U.S. News & World Report: A&T America’s No. 1 Public HBCU

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 22, 2026) — North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has been named the nation’s No. 1 public historically Black college or university (HBCU) in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings. Paired with gains across key academic programs and its overall national standing, the recognition marks progress toward N.C. A&T’s ambition to advance as a leading public university while expanding the opportunities its education provides.

A&T rose 13 places in both the public and national university rankings, reaching No. 116 and No. 219, respectively. Business, engineering, nursing and computer science also advanced, strengthening the university’s standing in disciplines that prepare students to meet critical needs in industry, health care and technology.

The results bring A&T closer to its longstanding goals of becoming a top 100 public university and a top 200 national university. Those benchmarks support a broader institutional focus on academic quality, student success and the university’s contribution to North Carolina and the nation.

“Our responsibility as a public, land-grant HBCU is to bring academic excellence and opportunity together,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. “These results reflect progress across the university, particularly in high-demand disciplines that are vital to our state and nation. And they come at a critical moment for higher education nationally as we all seek to underscore our value and importance to the economic success of America.

“Our task now at A&T is to build on our progress in ways that continue to strengthen the education our students receive and the contributions they make after graduation.”

Advancing Academic Quality and Talent Development

The latest rankings show gains across several of A&T’s key academic programs:

• Business: The Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics advanced 105 places to No. 230, the largest increase among the nation’s top 250 business programs.
• Engineering: A&T rose seven places to No. 128 among engineering programs at institutions offering doctoral degrees.
• Nursing: The university’s nursing program moved up 52 places nationally.
• Computer science: A&T’s program advanced 17 places nationally.

These disciplines connect the university’s academic priorities with the needs of employers and communities. They prepare graduates to lead businesses, design infrastructure and technologies, deliver health care and contribute to an increasingly digital economy.

A&T’s engineering leadership illustrates its role in developing that talent. According to U.S. Department of Education data, the university ranks No. 1 nationally in bachelor’s degrees awarded to Black engineers, No. 5 in master’s degrees and No. 7 in doctoral degrees.

“The breadth of these gains is encouraging, and our focus is on the academic work that sustains progress,” said Andrew P. Daire, provost and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “That means supporting faculty excellence, keeping our programs responsive to developments in their fields and ensuring students can apply what they learn. Continued improvement must translate into a stronger student experience and preparation for careers, advanced study and leadership.”

Strengthening National Standing

A&T ranked No. 5 among all HBCUs, behind four private institutions, and earned a peer assessment score of 4.4 out of 5. That score tied Howard University for the second-highest among HBCUs, behind Spelman College’s 4.5.

The U.S. News results follow Forbes’ designation last month of A&T as the nation’s No. 1 public HBCU. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings also named A&T the top public HBCU in 2025. While each publication uses a different methodology, the recognition across these assessments reinforces A&T’s national standing.

Expanding Opportunity Through Education

A&T ranked No. 54 among national universities for social mobility, placing it among the nation’s leaders in a category closely connected to its mission of expanding educational and economic opportunity.

That recognition underscores the importance of connecting academic quality with pathways to economic advancement. For A&T, student opportunity and institutional excellence are complementary priorities that shape the university’s direction.

Together, the results provide a view of A&T’s progress and the work ahead: strengthening academic programs, supporting students through completion and preparing graduates to contribute in fields essential to the state’s and nation’s future.

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 22, 2026) — North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has been named the nation’s No. 1 public historically Black college or university (HBCU) in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings. Paired with gains across key academic programs and its overall national standing, the recognition marks progress toward N.C. A&T’s ambition to advance as a leading public university while expanding the opportunities its education provides.

A&T rose 13 places in both the public and national university rankings, reaching No. 116 and No. 219, respectively. Business, engineering, nursing and computer science also advanced, strengthening the university’s standing in disciplines that prepare students to meet critical needs in industry, health care and technology.

The results bring A&T closer to its longstanding goals of becoming a top 100 public university and a top 200 national university. Those benchmarks support a broader institutional focus on academic quality, student success and the university’s contribution to North Carolina and the nation.

“Our responsibility as a public, land-grant HBCU is to bring academic excellence and opportunity together,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. “These results reflect progress across the university, particularly in high-demand disciplines that are vital to our state and nation. And they come at a critical moment for higher education nationally as we all seek to underscore our value and importance to the economic success of America.

“Our task now at A&T is to build on our progress in ways that continue to strengthen the education our students receive and the contributions they make after graduation.”

Advancing Academic Quality and Talent Development

The latest rankings show gains across several of A&T’s key academic programs:

• Business: The Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics advanced 105 places to No. 230, the largest increase among the nation’s top 250 business programs.
• Engineering: A&T rose seven places to No. 128 among engineering programs at institutions offering doctoral degrees.
• Nursing: The university’s nursing program moved up 52 places nationally.
• Computer science: A&T’s program advanced 17 places nationally.

These disciplines connect the university’s academic priorities with the needs of employers and communities. They prepare graduates to lead businesses, design infrastructure and technologies, deliver health care and contribute to an increasingly digital economy.

A&T’s engineering leadership illustrates its role in developing that talent. According to U.S. Department of Education data, the university ranks No. 1 nationally in bachelor’s degrees awarded to Black engineers, No. 5 in master’s degrees and No. 7 in doctoral degrees.

“The breadth of these gains is encouraging, and our focus is on the academic work that sustains progress,” said Andrew P. Daire, provost and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “That means supporting faculty excellence, keeping our programs responsive to developments in their fields and ensuring students can apply what they learn. Continued improvement must translate into a stronger student experience and preparation for careers, advanced study and leadership.”

Strengthening National Standing

A&T ranked No. 5 among all HBCUs, behind four private institutions, and earned a peer assessment score of 4.4 out of 5. That score tied Howard University for the second-highest among HBCUs, behind Spelman College’s 4.5.

The U.S. News results follow Forbes’ designation last month of A&T as the nation’s No. 1 public HBCU. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings also named A&T the top public HBCU in 2025. While each publication uses a different methodology, the recognition across these assessments reinforces A&T’s national standing.

Expanding Opportunity Through Education

A&T ranked No. 54 among national universities for social mobility, placing it among the nation’s leaders in a category closely connected to its mission of expanding educational and economic opportunity.

That recognition underscores the importance of connecting academic quality with pathways to economic advancement. For A&T, student opportunity and institutional excellence are complementary priorities that shape the university’s direction.

Together, the results provide a view of A&T’s progress and the work ahead: strengthening academic programs, supporting students through completion and preparing graduates to contribute in fields essential to the state’s and nation’s future.