UNC Asheville Featured in The Princeton Review’s Best 392 Colleges for 2027
The University of North Carolina Asheville is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduates according to The Princeton Review, which prominently features the University in its annual college guide “The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition.”
The University of North Carolina Asheville is one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduates according to The Princeton Review, which prominently features the University in its annual college guide “The Best 392 Colleges: 2027 Edition.”
UNC Asheville also stands out in a number of category rankings that place it among the best of the best nationally.
Only about 14 percent of America’s 2,600 four-year colleges are profiled in the book, which are chosen based on annually collected data from surveys of college administrators about their institutions’ academic offerings and surveys of students about their experiences attending their institutions. UNC Asheville is also featured in the 2027 Best Colleges: Region by Region for the South and Guide to Green Colleges: 2026 Edition.
UNC Asheville faculty are also highly regarded, receiving ratings of 93 in the “Profs interesting” and 91 in the “Profs accessible” categories. One student said, “Each student gets individual attention, which makes it easier to succeed.”
Given its wonderful location in a vibrant city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Princeton Review notes how “it’s normal to hike after class, drive a few minutes to a trailhead, or sit somewhere quiet with friends,” and there are “hammock set-ups throughout campus that students will often be working, reading, or napping in.”
UNC Asheville’s inclusion in the rankings are strengthened by students’ experiences inside and outside the classroom, reflected in the quality of life rating of 89.
They describe “a strong culture of showing up, whether that means late nights in a lab, student-led discussions in class, or public outreach events around Asheville.”
“We are delighted to name UNC Asheville one of our Best Colleges for 2027 and we recommend it to students searching for their ‘best-fit’ college,” said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief and lead editor of “The Best 392 Colleges.”
UNC Asheville’s profile and ranking lists in Best Colleges for 2027 are posted here.
About UNC Asheville
UNC Asheville is North Carolina’s public liberal arts and sciences university of the future, marked by technology-driven solutions, hands-on learning, a student-centered focus and career and professional readiness. With award-winning faculty, small class sizes, and 60+ academic programs, including a dual degree in Engineering/Mechatronics with NC State, the University provides free tuition and fees through its Access Asheville program as well as merit scholarships to all first-year students. In the US News & World Report 2026 edition of Best Colleges, UNC Asheville is ranked No. #10 in Top Public Schools, and No. #12 in Princeton Review’s 2026 Top 50 Guide to Green Colleges. Known as the Bulldogs, UNC Asheville student-athletes compete in 16 NCAA Division I Teams in the Big South Conference. For more information, please visit: unca.edu.
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