Georgia State Ranked No. 1 Public University for Undergraduate Teaching for Fifth Year Straight

Also Ranked Top Public University for Learning Communities, Among Top 5 for Innovation in U.S. News & World Report Survey

ATLANTA — In its 2025 edition of Best Colleges, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Georgia State University as the top public university for Undergraduate Teaching for the fifth straight year, and it continues to rank the institution among the Most Innovative.

Georgia State retained its position as top among public institutions for Undergraduate Teaching for the fifth year in a row, a recognition of faculty and administrators’ strong commitment to teaching undergraduate students in a high-quality manner. And for the past decade and counting, Georgia State has been among the top five Most Innovative institutions in the country.

Georgia State also once again ranked highly on several measures in the "Programs That Enhance Student Experience" category, which U.S. News calls “outstanding examples of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success.”

For the sixth year in a row, the university ranked among the top 10 for Learning Communities, moving up to the top ranked public university in the category. These programs offer students opportunities to take two or more linked courses as a group. Georgia State remained at No. 4 for its First-Year Experiences. The indicator measures how well a university builds into its curriculum first-year seminars or other academic programs that regularly bring small groups of students together with faculty or staff.

“We're delighted that our peers recognize the hard work we're doing every day to ensure students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to graduate at the same high rates," said Georgia State President M. Brian Blake. "It's confirmation that our data-driven approach and unwavering commitment to our students' success leads to better outcomes.”

U.S. News also ranked Georgia State No. 15 for Social Mobility. The category is based on Pell Grant enrollment and graduation rates.

“Our consistent recognition by U.S. News speaks to the incredible dedication of our faculty,” said Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Nicolle Parsons-Pollard. “They continuously create learning environments that not only challenge students but also provide them with the tools to succeed. Their work is pivotal in making Georgia State a national leader in student success and academic achievement.”

Georgia State ranked for the first time in three more indicators: International Business (24), Study Abroad (27) and Undergraduate Research/Creative Projects (42).

The undergraduate Information Systems program of the university’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business moved up one spot to No. 7 in the new rankings, and the university’s Nursing program leapt up 59 spots from last year to No. 74.

The program rankings are based on surveys of deans, senior faculty members and other top academic officials at peer institutions.