Sep 23, 2025 - News
CU Boulder makes top 100 "Best Colleges"
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The University of Colorado Boulder earned a top-100 ranking in the U.S. News & World report's 2026 Best Colleges list out Tuesday.
Why it matters: The share of Americans who say college is "very important" plummeted over the past decade, but CU Boulder has enjoyed strong retention rates in recent years.
By the numbers: CU Boulder rose by one spot from last year's rankings.
- The ranking looked at more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities, using up to 17 factors to measure "academic quality and graduate success," according to U.S. News & World.
Zoom out: Colorado School of Mines in Golden was the top-ranked school in the state at No. 80.
- The University of Denver, Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Denver rounded out the top five schools in the state based on the rankings, which included 434 U.S. universities and colleges.