Embry‑Riddle Earns Eight Top-Five U.S. News Rankings, Including in Best Overall

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In its annual review of the nation's best colleges and universities, U.S. News & World Report awarded Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University eight separate top-five rankings, including for aerospace engineering, overall quality, innovation and academic programs for student veterans.

"Embry-Riddle's priority is to prepare our students for success, so they can go on to secure influential, high-paying positions across aviation, science, aerospace, business, engineering, space exploration, cybersecurity, the military, government and other domains central to our mission," said Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D. "Our top rankings reflect that goal and the value of our degrees."

In their respective regions in the South and West, the Daytona Beach, Florida, campus and the Prescott, Arizona, campus both earned the No. 2 Overall Rank, according to the 2027 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings published online Sept. 22. Among colleges in the West, the Prescott Campus also earned the No. 1 rank in the Best for Veterans category for the sixth consecutive year.

Additionally, Embry-Riddle's undergraduate Aerospace Engineering program at the Daytona Beach Campus ranked No. 6 in the nation among programs with a doctoral option. And for the second year in a row, the undergraduate Aerospace Engineering program at the Prescott Campus ranked No. 1 nationally in the Best Undergraduate Aerospace Engineering Programs category for schools without a Ph.D. option.

U.S. News & World Report awarded Embry-Riddle a total of 11 separate top-10 honors.

Other regional highlights for the Daytona Beach Campus included the No. 1 ranking in the Top Private Colleges list and the No. 2 ranking in the Best Colleges for Veterans category. The campus also earned the No. 3 rank in the Most Innovative Schools category.

By earning the No. 6 national ranking among programs with a doctoral option in the Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical category, the Daytona Beach Campus held its place among the nation's elite engineering institutions.

"Our legacy of innovation is driven by the expertise of our accomplished faculty and the ingenuity of our students," said Dr. Jim Gregory, dean of the College of Engineering. "By collaborating across disciplines and providing advanced resources, we empower them to pursue breakthrough ideas."

Prescott Campus Earns Top Marks

The Prescott Campus was awarded four top-five honors, including the top ranking for non-doctoral granting programs in the Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical category.

In addition to earning the No. 2 Overall Rank among regional colleges in the West, the Prescott Campus ranked No. 2 in the Top Private Colleges list. Other highlights included the No. 8 rank in the Best Value Schools classification, which examines academic quality and cost after accounting for total expenses and financial aid.

"U.S. News & World Report's continued recognition of Embry-Riddle reflects the high caliber of education we provide," said Dr. Ken Witcher, chancellor of the Prescott Campus. "Our impact is evident in the success of our graduates, who enter the growing aerospace, aviation and space industries, ready to meet these sectors' need for highly-skilled professionals."

Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report rated Embry‑Riddle's online undergraduate degree programs the highest among private institutions and No. 11 in the nation.

Media Contact:

Seth Robbins, executive director of news and media communications, 386-241-6060, [email protected]

About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in uncrewed and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more. Visit the Embry-Riddle Newsroom for story ideas.

Embry-Riddle educates over 31,000 aspiring aerospace and aviation professionals at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott, Arizona, and across more than 115 Worldwide Campus locations and online degree programs. In 2024, U.S. News & World Report named Embry-Riddle Worldwide the nation's No. 1 provider of online bachelor's degree programs among private universities. Our residential campuses hold multiple Top 10 rankings. All of our campuses have been ranked Best for Veterans. 

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SOURCE Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University