a view of the sun rising over the Biola library


Biola continues to be recognized as a national leader in academics, safety and campus life, evidenced by a series of college rankings released this fall. In September, U.S. News and World Report again named Biola one of America’s best colleges, placing it in the top tier of the “best national universities” category. The annual publication, which evaluates colleges based on academic reputation, test scores, graduation rates and other factors, ranked Biola at No. 159 overall among national universities, among the handful of other Council for Christian Colleges & Universities on that list.

“Biola University’s recognition as a top-tier national university within the U.S. News rankings is a testament to the work we have accomplished to strengthen our academic programs and help students prepare for meaningful careers,” said President Barry H. Corey. “Even in a changing higher education landscape, national rankings remind us to continue to innovate and pursue excellence as we seek to serve a new generation of students.”

In addition to U.S. News, several other publications gave high marks to Biola’s academic quality:

  • In July, Forbes recognized Biola as one of “America’s Top Colleges,” ranking it within the top 15 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges and universities.
  • In August, the Princeton Review included Biola as one of 127 “Best Western” schools in its “2018 Best Colleges: Region by Region” ranking of 658 colleges nationwide that the organization considers “academically outstanding and well worth consideration” during a college search.
  • Money ranked Biola on its list of “Best Colleges for Your Money 2017” in August.
  • University-ranking website thebestschools.org put Biola at No. 1 on its list of “The 25 Best Schools for Studying the Bible,” citing the university’s reputation as “one of the world’s best at framing all of its departments within a biblical-Christian worldview.”

Meanwhile, in Niche’s 2018 College Rankings — based on student surveys and data from the U.S. Department of Education — Biola ranked No. 4 on the list of “Best Colleges for Education in California,” No. 6 on the list of “Best Colleges for Nursing in California” and No. 11 on the lists of “Safest College Campuses in California,” “Best College Campuses in California” and “Best College Dorms in California.”