U.S. News ranks Luther College among the nation’s best for undergraduate teaching

Professor Todd Pedlar with students Alain Ishimwe and Sam Wilson.

Luther College moved into the national ranking for undergraduate teaching programs among national liberal arts colleges in the recently announced 2026 U.S. News Best College rankings. Luther remained ranked as one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges at 111, down slightly from last year’s 108, and remained the second-highest ranked liberal arts college in Iowa.

“This year’s rankings reflect Luther’s core strength — our undergraduate teaching and our ability to draw excellence from all students,” President Brad Chamberlain said. “Luther’s inclusion in the national top rankings continues to affirm we are a proud Iowa-based college with a regional student body, a national reputation, and a global impact.”

Luther’s score in peer assessment, one of the largest core components of the U.S. News rankings, rose for a third consecutive year.

Along with its national ranking, Luther also maintained its position among the top performers on social mobility, top undergraduate nursing programs and most students studying abroad.

“We know many families consult a wide range of rankings when investigating which colleges to visit each year, and Luther continues to exhibit strength in the top surveys,” Chamberlain added. “At the same time, the Luther story is best experienced in person, and we encourage prospective students to visit Luther and Decorah to bring to life what is in the rankings.”

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