On August 27, the Princeton Review released the latest US university rankings for 2025 on its official website. The survey, conducted among 168,000 students from 390 universities across the United States, selected the top 25 universities in areas such as classroom experience, faculty quality, career support, student happiness, campus scenery, dining halls, dormitories, diversity, campus surroundings, and extracurricular activities.
Unlike well-known US News, QS, THE, and other university rankings that primarily focus on academic reputation, The Princeton Review places more emphasis on students’ academic experiences and campus life. The rankings are based on student feedback, making them more aligned with American students’ perception of the “best colleges”.
The 50 area-specific rankings by The Princeton Review cover eight general areas: academics/administration, quality of life, politics, campus life, town life, extracurricular activities, and social scenes, with further breakdowns within each of these categories. The survey, consisting of 89 questions directed at students, inquired about their academic experience, college life, classmates, and individual opinions.
The Princeton Review’s rankings are not solely academic-focused but serve as a comprehensive guide to student life. These “non-academic” rankings are crucial for college selection as university life entails more than just studying. Therefore, the rankings released by The Princeton Review have become a reference for American students applying to universities and an important guidance for Chinese students selecting schools.
The ranking of the most beautiful campuses is based on students’ ratings of campus scenery, determined by their responses to the survey question, “How do you evaluate the beauty of your campus?”.
Among the top 25 most beautiful campuses in the US, the University of San Diego in California ranked first, followed by the University of Richmond in Virginia.
According to the survey results, students at the University of San Diego mentioned, “The weather is great, the campus is beautiful, and most students spend their time outdoors.” The university was praised for its proximity to the beach and downtown area.
Furthermore, the students expressed their preference for a campus environment that is “sunny and relaxed”, highlighting the balance between “leisure” and “fashionable” dressing styles.
Last year, the University of San Diego ranked second in the most beautiful campus list, just behind the University of Richmond.
The following are the top ten US universities with the most beautiful campuses:
1. University of San Diego, California
2. University of Richmond, Virginia
3. Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania
4. Lewis & Clark College, Oregon
5. Florida Southern College, Florida
6. The University of the South, Tennessee
7. Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts
8. Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
9. Rice University, Texas
10. Vanderbilt University, Tennessee
The ranking of universities with the best dining halls is based on students’ responses to the survey question, “How do you rate the campus food?”.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst in Massachusetts retained the top spot for the eighth consecutive year in The Princeton Review’s best campus food rankings due to its outstanding campus dining experience. The university’s commitment to sustainability and experiential dining is highlighted through a menu driven by flavors and cultures from around the world.
Cornell University, an Ivy League school, ranked 5th in the dining hall category, showing a slight decline from its second-place ranking last year.
Here are the top ten universities with the best campus food:
1. University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts
2. Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
3. University of Richmond, Virginia
4. Bowdoin College, Maine
5. Cornell University, New York
6. Bates College, Maine
7. Pitzer College, California
8. James Madison University, Virginia
9. College of the Atlantic, Maine
10. Virginia Tech, Virginia