
144. Creighton University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 73% • Net Price: $33,364 • (#9)
223. Marquette University  • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 87% • Net Price: $32,031 • (#15)
225. DePaul University • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 74% • Net Price: $32,129 • (#16)
251. Providence College  • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 49% • Net Price: $46,645 • (#18)
290. Seton Hall University • Niche Grade: B+  • Accept. Rate: 79% • Net Price: $31,642 • (#21)
740. St. John's University • Niche Grade: B • Accept. Rate: 80% • Net Price: $28,208 • (#81)
922. Xavier University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 88% • Net Price: $31,542 • (#95)

CHANGE IN BIG EAST'S BEST COLLEGE RANKINGS 2020-2026

Net change 2020 to 2026 • College • (2020 National Ranking – 2026 National Ranking) = Net 

(↑ 36 places better than 2020 Ranking) • Creighton University • (180 – 144) = 36
(↑ 28 places better than 2020 Ranking) • University of Dayton • (150 – 122) = 28
(↑ 13 places better than 2020 Ranking) • DePaul University • (238 – 225) = 13
(↑ 13 places better than 2020 Ranking) • Villanova University • (81 – 68) = 13
(↑  7 places better than 2020 Ranking) • Georgetown University • (24 – 17) = 7

(↓  10 places worse than 2020 Ranking) • Seton Hall University • (280 – 290) = –10
(↓  16 places worse than 2020 Ranking) • Providence College • (235 –251) = –16
(↓  17 places worse than 2020 Ranking) • Marquette University • (206 – 223) = – 17
(↓  39 places worse than 2020 Ranking) • Saint Louis University • (138 – 177) = –39
(↓ 101 places worse than 2020 Ranking) • St. John's University • (639 – 740) = –101
(↓ 281 places worse than 2020 Ranking) • Gonzaga University • (185 – 466) = –281
(↓ 348 places worse than 2020 Ranking) • Fordham University • (233 – 581) = –348
(↓ 530 places worse than 2020 Ranking) • Xavier University • (392 – 922) = –530

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[Fieldhouse Flyer]

News

Xavier University starts school year with budget deficit – Patricia Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer – August 19, 2024

Xavier University starts a new school year under a financial cloud. The university is grappling with a growing budget deficit, with faculty grumbling about their president's salary along with their own pay and a tightening on overall spending.  The current deficit – at $16 million to $18 million – "is a trend that cannot continue indefinitely and the bottom line is Xavier must make changes to continue to be a thriving institution and fulfil its mission into the future," the university said on a website for Sustaining Excellence, its initiative to steady its budget.

Xavier University launches 40 new academic programs despite projected enrollment decline – Lara Schwartz, Cincinnati Business Courier – August 15, 2025

Xavier freshman enrollment declines, university moves toward 'recruiting sophomores' – Felicia Jordan, WCPO Channel 9 Cincinnati – August  19, 2025

Fewer freshmen are beginning classes at Xavier University this year as the university changes recruiting models, according to letters from Xavier leadership. A letter from Scott Clyde, vice president for strategic enrollment management, says Xavier, a private school, is welcoming roughly 800 new first-year and transfer students to campus this year. In 2024, the university welcomed 939 full-time freshmen.

Clyde's letter says this drop is also toward the lower end of the university's predictions for this school year. Hanycz wrote the university has seen a drop in students who successfully finished their first year at Xavier and continued as a sophomore. Just 78% of Fall 2023 first-year students returned to Xavier as sophomores in Fall 2024, the letter says.

Xavier University is caught in an irreversible death spiral, as their academic standing, finances, and enrolment continue to plummet – with a bleak future unavoidable. 

As 2025's Demographic Cliff Looms, How Far Will College Enrollment Fall? – Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes – December 11, 2024

A Long Way Down the Demographic Cliff – Liam Knox, Inside Higher Education – December 11, 2024

A looming 'demographic cliff': Fewer college students and ultimately fewer graduates – Jon Marcus, Hechinger Report – January 8, 2025

The local competition (partially listed below) are feasting on high school students who might have considered Xavier in previous years:

61. Ohio State University • Niche Grade: A+ • Accept. Rate: 51% • Net Price: $19,575 • Undergrads: 45,728 
122. University of Dayton • Niche Grade: A • Accept. Rate: 62% • Net Price: $31,551 • Undergrads: 7,740
167. University of Cincinnati • Niche Grade: A- • Accept. Rate: 93% • Net Price: $21,511 • Undergrads: 41,223
268. Ohio University • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 85% • Net Price: $20,550 • Undergrads: 16,597  
328. Miami University (OH) • Niche Grade: B+ • Accept. Rate: 82% • Net Price: $27,928 •  Undergrads: 16,864
922. Xavier University • Niche Grade: B- • Accept. Rate: 88% • Net Price: $31,542 • Undergrads: 4,561

For reference, Niche lists 223. Marquette University with a Total Undergraduate Enrolment of 8,045 students and the 53. University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Total Undergraduate Enrolment of 36,797 students. According to Niche's 2026 Net Prices, one year at the University of Dayton costs $9 more than one year at Xavier University, which is ranked 800 places worse than Dayton.   

