Ratings and Rankings | Marywood University

Advancing four places from last year, Marywood University is now ranked #18 Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings for 2025, making Marywood a great, centrally located option for students in Northeastern Pennsylvania who want to stay closer to home.

Additionally, Marywood is the only local university on the “Best Colleges for Veterans” (Regional Universities North), ranked at #18. On the “Best Regional Universities North” list, Marywood advanced six places, to a solid #44 ranking overall. This notable placement among institutions from seven states demonstrates Marywood’s enduring quality and consistency as a higher education provider in the region. Ranked at #64 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, Marywood is counted among those institutions that are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.

Marywood University also has earned impressive placements, both nationally and statewide, in the 2025 Niche College Rankings. Niche, the leading platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools, compared Marywood with thousands of institutions nationwide and hundreds of institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania.

Marywood University earned high marks in a number of categories, most notably:

Best Colleges for Architecture in America (#40)
Best Colleges for Education in Pennsylvania (#15)
Best Catholic Colleges in America (#51) and in Pennsylvania (#5)
Top Private Universities in Pennsylvania (#19)
Best Small Colleges in America (#186) and Pennsylvania (#10)

Marywood University also earned high marks for Best College Dorms in Pennsylvania (#15), Best College Locations in Pennsylvania (#20), Best Value Colleges in Pennsylvania (#22), Best Colleges in Pennsylvania (#23), and Safest College Campuses in Pennsylvania (#26), among positive placements in many other categories.

Additional Recognitions

2022-2023 Marywood College of Distinction pin Colleges of Distinction Pennslyvania pin Catholic Colleges of Distinction pin 2022 2023 Colleges of Distinction pin 2022-2023 Nursing Colleges of Distinction pin 2022-2023 Education Colleges of Distinction pin 2022-2023 Business Colleges of Distinction pin 2022-2023 Career Development distinction pin

Marywood University Ranks Among the Best

Additional Recognitions

Marywood University in the News

This designation recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding efforts to increase nonpartisan student voter participation.

This is the second consecutive year that Marywood nursing graduates have achieved a perfect pass rate within one year of graduation.

Marywood University earned impressive placements both nationally and statewide in this year's rankings by Niche, the leading platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools.

Marywood continues to offer the “Best Value” among Northeast Pennsylvania universities, according to the 2025 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges ranking.

Several Marywood University Pacers athletics teams were recognized recently by their respective coaches’ associations for their academic excellence.

"U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Colleges" ranking deems Marywood University the Best Value among Northeast PA colleges.

Marywood students were members of two of the four winning teams selected by company executives—tying the highest college-winning representation at the conference.

Both nationally and statewide, Marywood earned high marks in the 2024 Niche College Rankings.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has recognized Marywood's leadership in the area of college student food security.

Marywood's illustration program has attained noteworthy placements among the top programs in the state, region, and nation in the 2023 Illustration School Rankings.

Marywood University’s School of Architecture (MUSOA) captured second place honors in the Retrofit Housing division in the final stage of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2023 Design Challenge.

Marywood University was recently named a Voter Friendly Campus by Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education as part of the nationwide Voter Friendly Campus initiative.

Marywood's MFA program has been ranked at #4 nationally by Best Value Schools. Marywood University is the only regional insititution to earn this national recognition.

Marywood’s public administration programs earned top honors for overall quality, affordability, and commitment to student success.

Marywood University is the only university in the region that offers a bachelor's degree in aviation management.

The Marywood University Chamber Singers are one of two collegiate choral ensembles in the small program division to receive an Honorable Mention for the 2022 American Prize in Choral Performance.

Marywood has a steadfast and ongoing commitment to support the distinctive educational needs of its veteran, current military, and dependent students.

Student efforts to increase voter registration and voting rates have earned Marywood University national recognition as one of "America’s Best Colleges for Student Voting."

Marywood University is the highest ranked local four-year private college in the "Best Value" and "Best College for Veterans" categories, with strong rankings in the "Best Regional Universities North" and "Top Performers in Social Media" categories.

Marywood University has been recognized nationally for its high-impact approach to education and its honorable commitment to engaged, experiential education by Colleges of Distinction

Learn.org stated that while earning their career-enhancing degree, students can access world-class facilities that were built with sustainability in mind and re-use the school’s former natatorium and gymnasium.

Graphic Design program ranks among the top 10 in Pennsylvania, and its Illustration program ranks number 4 in the state and number 18 on the east coast for 2021, by Animation Career Review.

Marywood University has been recognized nationally for its high-impact approach to education

#8 in Best in Pennsylvania Offering Architecture Programs

#17 by bestvalueschools.org for both its traditional and online delivery formats

27 factors under the umbrella criteria included quality of education; affordability; and outcomes as part of their of ranking

Lloyd L. Lyter named Social Work Educator of the Year.

Marywood University offers the “Best for Vets: Colleges 2017” in veteran and military student offerings and rates of academic success, according to Military Times.

At #29 of 60 regional universities (North) ranked for “Best Value,” Marywood ranked as one of the highest of the five local four-year private colleges included in this category.

The employment of PAs is expected to grow by 38% from 2012 to 2022

“Schools found on this list would be an excellent choice for an individual looking to prepare for a career in this teaching field." ~ Study.com

#20 of the regional universities (North) ranked for “Best Value,” Marywood ranked as one of the highest of the five local four-year private colleges included in this category.

#27 in the Top 45 Master’s in Higher Education Programs and as the best program at a Catholic University by Intelligent.com.

“Transparency and value in higher education is paramount—parents are telling us. Accordingly, we rank colleges by the outcomes of their graduates—including jobs and salaries, graduation rates, student loan payback rates, and other factors.”

The standings were formulated using a list of American Psychological Association accredited doctor of psychology (Psy.D.) programs in clinical psychology.

Highlights includes #7 Best Allied Health Professions Schools in Pennsylvania; #9 Best Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services Master’s Degree Schools; #19 Best Allied Health Professions Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region

Top honors for the University, students, staff, and faculty.

On average, Marywood University gave $20,099 to an international student seeking financial aid.

Marywood University’s four-year professional degree in interior architecture provides students with the opportunity to create the specific character of spaces for human use and enjoyment.