New rankings place Linfield among Oregon’s top colleges and among the nation’s best in athletics, nursing and liberal arts.
Linfield University is earning recognition across Oregon for the value, experience and opportunities it provides students, ranking among the state’s top four colleges in nine categories in Niche’s 2027 rankings.
Linfield is No. 1 in Oregon for Best Value Colleges and No. 2 in Oregon for Best College Athletics and Best Liberal Arts Colleges.
“Rankings are one way of recognizing what our students experience every day at Linfield,” said President Mark Blegen. “Our mission is to connect learning, life and community, and these recognitions reflect the breadth of that experience — from the classroom and the playing field to the relationships and opportunities that help students discover what they can do.”
A broad student experience
Linfield also ranks No. 3 in Oregon for Best Colleges for Nursing. The Linfield School of Nursing offers several prelicensure programs, including traditional and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs and a Master’s Entry into Professional Nursing program.
Linfield ranks No. 4 in Oregon in four additional categories:
- Colleges with the Best Student Life
- Best Small Colleges
- Best Colleges with No Application Fee
- Top Private Universities
“Linfield students are encouraged to go further,” Blegen added. “Further in their thinking, further in their experiences and further in how they connect their education to the world around them. That’s what we believe a Linfield education is about: preparing students to pursue meaningful lives, contribute to their communities and make an impact wherever their paths lead.”
The breadth of that experience is reflected in Linfield’s national Niche rankings as well. The university ranks No. 72 out of 1,332 schools for Best College Athletics, placing it in the top 5.4% nationally. Linfield also ranks No. 84 out of 182 schools for Best Liberal Arts Colleges and No. 70 out of 796 schools for Best Colleges for Nursing, placing it in the top 9% nationally.
A growing record of recognition
The latest rankings add to a growing record of national recognition for Linfield. Just two weeks ago, TIME and Statista ranked Linfield No. 136 nationally in their inaugural America’s Best Colleges of 2026-2027 rankings, making Linfield the highest-ranked university in Oregon.
Washington Monthly: Outcomes and value
Washington Monthly also recognized Linfield for educational value. In 2026, the publication named Linfield among the Best Colleges for Your Tuition and Tax Dollars. The publication previously named Linfield a Best Bang for Your Buck in the West from 2020 through 2025.
In the publication’s college guide, Linfield was ranked the No. 1 college in Oregon for outcomes, including graduation rate, earnings four years after graduation and the rate at which graduates go from bachelor’s degrees to Ph.D.s.
Over the past several years, Linfield has consistently ranked among Oregon’s top liberal arts colleges in Washington Monthly. The publication previously recognized Linfield for social mobility, graduate earnings and community service.
The Princeton Review: Academic excellence
The Princeton Review also named Linfield among the Best of the West in its 2027 Best Colleges: Region by Region, which highlights 630 colleges across the nation. The designation recognizes colleges that The Princeton Review considers academically outstanding and worth considering.
The Best of the West list includes colleges and universities across Oregon, Washington, California, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Hawaii.
Forbes: Graduate success
Forbes also included Linfield in its Top Colleges in America list, which names the top 500 colleges that produce successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt. Linfield ranked No. 331 overall, No. 178 among private colleges and No. 76 in the West.
Together, the rankings highlight the value, breadth and outcomes of a Linfield education — from the experiences students have on campus to the opportunities and success that follow them after graduation.
To see more of Linfield’s external rankings, visit https://linfield.edu/rankings.