In contrast to Xavier's ongoing financial woes, the University of Dayton's fundraising is breaking records:

Dayton announces plans for $72 million renovation of arena – ESPN – May 12, 2017

HOOP DREAMS: Inside the largest project in University of Dayton's history. – Jacob Fisher, Dayton Business Journal – November 1, 2019

In early 2020, the University of Dayton announced that the entire $76.2 million cost of renovating of UD Arena had been covered by UD's wealthy benefactors, alumni, and private donations. In 2025, UD announced it was seeking $400 million in new donations for the university. On August 1, 2025, UD announced it had already received $453 million in new donations, and the fundraising campaign is still on-going. That's over half a billion dollars in donations over the past seven years.

University of Dayton Surpasses $400 Million Goal in Historic Fundraising Campaign – Rowan Hetzer, Dayton Business Journal – August 1, 2025

=================================================================

ENDOWMENTS

Ivy League • Big East Conference • Atlantic 10 Conference - Wikipedia

$ Endowment  •  Institution

$49,500,000,000  •  Harvard University
$40,750,000,000  •  Yale University
$34,060,000,000  •  Princeton University

$20,960,000,000  •  University of Pennsylvania
$13,640,000,000  •  Columbia University
$10,040,000,000  •  Cornell University
.. $7,930,000,000  •  Dartmouth College
.. $6,209,000,000  •  Brown University

.. $3,638,443,000  •  Georgetown University 
.. $2,720,000,000  •  Virginia Commonwealth University 
.. $1,700,000,000  •  Saint Louis University 
.. $1,660,000,000  •  St. John's University
.. $1,310,000,000  •  Villanova University
.. $1,080,000,000  •  DePaul University     
.. $1,072,000,000  •  Loyola University Chicago

.... $997,000,000  •  Marquette University 
.... $972,000,000  •  Fordham University
.... $770,000,000  •  University of Dayton
.... $745,000,000  •  Creighton University
.... $634,000,000  •  University of Connecticut

.... $472,100,000  •  Duquesne University
.... $378,800,000  •  Saint Joseph's University 
.... $321,000,000  •  Providence College
.... $308,400,000  •  Seton Hall University
.... $266,000,000  •  Butler University
.... $225,400,000  •  Xavier University

...... $92,300,000  •  St. Bonaventure Univ.
...... $80,000,000  •  La Salle University

Marquette University is in an excellent position to join the $Billion+ Endowment Club.

=================================================================

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

How Niche Ranks Colleges: All About Our 2026 Rankings Methodology – Niche.com – August 22, 2025

What Makes Niche College Rankings Better than the Rest?

What's New in 2026

Adjustments to the Safest College Campuses Methodology

In 2026 we updated the methodology for our Safest College Campuses rankings to ensure a more equitable evaluation for all institutions. More specifically, the weight of the "Local Crime Grade" was reduced from 25% to 20%. This 5% reduction was evenly redistributed to other campus-based factors. The result of this change is a more inclusive and fairer ranking system. As a result, nearly 200 more colleges are now included in the rankings compared to last year ... User Generated Content Eligibility in Rankings: In 2026 we've updated our review validation process for factors based on user-generated content (UGC) to create a more equitable and accurate ranking system. This adjustment allows us to more fairly and accurately represent the feedback from a diverse group of users.

Unfiltered Reviews from Real Students

The Most Rigorous Data Analysis

The Full College Experience, From Every Angle

How Do We Calculate Rankings and Grades?

Our rankings and grades are calculated using a series of steps to ensure statistical rigor and useful guidance in the college choice experience. In general, the process used to calculate each ranking was as follows:

1. Select Relevant Ranking Factors
First, we carefully selected each ranking's factors to represent a healthy balance between statistical rigor and practical relevance in the ranking.

2. Evaluate and Process the Data
Next, we evaluated the data for each factor to ensure that it provided value for the ranking. The factor needed to help distinguish colleges from each other and accurately represent each college. Because there were different factor types, we processed them differently:

• User-submitted data: Factors built from Niche user data and student-submitted surveys were based on aggregated data/responses across each college. We logically have a higher degree of confidence in the aggregated score for colleges with more responses, so a Bayesian method was applied to reflect this confidence.

• Factual data: Factors built from factual information were inspected for bad data including outliers or inaccurate values. Where applicable, this data was either adjusted or completely excluded depending on the specific data.

3. Standardize Each Factor's Score
After each factor was processed, we produced a standardized score (called a z-score) for each factor at each college. This score evaluates distance from the average using standard deviations and allows each college's score to be compared against others in a statistically sound manner.

Assign Weights to Each Factor
With clean and comparable data, we then assigned weights for each factor. The goal of the weighting process was to ensure that no one factor could have a dramatic positive or negative impact on a particular college's final score and that each college's final score was a fair representation of the college's performance. Weights were carefully determined by analyzing:

• How different weights impacted the distribution of ranked colleges

• Niche student user preferences and industry research

5. Calculate th e Final Score
After assigning weights, an overall score was calculated for each college by applying the assigned weights to each college's individual factor scores. This overall score was then assigned a new standardized score (again a z-score, as described in step 3). This was the final score for each ranking.

