Indiana University of Pennsylvania has been selected by The Princeton Review as a 2027 “Best College” in the Mid-Atlantic. IUP is one of 98 colleges and universities selected for the regional distinction.
IUP has been chosen for the recognition, which focuses on institutions that are judged by the guidebook editors as “academically outstanding,” for the past several years. The Mid-Atlantic region includes five states (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) and the District of Columbia. In total, 630 institutions were recognized across seven regions.
Earlier this year, based on student surveys, IUP was recognized in The Princeton Review’s 2026 Best Colleges guidebook; IUP has been included in the guidebook for more than two decades.
Student surveys praised IUP’s “highly personalized attention and support. “Each student is immediately assigned a professional mentor, and students say one of the school’s greatest strengths are these ‘staff and faculty who aim to help the students academically, personally, or professionally,’” students said.
Student surveys also highlighted the university’s small classes, extensive academic and wellness resources, and programs focused on leadership and “soft skills.”
IUP is regularly recognized by national publications and ranking organizations for excellence, value, and student outcomes. Recent recognitions include:
- The Princeton Review’s 2027 Best Colleges in the Mid-Atlantic;
- US News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings and Best Undergraduate Programs distinctions in business, computer science, psychology, and nursing;
- College Magazine’s Top 10 Colleges and Universities in Pennsylvania;
- Washington Monthly’s national university rankings based on public impact;
- Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges list; and
- Academic Influence’s ranking of IUP as Pennsylvania’s second most affordable college.
IUP has also been included in a number of national rankings for excellence and affordability of online programs.
IUP offers 100 undergraduate academic majors, more than 60 graduate programs, and more than 40 graduate degrees. In addition, students can complete more than 70 minors—including a unique teamwork minor—and scores of specialized tracks and certificate programs, including certificates in athletic coaching, photography and digital imaging, popular music, geospatial intelligence, and public history.
IUP is the only member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education selected for the Opportunity College and University-Higher Access, Higher Earnings designation by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education, which recognizes institutions with graduates who earn salaries that are 50 percent above (or more) than their peers in similar fields and institutions providing access to students that reflect the communities that they serve.
Only 20 Pennsylvania public institutions earned the Higher Access, Higher Earnings designation, and only 16 percent (479) of colleges and universities in the nation earned the recognition, which was also open to career-focused area institutions.
IUP has a longstanding commitment to research on all levels and in all disciplines. In spring 2025, IUP earned an R2 Doctoral University–High Spending and Doctorate Production classification from the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in its 2025 Research Activity designations, one of only two public universities in Pennsylvania and one of only 97 public universities with this ranking nationwide. IUP first received the R2 ranking in 2022.
Only six universities in Pennsylvania hold the R2 status, and only 139 universities in the United States have the R2 status. More than 3,900 colleges and universities are included in the ranking system.
Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. IUP’s Impact 150 comprehensive campaign is designed to honor a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, public service, and leadership in healthcare education, including the first college of osteopathic medicine at a public university in Pennsylvania.Top of Form