Rankings FAQs

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The Basics

To rank colleges, U.S. News first places each school into a category based on its mission and, in some cases, its geographic region of the U.S. - North, South, Midwest, and West.

National Universities, which focus on research and offer several doctoral programs, are ranked separately from National Liberal Arts Colleges. Regional Universities and Regional Colleges are compared with other schools in the same group and region.

Second, U.S. News gathers data from and about each school to measure academic excellence, using 17 factors for the National Universities. Each indicator is assigned a weight (expressed as a percentage) based on U.S. News' researched judgments about which measures of quality matter most. The other nine ranking categories have up to 13 ranking factors.

Third, colleges are ranked based on their overall scores. U.S. News publishes the individual ranks of the top 90% of schools in each category. The remaining 10% of schools display the bottom decile ranking ranges within their categories and are listed alphabetically.

We ranked #1 in Top Private Colleges and Regional Colleges (South) (tied) and received a #1 Overall Rank for Regional Colleges (South) (tied)

We also received rankings for Social Mobility and for our Psychology program and ranked #16 in Best Value Schools - Regional Colleges (South),

We support social mobility by helping students access a college education, persist through graduation, and prepare for opportunities after earning their degrees. You'll have access to a wide range of options and departments, like Financial Aid, personal faculty mentorship, academic support, hands-on learning, and career preparation to help make progress toward your educational and professional goals. This commitment is reflected in our recognition as a Top Performer on Social Mobility among Regional Colleges in the South in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings.

Understanding The Rankings

Regional Colleges are grouped by U.S. News according to their academic offerings and geographic region. The South category allows students to compare us with colleges that have similar educational missions across the southern United States.

Among the factors U.S. News considers most heavily are peer assessment, graduation rate, and earnings by major, measures that reflect the College’s academic reputation, its success in helping students graduate, and the value of a Flagler education after graduation.

  • Peer assessment reflects how presidents, provosts, and deans assess the quality of institutions with which they are familiar. The measure captures aspects of institutional quality that can be difficult to quantify, including innovative teaching and institutional health.
  • Graduation rate reflects Flagler’s success in helping students complete their degrees. U.S. News considers graduation an important measure of student success because completing a degree is integral to realizing the educational and career value of a college investment.
  • Earnings by major looks at what happens after students graduate. Using data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, the measure compares graduates’ earnings with typical earnings for graduates in the same fields of study. 

We are tied for Number 1 Regional College in the South in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings. It also ranks number 1 among private regional colleges in the South.

The "Why Flagler?" Questions

Flagler College ranks No. 16 among Best Value Regional Colleges in the South in the 2027 U.S. News rankings, moving up two positions from the previous year. The Best Value ranking considers academic quality alongside the cost of attendance for students receiving need-based financial aid.

Students and families should also consider scholarships, financial aid, experiential learning opportunities, and graduate outcomes when evaluating the value of a Flagler education.

It reflects the many factors that shape a Flagler education, including academic quality, student success, faculty resources, and value.

Most importantly, it recognizes the collective work of Flagler’s faculty, staff, and students, as well as the historical faculty, staff, and students who have made strides along the way. 

We are known for providing a highly personal education that connects classroom learning with hands-on experience. You'll have a chance to learn in historic St. Augustine and pursue opportunities including faculty-led research, internships, community-based projects, study abroad, and study away experiences. Your experience will be shaped by historic settings, a coastal location, close faculty relationships, and working with faculty and mentors who give you the building blocks to succeed beyond college.