BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Illinois Wesleyan University earned three national recognitions for its academic quality, exceptional student outcomes and undergraduate experience at a time of growing momentum and investment across the university.

The latest recognition from U.S. News & World Report, TIME, and The Princeton Review reinforces Illinois Wesleyan’s continued evolution of the private liberal arts education experience, combining the enduring strengths of the liberal arts with innovation, experiential learning and preparation for an increasingly dynamic workforce. 

These accolades come on the heels of major investments and new initiatives across Illinois Wesleyan, including the new Petrick Idea Center and a transformative gift to launch the Fisher Quantum Center, the first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary undergraduate quantum program that positions both the university and the state as a leader in next-generation quantum education. Such initiatives represent Illinois Wesleyan’s commitment to preparing students for the future workforce and the beginning of a broader network of five Centers for Exploration designed to expand opportunities for students across disciplines, strengthen faculty innovation, and connect the enduring value of a liberal arts education with the needs of a changing world. 

Among Illinois Wesleyan’s latest national recognitions are: 

  • The Princeton Review: Illinois Wesleyan was once again ranked among The Best 392 Colleges, placing it among just 14 percent of America’s nearly 2,800 four-year colleges recognized by the Princeton Review. Illinois Wesleyan has been included on this list every year since its inception. 
  • TIME: Illinois Wesleyan ranked No. 160 nationally on TIME’s list of America’s Best Colleges of 2026-2027 and is the highest-ranked small private liberal arts university outside the Chicago metro area in Illinois and the neighboring states of Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
  • U.S. News & World Report: Illinois Wesleyan, in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings, ranked No. 2 among colleges in the Midwest, No. 2 among the region’s top private schools, No. 3 for best value colleges in the Midwest, and tied for No. 3 in undergraduate teaching among Midwest colleges. 

“With the help of alumni, donors, and Illinois Wesleyan staff and faculty, we continue to be recognized as a place where students and faculty can learn, explore, and grow without limitations. We are shaping and accelerating the future of higher education, and this national recognition is further proof of that. I look forward to continuing to build on this momentum in the years ahead," said Illinois Wesleyan University President Sheahon J. Zenger

Together, these national rankings add to growing evidence of Illinois Wesleyan’s momentum and continued evolution – delivering exceptional student outcomes while investing in new opportunities that will shape the private liberal arts education experience for the future. 

Illinois Wesleyan’s no-fee application is now open for the incoming class of 2027. To learn more and apply, visit www.iwu.edu/apply.