The University of Puget Sound is one of the nation’s premier institutions, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company featured Puget Sound in the 2027 edition of its annual guide, The Best 392 Colleges.
"We are deeply honored by The Princeton Review’s recognition of the University of Puget Sound in their updated rankings for 2027,” President Isiaah Crawford said. “Our dedicated faculty and staff have created a dynamic, rigorous, and supportive learning environment for our students that gives them the flexibility to pursue a tailored pathway to developing the skills and knowledge they need to fulfill their scholarly and career ambitions.”
Puget Sound’s inclusion in this guide is a significant achievement that distinguishes the university within a highly competitive landscape. The Princeton Review selected the 392 featured colleges based on comprehensive 2025–2026 surveys of 2,000 college administrators and feedback from students regarding their campus experiences. With only about 14% of America’s nearly 2,800 four-year colleges making the list, this selection highlights Puget Sound's standing among the nation's most elite institutions.
“We are delighted to name University of Puget Sound one of our Best Colleges for 2027, and we recommend it to students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of The Best 391 Colleges. “Puget Sound has outstanding academic programs. We also took into account the candid feedback we received about it from its very own customers — its enrolled students.”
The guide’s 50 ranking lists feature the top 25 schools in specific areas, based solely on surveyed ratings from 172,000 students across the featured institutions. Because rankings rely directly on student satisfaction and participation rather than outside opinions, Puget Sound’s inclusions highlight strong campus engagement: the university ranked No. 19 for Best College Radio Station based on student interest and listenership, and No. 23 for Best Athletic Facilities based on how undergrads rate the quality of campus recreational spaces.
In addition to academic recognition, The Princeton Review highlighted Puget Sound’s vibrant campus culture and dedicated faculty. Students praised the university's small class sizes, close student-professor relationships, and accessible faculty. The guide also noted the strength of Puget Sound's arts programs, project-based learning opportunities, active student body, and ideal Pacific Northwest location for outdoor recreation.
