Lipscomb University’s growing national reputation reflected in wave of recent rankings and recognitions
National honors span academics, student success, value, innovation and workplace culture
Kim Chaudoin |
Over the past seven months, Lipscomb University has earned an extraordinary range of national rankings and recognitions, reflecting the university’s growing reputation as a nationally recognized, top-tier institution.
The latest recognition comes from U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings, released last week, which place Lipscomb among the nation’s Best National Universities and among the top 10 Council for Christian Colleges & Universities-affiliated institutions in the Top Private Colleges ranking for National Universities. Lipscomb is also the highest-ranked CCCU-affiliated private National University in Tennessee. Its undergraduate business, engineering and nursing programs also were recognized among the best in the nation in this year’s rankings.
That recognition follows several other national distinctions in recent months. Lipscomb was named one of the Top 20 Christian universities in the nation by Niche, a 2026 Best College by Forbes and received a four-star rating in Money’s 2026 Best Colleges rankings for the second consecutive year. The Money recognition reflects the university’s commitment to delivering strong value for students and families while preparing graduates for success beyond college.
Lipscomb Academy also earned top honors from Niche, ranking the No. 1 Best Christian K-12 School, the No. 1 Best Christian High School in the Nashville area for the fifth consecutive year and the No. 3 Best Christian K-12 School in Tennessee. The Academy, which serves more than 1,400 students, is an integral part of Lipscomb’s distinctive educational continuum that begins in the SEED School with 2-year olds and through the doctoral level at the university.
In August, Lipscomb was included on TIME’s inaugural America’s Best Colleges list, placing it among 500 colleges and universities nationwide recognized for student outcomes, learning environment and value. Lipscomb was one of only eight Tennessee institutions included and one of two in Nashville.
“We are grateful for this national recognition and what it says about the quality of a Lipscomb education, the meaningful student experience and the exceptional work of our faculty and staff,” said Lipscomb President Candice McQueen. “While these accolades are certainly meaningful, what matters most is how we are preparing our students for what comes next, equipping them with the knowledge, experiences and foundation they need to succeed in their careers, serve others and make a difference in their communities.”
The breadth of Lipscomb’s recent recognition is reflected not only in national rankings, but also in honors recognizing the university’s academic programs, student success, innovation and workplace culture.
This summer, Lipscomb was named a 2026-27 College of Distinction, an honor recognizing institutions for engaged teaching, a vibrant campus community and strong student outcomes. The university also earned recognition in multiple academic and student-experience areas.
For the 10th consecutive year, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society named Lipscomb to its national Transfer Honor Roll, recognizing excellence in the development and support of pathways for transfer students.
Several academic programs also earned national recognition. Lipscomb’s Bachelor of Arts in animation was ranked No. 13 in the nation and No. 1 in Tennessee by Animation Career Review, marking the fifth consecutive year the program has held the state’s top position.
The College of Education received multiple national honors. The National Council on Teacher Quality recognized Lipscomb among the nation’s top programs for preparing future teachers in the science of reading. The college also received the 2026 Best Practice Award for the Innovative Use of Technology from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, recognizing its innovative use of technology in educator preparation.
Lipscomb’s Master of Health Administration program was ranked No. 3 in Tennessee by HealthcareManagement.org, adding to the national and regional recognition of programs preparing students for careers in one of Nashville’s most significant industries.
Students have also represented Lipscomb on the national stage. May graduate Claire Edmondson was named a finalist for the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program and traveled to Athens, Greece, in August to serve as an English Teaching Assistant. Her selection marks Lipscomb’s 20th Fulbright finalist in university history.
Second-year pharmacy student Emma Wadlington won the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP) National Patient Counseling Competition after being named one of 10 finalists in the country and advancing to the championship round at the organization’s annual meeting in Los Angeles in March. This is the first time a Lipscomb student has won this competition.
Students in the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering made university history this summer when their concrete canoe team earned its first top-10 finish at the national championships, earning a ninth-place overall finish at the 2026 American Society of Civil Engineers Civil Engineering Student Championships. Competing against 26 regional champion teams from across the United States, Canada, China and India, Lipscomb also earned a third-place finish in the technical presentation competition during the national championships, held June 25-27 at Fairmont State University in Fairmont, West Virginia. Approximately 260 universities competed throughout the year for one of just 26 berths in the national championship. Joining Lipscomb in the Top 10 are Western Kentucky University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Texas A&M University, California Polytechnic State University, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Virginia.
Student journalists from Lipscomb’s School of Communication once again left their mark in this year’s Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Region 12 Mark of Excellence Awards as five students received recognition this summer. Joey Dwyer (’26), was a regional winner in the Sports Column Writing and Sports Writing (Small Universities) categories. Will Blackmon, Luke Green, Olivia DeRocher and Samuel Espinoza as The Bison Newscast team won the Best All-Around Radio Newscast regional competition and was named a national finalist.
This spring, Nate Wallace (’26) was named one of Poets&Quants’ 100 Best & Brightest Undergraduate Business Majors of 2026, a national recognition honoring outstanding business students across the country.
The university’s George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts also received a unique national distinction from the Broadway Green Alliance this summer. The organization created a special award recognizing Lipscomb’s Department of Theatre for its collective commitment to sustainable practices, including repurposing costumes and set pieces, using digital scripts and incorporating energy-efficient practices into productions.
National recognition has extended to Lipscomb’s workplace culture as well. In September, Lipscomb was once again named a Great College to Work For, making it one of only 76 institutions nationwide and one of two in Tennessee to receive the designation this year. Approximately 2% of colleges and universities across the country earn the recognition. Lipscomb was recognized in the Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness category, marking its second Great Colleges to Work For honor since 2024.
The national recognition comes during a milestone year for Lipscomb as the university celebrates its 135th anniversary and record enrollment. This fall, Lipscomb surpassed 5,000 university students for the first time in its history, reaching an all-time high of 5,007 students and setting an enrollment record for the second consecutive year. The total includes a record 3,061 undergraduate students and an all-time high 1,946 graduate students.
The university also is entering a new chapter in its strategic growth. This summer, Lipscomb successfully concluded Impact 360, a strategic plan launched in 2022 that helped drive growth and investment in academics, research, the student experience and campus infrastructure. In August, the university launched Lipscomb Rising 2030, a new strategic vision designed to build on that foundation and guide Lipscomb’s continued growth and impact through the end of the decade. Anchored in the university’s Christ-centered mission, the plan focuses on strengthening academic distinction, expanding Lipscomb’s reach and reputation, enhancing the student experience and preparing students for lives of purpose and impact.
Founded in 1891 with just nine students, today Lipscomb has grown into a comprehensive institution while remaining rooted in its mission as a Christ-centered community that prepares learners for purposeful lives through rigorous academics and transformative experiences. Lipscomb is one of the few institutions in the nation offering educational pathways from age 2 through the doctoral level. Students can begin their educational journey at age 2 at Lipscomb Academy, the institution’s college preparatory school, which serves more than 1,400 students, and continue through a full spectrum of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs at Lipscomb University. For more information, visit lipscomb.edu.