6. Determine Eligibility for Ranking and Grading
With finalized scores, we then evaluated the completeness of the data for each individual college. Depending on how much data the college had, we might have disqualified it from the numerical ranking or from the grading process. Here is how we distinguished these groups using the weights described in step 4:

• Excluded from ranking and grading: Colleges missing the data for 50 percent or more of the factors (by weight) were completely excluded. They did not qualify for the numerical ranking or a grade.

• Assigned a grade, but not ranked: Colleges that had at least 50 percent of the factors (by weight) but lacked one or more of the required factors were not included in the numerical ranking but were assigned a grade according to the process outlined in step 7 below.

• Eligible for both ranking and grading: Colleges that had all of the required factors and 500 or more full-time undergraduate students were deemed eligible for both a grade and a numerical ranking.

7. Assign Rankings and Grades
Lastly, we created a numerical ranking and assigned grades (based on qualifications discussed in step 6). Here is how we produced these values:

• Numerical ranking: The numerical ranking was created by ordering each college (when qualified) based on the final z-score discussed in step 5.

• Grades: Grades were determined for each college (when qualified) by taking the ordered z-scores (which generally follow a normal distribution) and then assigning grades according to the process below.

Grading Process

(Click link for details)

Please Note: A grade below D- is intentionally not assigned

The most recent Best Colleges in America rankings were released on August 25, 2025 [sic. These rankings are updated annually, which means grades and rankings may become outdated as new information becomes available. Any updated data will be incorporated into the following year's rankings. While Niche maintains high standards of data quality and employs multiple checks to ensure accuracy, rankings may be affected if inaccurate information is provided by colleges, public data sources like the U.S. Department of Education, or spam and automated 'bot' reviews.

The Best Colleges Methodology – Niche.com – August 22, 2025

The Best Colleges ranking is based on rigorous analysis of academic, admissions, financial, and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and alumni. Learn where our data comes from.

Factors Considered

Weight • Factor • Description

40.0% • Academics Grade • Niche Academics grade, which incorporates factors such as acceptance rate, quality of professors, as well as student and alumni surveys regarding academics at the school.   

27.5% • Value Grade • Niche Value grade, which incorporates statistics such as average loan amount, alumni earnings and student surveys regarding value.
   
7.5% • Professors Grade • Niche Professors grade, which incorporates factors such as number of awards won by faculty, student-faculty ratio, as well as student surveys regarding professor quality.
   
5.0% • Campus Grade • Niche Campus Quality grade, which incorporates factors such as quality of campus food and housing, as well as student surveys regarding facilities on campus.
   
5.0% • Diversity Grade • Niche Diversity grade, which incorporates factors such as ethnic composition of the student body, proportion of international students and out-of-state students, as well as student surveys regarding diversity on campus.   

5.0% • Student Life Grade • Niche Student Life grade, which incorporates statistics such as safety, diversity, athletics and student surveys regarding student life.   

5.0% • Student Surveys on Overall Experience • Niche survey responses scored on a 1-5 scale regarding the overall experience of students and alumni at each school.   Self-reported by Niche users.
   
2.5% • Local Area Grade • Niche Local Area grade, which incorporates factors such as median rent, local crime rates, access to amenities, as well as student surveys regarding the local area around campus.   

2.5% • Safety Grade • Safety grade, which incorporates factors such as campus crime rate, local crime rate, as well as student surveys regarding health and safety services on campus.   

The same methodology is used to produce the Niche Grade for each ranked school as well as additional 4-year colleges. Statistics obtained from the U.S. Department of Education represent the most recent data available, as self-reported by the colleges.

[#UnleashSean]

I love when people get hung up on the insanely arbitrary "acceptance rate"

[wadesworld]

Buddy, get a life. Seriously, nobody cares about how Big East schools compare to A10 schools here. You're irrelevant and your obsessive little brother posting is freaking weird.

[DoctorV]

The scoop community is relentlessly working on its acceptance of Fieldhouse Flyer

[g0lden3agle]

Thanks for sharing

[cheebs09]

[The Sultan]

This is just straight up spam...and on the wrong board too.

[tower912]

TL:dr:dgaf

[Uncle Rico]

Dayton sucks

[Galway Eagle]

Niche rankings are awful and overly reliant on irrelevant factors and surveys. I always burst out laughing at their Chicago suburb tiers when they constantly rank Naperville number 1.

Do us news or Wall Street journal.

[Scoop Snoop]

I had not bothered to put this clown on my ignore list earlier, as I mistakenly thought he would eventually go away. Apparently, he has done nothing to merit being banned by the mods so without the holyland site as his personal platform, he will continue to show up here with his silly-ass Christmas lights posts.

Now that I have him on ignore, I do not need to scroll and scroll  to get beyond his incredibly long posts. Please consider joining me by placing him on your ignore list or at least leave his posts with no replies. Then, maybe, just maybe he will go away. He sheds sarcastic replies like a duck sheds water. Totally ignoring him might work. It's worth a try guys.