
±«Óătv has improved its national ranking in the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2026 survey of best universities in the country.
This year, UDM ranked No. 36, seven places higher than last year.
âThere is so much great work being done every single day, year in and year out at ±«Óătv and this ranking reflects that,â said UDM President Donald B. Taylor. âUDM is making a difference in the lives of our students, our neighborhood, our hometown of Detroit and our nation. Itâs gratifying to be recognized for that.â
The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings â first released three years ago â focus on student outcomes rather than inputs, highlighting the tangible value a school delivers to its students.
In addition to the overall ranking, the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse study evaluates colleges on several key measures. Social mobility recognizes universities that enroll a high proportion of students from lower-income families, while maintaining strong graduation rates and positive salary outcomes. Salary impact measures how graduatesâ earnings compare to expectations, relative to the cost of attending.
The Best Value ranking considers how quickly graduatesâ salary advantages pay back the average net price of a degree â measured as âyears to pay off net price.â An additional ranking is based on a large-scale student survey, which captures the quality of the learning environment and overall student experience. This year, the survey reflected feedback from more than 110,000 students nationwide. Earlier this month, the University also ranked No. 22 nationally in the Best Value Schools category in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 âBest Collegesâ edition.
UDMâs 2026 Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings are as follows:
- No. 27 out of 584 schools for social mobility, up from 39 in the 2025 ranking
- 309 in student experience, up from 411 last year
- 52 in best salaries
- 103 in best value
The 2026 ranking also means that UDM is:
- The No. 1 ranked private university in Michigan
- The second-highest ranked university in Michigan
- The No. 2 ranked Catholic university in the Midwest
- The No. 3 ranked Catholic university in the United States
- The No. 2 ranked university among all Association of Jesuit Colleges & Universities in the country
Additionally, UDM ranks in the top 9% of 4,476 colleges and universities nationwide for salary earned by graduates over a period of 15 to 40 years during their career according to Georgetown Universityâs Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) research report Ranking 4,476 Colleges by ROI (2025). This means that ±«Óătv graduates can expect to earn more than $2.1 million in salary over their 40-year career compared with those who forgo a college education.
Impressive national rankings over the last three years have led, in part, to record enrollment at UDM for freshmen. This yearâs first-year enrollment is 672, which is higher than last yearâs record first-year count of 651. In addition, transfer student enrollment is also up to 181, a significant jump from the previous yearâs count of 158.
Since the fall of 2024, UDMâs total enrollment is up 191 students. This fall, the University welcomed 5,778 full and part-time students. Most importantly, UDMâs second-year retention rate has increased to 84.2%, higher than the previous three-year average of 83.8%,
For Debbie Stieffel, vice president for Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, these results are far more than a number in a ranking.
âThey are a powerful affirmation of the universityâs commitment to each studentâs wellbeing and successâboth in their careers and in their lives. This recognition reflects the tireless dedication of faculty and staff who believe deeply in our studentsâ potential, and it celebrates the determination, resilience, and accomplishments of the students themselves.â Stieffel said.
Current students are elated at the new WSJ ranking and understand why UDM continues to move up in rankings each year.
âSeeing ±«Óătv ranked 36th in the nation makes me really proud to be a student here,” saidÌęAlexandriaÌęJarbo, a senior Biology major in the College of Engineering & Scienceâs Pre-Physician Assistant program. “It reflects how much the professors and community truly care about our success, and it reminds me that I made the right choice coming to UDM. Itâs exciting to know that the hard work happening here is being recognized.â
A Commitment to Expanded Offerings
UDMâs focus on student achievement and success is reflected by a commitment to offer new schools and programs.
This fall, the University welcomed the first class of the newly established School of Optometry. In addition, UDM launched a newÌęaccelerated seven-year Doctor of Optometry Program. This new school and the ±«Óătv Eye Institute represent a significant step toward addressing the growing demand for eye care professionals in the state and region.
Also this fall, theÌęCollege of Health Professions (CHP) created the School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, through which two new bachelorâs degree programs are now available. ÌęStudents pursuing careers in healthcare can now choose from degrees in Health Science and Sports & Exercise Sciences, both designed to prepare graduates for impactful roles across the evolving health sector.
The School of Law recently announced the launch of the state of Michiganâs first online J.D. program, which continues ±«Óătv Lawâs mission to increase accessibility to legal education. The four-year program will be mostly asynchronous, with some upper-level courses such as the award-winning clinic portion taught synchronously.
Lastly, the Universityâs School of Dentistry welcomed the first cohort of students who will pursue their Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the Universityâs new campus in Vermont.
For President Taylor, this is only a beginning. With UDM preparing to celebrate its 150th anniversary and commitment to Detroit in 2027, there are more great things to come for the institution and its home community.
âI donât think there has ever been a more exciting time to be part of ±«Óătv and our great city,â said Taylor. âYou can feel the energy on campus, in our neighborhood, downtown and throughout SE Michigan. Achieving a No. 36 rank in the U.S. is not only great for UDM, itâs great for our city and indeed the entire state.â