Centre ranked among nation’s best colleges by Princeton Review
Centre has once again been recognized as one of the best colleges in the country in The Princeton Review’s “The Best 391 Colleges” 2026 guide.
Each year, The Princeton Review surveys students attending the top colleges in the U.S, and ranks the best of the best in several categories. Centre was recognized in four of these topics, highlighting the College’s extraordinary academics, vibrant student life and abundant leadership opportunities.
“Centre’s close-knit campus community offers students a supportive environment where they can lead, learn, and thrive both in and out of the classroom,” President Milton C. Moreland said. “Ranking among the very best institutions in the nation reaffirms the work of our faculty and staff in preparing future leaders, innovators and change makers.”
The Princeton Review surveyed over 170,000 students to determine 391 of the best colleges in the U.S. — representing only 15% of all institutions. Centre students shared high remarks for both academic and social opportunities.
Student life shines at Centre — especially when it comes to Greek life. Ranked 19th in the nation for Greek life, Centre offers a vibrant, welcoming Greek community where students form lifelong friendships, develop leadership skills, and make a difference through service and philanthropy. Along with 22nd place for Most Active Student Government, these rankings emphasize the College’s commitment to student belonging, extracurricular involvement and leadership development.
Centre’s professors were again deemed among the nation’s most interesting and engaging by students, ranking 19th overall. Survey responses highlighted the personalized classroom experience and individualized attention with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students were also praised for their dedication to studying, ranking 7th in the nation.
"Centre College has outstanding academic programs, and the feedback we received from its students we surveyed was very impressive," Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's Editor-in-Chief and lead author, said. "We are delighted to name Centre as one of our Best Colleges for 2026 and to recommend it to students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college.”
Being a top college in the nation doesn’t need an expensive price tag, though. In fact, Centre was named a Best Value College earlier this year by The Princeton Review for its commitment to three core areas: affordability, academics and career preparation.
Furthering Centre’s commitment to providing affordable education, the College launched the Centre Promise in 2024, a guarantee to meet the full demonstrated financial need for all incoming first-year students.
“We’re proud to build on Centre’s legacy of offering a world-class education to students from all walks of life,” Moreland said. “These national rankings reflect what makes Centre so distinctive — a community of talented, driven students who challenge themselves, support one another and go on to make a lasting impact in the world.”
