UC Irvine places eighth among nation's best public universities

U.S. News & World Report rankings mark campus’s 12th straight year in top 10

Sept. 22, 2026 — For the 12th year running, the University of California, Irvine has landed among the top 10 public universities in the country, placing eighth in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 list of “Best Colleges” – its highest public-university ranking in over a decade.

Released today as part of U.S. News’ annual evaluation of more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities, the findings cement UC Irvine’s reputation as one of the nation’s premier public research institutions. The campus also placed 34th among all U.S. universities – public and private combined – and earned recognition across more than a dozen additional categories, from upward social mobility to individual academic programs.

For UC Irvine, the achievement is more than a number. It reflects a campuswide commitment to a proposition that can sound almost radical in American higher education: that world-class academics don’t have to be at odds with genuine affordability.

“We are all very pleased that U.S. News & World Report has once again recognized the distinguished excellence of our teaching, research and public service,” said UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman. “Being in the top 10 for the 12th consecutive year is especially gratifying in light of our commitment to inclusive excellence and educating our state’s best and most talented students regardless of their financial circumstances.”

A track record that keeps improving

UC Irvine’s rise to No. 8 among publics builds on more than a decade of steady momentum. The campus was also named eighth in Best Value Schools for In-State Students and 11th in Top Performers on Social Mobility, a category that recognizes universities that enroll and graduate large numbers of students who receive federal Pell Grants – need-based aid for undergraduates facing significant financial hardship. UC Irvine has long been counted among the best in the country at graduating its Pell recipients, proof that access and excellence can move forward together.

In addition, the campus placed 16th in Best Colleges for Veterans and 50th among Most Innovative Schools, underscoring a breadth of strength that extends well beyond a single headline ranking.

U.S. News also evaluated a wide range of individual undergraduate programs this year. UC Irvine disciplines ranked among the nation’s best include:
•    No. 8 in software engineering
•    No. 12 in psychology
•    No. 25 in artificial intelligence
•    No. 28 in computer science
•    No. 31 in business
•    No. 31 in economics
•    No. 36 in nursing
•    No. 42 in engineering (doctorate)

– Tom Vasich / UCI Communications