LACEY, Wash. — U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Colleges rankings again recognize Saint Martin’s University among the best in the West.
The report named Saint Martin’s:
- #20 in Best Value Schools
- #30 in Best Colleges for Veterans (tie)
- #53 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
- #56 in Regional Universities West (tie)
“These rankings affirm what we hear from our students and alumni every day: Saint Martin’s delivers a transformative education rooted in our Benedictine values,” said Bill Brownsberger, S.T.D., president of Saint Martin’s University. “We are proud to provide exceptional value, open doors of opportunity, and prepare students from all backgrounds for lives of meaning and purpose.”
Saint Martin’s was ranked #20 in Best Value Schools among regional universities in the West, which considers academic quality in relation to cost of attendance. This recognition highlights Saint Martin’s dedication to providing an exceptional education at an affordable price, while ensuring that students receive the financial support they need to complete their degrees.
The University was tied as #30 in Best Colleges for Veterans among regional universities in the West, recognizing the University’s commitment to military-affiliated students. Nearly 25% of Saint Martin’s students are veterans, active-duty service members or dependents, and the University provides tailored resources, support programs and a strong community to help them thrive academically and personally.
Saint Martin’s earned a #53 ranking in Top Performers on Social Mobility, a category that measures how well schools enroll and graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants. With 35% of Saint Martin’s students receiving Pell Grants and 39% the first in their families to attend college, this recognition highlights the University’s role in advancing opportunity and social mobility for students from low-income households.
Additionally, Saint Martin’s was tied #56 among Regional Universities in the West, a category that includes institutions offering a full range of undergraduate programs and some master’s programs. The University was compared to 118 other institutions. The ranking reflects Saint Martin’s commitment to academic quality, faculty support and student success in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
David Olwell, Ph.D., interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, noted the breadth of recognition across disciplines. “As a Catholic and Benedictine University, it is gratifying to be recognized for our excellence in value, social mobility and service to veterans alongside our overall academic quality,” Olwell said. “We provide a formative and transformative education. These rankings highlight the strength of our faculty, the dedication of our students, and the supportive learning community we foster at Saint Martin’s University.”
About Saint Martin’s University:
Saint Martin’s University is an independent coeducational university, with undergraduate and graduate offerings, located on a wooded campus of more than 380 acres in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 13 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University empowers students to pursue a lifetime of learning and accomplishment through its 31 majors, 11 master’s programs, one doctorate program and six certificate programs spanning the arts and sciences, business, counseling, education, engineering, nursing, and leadership. Saint Martin’s welcomes more than 1,300 undergraduate students and 250 graduate students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its Lacey campus, and more students to its extended campus located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
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