ATLANTA—In its 2026 edition of Best Colleges, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Georgia State University as the top public university for Undergraduate Teaching for the sixth 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 sixth 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 11 years, Georgia State has been among the nation’s top five Most Innovative public universities.
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 seventh year in a row Georgia State ranked among the country’s top 10 universities (No. 2 among public universities) 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. It also, for the seventh year in a row, ranked among the top 10 public universities in the country for Learning Communities, landing at No. 5. These programs offer students opportunities to take two or more linked courses as a group.
“It’s gratifying for our peers to recognize our commitment to ensuring students from every background achieve at the highest levels,” said Georgia State President M. Brian Blake. “This acknowledgment affirms that our data-driven strategies and steadfast dedication to student success are not only meeting the mark but truly elevating outcomes across our university.”
U.S. News also ranked Georgia State No. 17 for Social Mobility. The category is based on Pell Grant enrollment and graduation rates.
“To be recognized again as the nation's top public university for Undergraduate Teaching is a direct result of our faculty’s unwavering commitment to teaching and innovation,” said Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Nicolle Parsons-Pollard. “Through high-impact practices, such as first-year seminars, learning communities, writing-intensive courses and undergraduate research, our faculty create touchpoints that help students build strong academic skills while developing confidence and purpose. These efforts allow Georgia State students to tackle complex, interdisciplinary challenges, creating a model that improves retention, transforms lives and sets the standard for student success.”
The J. Mack Robinson College of Business’ undergraduate Information Systems and undergraduate Insurance programs retained their places among the nation’s top 10 in the new rankings, at No. 8 and No. 4, respectively. The university’s undergraduate Economics program leapt up 24 spots from last year, to No. 78.
The program rankings are based on surveys of deans, senior faculty members and other top academic officials at peer institutions.