MACON/ATLANTA – Mercer University is once again one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduates according to The Princeton Review®. For the 23rd year, Mercer is featured in the education services’ annual Best Colleges guide.
The Princeton Review chose the colleges for The Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition based on data it collects from surveys of students attending the colleges in categories including academics, amenities, campus services and extracurriculars.
Only about 15% of America’s nearly 2,400 four-year colleges are included in the guide. The rankings are based on data from the surveys of more than 170,000 students and administrators at the 391 schools in the book
In the profile, the editors praise Mercer for its “academically rigorous environment” and quote students who described the college as “challenging you to learn and do better” and having “a great amount of opportunities to enrich your learning.”
“Mercer University has outstanding academic programs and the feedback we received from its students was very impressive,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead author of The Best 391 Colleges. “We are delighted to name Mercer University one of our Best Colleges for 2026 and to recommend it to students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college.”
The Princeton Review does not rank the institutions in the book from 1-391 but provides 50 separate ranking lists naming the top 25 schools in various categories as well as detailed profiles curated from more than 170,000 student and administrator surveys.
In the guide’s detailed ranking lists, Mercer was ranked:
- 15th on the Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact, and students reported that those who attend Mercer are “highly engaged on campus and in our community.” Survey takers also reported that Mercerians are “highly motivated and have ambitious goals” and have “plenty of ways to gain leadership and research experience.”
- 20th on the Most Engaged in Community Service list, with students saying “study abroad options are available to every major and range from semester and year-long programs to shorter, faculty-led trips or service-learning experiences.”
- 19th on the Friendliest Students list, with students saying they “feel supported by their peers, who are not just people you see in passing, they are people who will uplift you and inspire you to continue to do your best.”
- Mercer was also noted for its research opportunities, with students reporting that “there are plenty of ways to gain leadership and research experience.”
Earlier this year, The Princeton Review also named Mercer a Best Value College, combining “exceptional education and career preparation at a relatively affordable price.”
Visit The Princeton Review website to read the full Mercer profile and review.
