The Princeton Review names Nazareth University to The Best 391 Colleges: 2026 edition
Nazareth University continues to be one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduates, according to The Princeton Review. Nazareth is featured in The Princeton Review’s annual guide, The Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition, along with 2026 Best Colleges: Northeast Region. Nazareth students also give Pittsford and Rochester high marks — Nazareth made The Princeton Review’s College Cities Get Top Marks list at #24.
Only about 15% of America’s 2,400 four-year colleges are profiled in the book. The Princeton Review does not rank the schools in The Best 391 Colleges hierarchically from 1 to 391. The Princeton Review chooses the colleges based on data it annually collects from surveys of 2,000 college administrators about their institutions’ academic offerings and surveys of college students who rate their schools on dozens of topics and report on their campus experiences.
The Best 391 Colleges has 50 categories of ranking lists: each list names the top 25 schools in a particular category. The rankings are entirely based on company's surveys of students attending the 391 profiled schools. Nazareth appears on the “College Cities Get Top Marks” list.
"The colleges that make our ranking lists do so entirely as a result of their own students' opinions of them," Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. "We don't rank colleges based on our opinion of them, nor would we crown a school 'best' overall. It is what the students attending the colleges in this book tell us about their experiences at their schools that determines which schools appear in our book."
Nazareth University students celebrate their school’s four academic colleges for their small class sizes and emphasis on social justice. In addition to classes that prioritize dialogue over traditional lectures, one student said that education at Nazareth occurs through “hands-on learning and asking lots of questions based on knowledge that we are collecting on our own as students.”
Students surveyed said Nazareth “has a commitment to social justice issues and provides many opportunities for the students to get real-world experiences.” Two popular programs are Partners for Learning and Partners for Serving, where students partner with community organizations or schools to mentor, tutor, and facilitate activities with youth.
Students say Nazareth campus life offers a thriving community centered on sports and service. Students enjoy attending NCAA Division III soccer and basketball games, among other sports, and students rave about events geared towards supporting their emotional well-being. Nazareth hosts events like Wellness Wednesday and Relaxation Nights to help students manage stress and anxiety. Service is also prominent in extracurricular activities. “Helping Hands Club is a volunteer club that meets bi-weekly to participate in a service-based project, such as making dog toys for a local pet shelter or making cards for seniors in a nearby residential home,” explains one student.
Students enjoy the beauty of their brick, neogothic campus, and they like to explore nearby Rochester and stroll along the Erie Canal. “When the weather is nice, there are a lot of pretty parts of campus to breathe fresh air and study or hang out with friends.
The Princeton Review is an education services company known for its tutoring, test-prep, admission services, books, and other learning resources. Headquartered in New York, NY, it is not affiliated with Princeton University.
Contact
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer | jlong2@naz.edu | (585) 389-2456 | (585) 781-8186 (cell)
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
