Newly released college rankings place La Salle at the top of the list for Catholic colleges in the city, as well as high placements in Pennsylvania and beyond. 

New college rankings released by Niche and Washington Monthly have identified La Salle University as the top choice for Catholic higher education institutions within the City of Philadelphia.  

“The Christian Brothers and the Lasallian Charism are at the core of everything we do at La Salle, and I’m proud to see this recognized in national rankings,” University President Daniel J. Allen, Ph.D., said. “We are committed to providing Explorers with a rigorous liberal arts education grounded in the Catholic faith, and this new accolade reaffirms that we are exceeding expectations and providing our campus community, with a high-quality, mission-driven experience.”  

La Salle’s recognition as a top Catholic institution goes beyond just the city in Niche’s 2027 Best Colleges list. The University placed third in the state and at number 44 in the country, putting it in the top 30% of Catholic colleges nationally.  

Niche also placed La Salle in the top 33% of all colleges nationally, and the top 25% in the state.  

Niche, which rates colleges based on key metrics along with student and alumni reviews, was not the only outlet that lauded the University’s position as a top Catholic institution.  

La Salle also took the top spot for Catholic college within the City of Philadelphia and was named second best in the state in the 2026 College Guide and Rankings from Washington Monthly.  

Among member institutions of The National Catholic College Admission Association that appear in the Washington Monthly guide, La Salle is ranked fifth in the Northeast and in the top 12% of Catholic schools nationally. 

La Salle’s placement among the 1,504 colleges included in Washington Monthly’s Best Colleges for Your Tuition (And Tax) Dollars rankings, recognizes the University in the top 25% of both national and Northeastern schools, and in the top 15% of Pennsylvania schools.  

The Washington Monthly guide, which describes itself as rating schools “based on what they do for the country,” rates institutions in four categories: access, affordability, outcomes, and community and national service.  

“At the heart of the Lasallian tradition is the conviction that Catholic education is about more than preparing students for successful careers.  Our schools and universities are entrusted with young people and called to accompany them as they discover their gifts, deepen their sense of purpose, and learn to use their education in service of others and the common good,” Br. Bob Schaefer, FSC, ‘89, M.A. ‘95, a La Salle University Board of Trustees member and provincial (visitor) of the Christian Brothers District of Eastern North America, said. “That is the kind of education St. John Baptist de La Salle envisioned, and it remains deeply relevant today. La Salle University’s commitment to this centuries old mission is unwavering.” 

-Naomi Thomas