LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA – September 22, 2026 – The 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings has named Lincoln University of Pennsylvania the nation’s No. 9 Public Historically Black College & University (HBCU). As the first degree-granting Historically Black College and University, Lincoln University continues to stay devoted to providing students with a rigorous liberal arts education, giving them the knowledge and skillset to achieve their goals and aspirations.
The university remains in the Top 20 for Best Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the country overall, rising one spot to No. 17 from its 2026 rankings of No. 18.
Additionally, Lincoln University made several regional (North) rankings, landing No. 36 in Top Performers on Social Mobility, a reflection in the university’s unwavering dedication to student success and educational opportunity, No. 40 in Top Public Schools, and No. 123 in Regional Universities – North.
"Being recognized among the nation's top public HBCUs is a testament to the dedication of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters who advance Lincoln University's legacy of excellence every day,” says Dr. Brenda Allen, President of Lincoln University. “Equally meaningful is our continued recognition for social mobility, which underscores our commitment to expanding access, fostering achievement, and creating pathways to economic and civic leadership for our students. At Lincoln, we believe education is transformative, and these rankings affirm the impact of that work."
U.S. News and World Report’s Historically Black Colleges Rankings measures the quality of the undergraduate education at these institutions. Their methodology cites “a school must currently be listed as part of the White House and U.S. Department of Education's Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Higher Education Act of 1965 defines an HBCU as:
...any historically Black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary (of Education) to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation."
For more information about U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings, visit their website at https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges.
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Media Contact
Athena Griffith-Howard
Associate Vice President, Marketing & Communications
E-mail: agriffithhoward@lincoln.edu
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E-mail: communications@lincoln.edu
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