Lehigh University continues to stand out as one of the top institutions in the country, once again ranking in the top 30 of the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S . The Wall Street Journal rankings, developed in partnership with College Pulse and Statista, evaluate colleges based on how well they prepare students for life after graduation. Schools are assessed across three core pillars: Student Outcomes (70%), Learning Environment (20%) and Diversity (10%). Lehigh’s overall score of 82.2 was fueled by exceptional performance in the Student Outcomes category. The rankings evaluated 584 eligible U.S. colleges and universities; 84 institutions were added this year.