International Recognition & Rankings

#1 in Iowa

NEW YORK TIMES

Ranks #1 in Iowa, # 1 in the Great Plains Region and #11 nationally among all private colleges in the 2023 New York Times college rankings, based on the combination of strength of academics, high earnings after graduation, athletic success, social environment, and safety.

#1 BEST VALUE

IN IOWA

Listed as the 2023 best value private college in Iowa by SmartAsset.com, based on starting salary, tuition, living expenses, retention, and scholarships awarded.

#1 in GREAT PLAINS

NEW YORK TIMES

Ranks #1 in Iowa, # 1 in the Great Plains Region and #11 nationally among all private colleges in the 2023 New York Times college rankings, based on the combination of strength of academics, high earnings after graduation, athletic success, social environment, and safety.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

1 of 5 COLLEGES

One of five colleges to receive the Washington Center’s inaugural Higher Education Civic Engagement Award for service-learning and community engagement.

ADVANCEMNENT

OF TEACHING

Nationally classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching for its commitment to community outreach and service-learning through 2025.

PRESIDENT’S

HONOR ROLL

Named eight consecutive times to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, three times “with distinction,” in recognition of volunteer efforts by Wartburg students.

BEST

COLLEGES IN AMERICA

Money.com ranked Wartburg as one of the Best Colleges in America in 2024.

TOP 100

COLLEGES

Wartburg was ranked in the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the U.S. by College Consensus in 2022.

#17

in the U.S.

Wartburg was ranked 17th in the nation for short-term study abroad in the 2018 Open Doors Report, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

#64

IN THE U.S.

No. 64 in the nation in the 2021 Washington Monthly’s Best Liberal Arts Colleges ranking for our contribution to the public good through social mobility, research, and service.

TOP 25

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Ranked in the top 25 computer science schools in the nation by Best Value Schools in 2020.

TOP 15

HIDDEN GEM COLLEGE

Ranked in the top 15 in the Plains Region as a “hidden gem college” by College Raptor in 2025.

TOP 5%

BIOLOGY: BEST VALUE

Ranked in top 5 percent for best value and top 5 percent for biology and education programs by CollegeFactual.com in 2019-20.