WSSU earns top U.S. News rankings for value and social mobility
Winston-Salem State University continues to earn national recognition, with the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings placing WSSU among the nation’s leading historically Black colleges and universities and recognizing the university for value and social mobility.
WSSU ranks No. 11 among HBCUs nationally and No. 2 among HBCUs in North Carolina.
The university also posted a strong showing among Regional Universities in the South, ranking No. 22 overall, No. 19 for Best Value, No. 9 for Best Value for In-State Students and No. 6 (tie) for Social Mobility.
Those rankings place WSSU ahead of other HBCUs in the Regional Universities in the South category in Best Value, Best Value for In-State Students and Social Mobility.
Together, the rankings underscore a defining strength of the WSSU experience: delivering outstanding value while creating opportunities for students to rise.
“Our reputation is rising. Our rankings are rising. And our results are rising,” said WSSU Chancellor Bonita J. Brown. “These rankings are further evidence that the work we are doing is making a difference. We are proud to be recognized not only as one of the nation’s leading HBCUs, but also for delivering value and creating pathways to greater economic mobility for the students and families we serve.”
Outstanding value. Greater opportunity.WSSU’s strong showing in the value rankings reinforces the university’s commitment to providing a high-quality education at an affordable cost. Among Regional Universities in the South, WSSU is the highest-ranked HBCU for both Best Value and Best Value for In-State Students.
The university’s social mobility ranking reflects another dimension of that commitment: creating pathways to opportunity. U.S. News measures social mobility by assessing how well institutions enroll and graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants. WSSU ranks No. 6 overall in the South regional category and is the highest-ranked public HBCU on the list.
For students and families, the rankings tell a story that goes beyond a number. They point to an educational experience that combines affordability, access and student success, providing students with opportunities to earn a degree, pursue meaningful careers and build their futures.
WSSU graduates are helping meet workforce needs across the region, including in high-demand fields such as health care and business. With thousands of alumni living and working in North Carolina, the university is not only creating pathways to economic mobility for its graduates but also developing the talent that helps strengthen the communities and economy it serves.
The latest U.S. News rankings add to a growing list of national recognitions for WSSU. Forbes recently named WSSU one of the nation’s Top 10 public HBCUs, while Niche ranked the university among the Top 20 colleges in North Carolina and Washington Monthly recognized WSSU as the No. 1 HBCU in the Southeast for “Best Bang for the Buck.”
The recognition also comes as WSSU continues to advance We Are Rising 2030, its strategic plan focused on student success, academic excellence, institutional strength and deeper engagement with Winston-Salem and the surrounding region.
