The Brief U.S. News & World Report has released its "2026 Best Colleges" list. U.S. News & World Report has released its "2026 Best Colleges" list, and several Philly-area schools rose in rank from last year. Villanova University rose one spot from last year's list to No. In total, Pennsylvania had seven schools make the top 100 on the 2026 list. Big picture view:U.S. News & World Report's annual Best Colleges list has been a cornerstone of higher education for years, with students and parents relying heavily on it when deciding which schools to apply to.