Editor’s note: This post has now been updated, effective September 14, 2021, to include new U.S. News rankings for 20212.  Listed below are the yearly rankings and overall average rankings of 123 national universities that were included in the first tier of the U.S. News Best Colleges from 2015 through 2022. There are 61 public and 62 private universities. The list below not only shows the average rankings over this eight-year period but also lists the number of places lost or gained by each university.

The post also has rankings for 11 other universities that we will begin tracking.

U.S. News has changed its methodology, and there are some significant changes, especially after the top 30-35 places in the rankings.

The organization deserves considerable credit for the changes in 2020 and, even more, for those made in 2021.

The new methodology definitely mitigates some of the worst effects of the old ranking system. “For the 2021 edition, U.S. News reduced the weight of SAT/ACT standardized tests to 5% (7.75% previously) and reduced the weight of high school class standing to 2% (2.25% previously) toward schools’ overall scores. The weight of alumni giving was reduced to 3% (5% previously) toward each school’s overall rank.” 

Other changes:

“Two new ranking indicators that measure graduate indebtedness were added to the rankings this year:

Here are the historical rankings, the average of each school across eight years, and the increase or decline of each school from 2015 through 2022. The universities are listed in order of their 2022 rankings.

Here is the list.