2027 rankings reflect university’s strong academics, return on investment
Image by Henry Marte 10/20/2026
Media contacts: Email David_Joyner@uml.edu, executive director, communications and digital media or email Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu, associate director of media relations
LOWELL, Mass. – For the second consecutive year, UMass Lowell is the top public university in Massachusetts in U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of “Best Value Schools.” The accolade is just one of several for the university included in the media outlet’s 2027 Best Colleges edition, which evaluates the worth of higher-educational institutions across the country.
The “Best Value” designation identifies institutions that combine high academic quality with affordability for four-year undergraduate students. Nationally, U.S. News & World Report ranks UMass Lowell as No. 83 on the “Best Value” list, up nine spots from last year.
UMass Lowell also ranks No. 11 in Massachusetts and No. 148 in the country among top higher-education institutions defined as national universities. Such institutions offer a full range of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs and produce groundbreaking research.
“We’re proud once again to be a top-caliber institution in the eyes of U.S. News & World Report,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen. “Our work prepares students through academic rigor, vital research and career-connected opportunities in a vibrant, supportive environment. The 2027 rankings also underscore the return on investment our students and their families realize from a UMass Lowell education, as well as our commitment to community engagement.”
Among the public colleges and universities evaluated, UMass Lowell ranks at No. 2 in the Bay State and No. 74 in the country. The university also won praise for how well it enrolls and graduates students of exceptional financial need who are attending college with the assistance of federal Pell Grants, as identified in the “Best Social Mobility” category. Here, UMass Lowell ranked No. 5 for colleges and universities in the Bay State and No. 109 in the country. Military veterans pursuing their education at UMass Lowell will also find the university holds down the No. 2 spot in the state and No. 104 in the country in the “Best Colleges for Veterans” category.
The U.S. News & World Report rankings are just one measure of the university’s commitment to student success: The phased development of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC) is creating mixed-use ecosystem of office space, research labs, housing, retail and entertainment destinations. LINC member organizations work in partnerships with the university and each other, while UMass Lowell students find opportunities for paid career experiences.
For its 2027 assessments, U.S. News & World Report evaluated more than 1,700 higher-education institutions. To determine UMass Lowell’s rankings, the media outlet used 17 measures such as student retention and graduation rates, financial resources provided per student, faculty-to-student ratio, number of full-time faculty and amount of published research.