Spelman College is proud to announce it has been ranked No. 1 among America’s Best Colleges for Women in 2026 by Newsweek. The new ranking incorporates the unique considerations young women make when deciding where to attend college.  

"Spelman College is thrilled to be ranked as one of Newsweek’s America’s Best Colleges for Women," said the College. "This is a tremendous honor and a reflection of our commitment to leadership development, student access and opportunity and campus safety. We are proud of our legacy as a global leader in the education of women of African descent and remain dedicated to fostering an inclusive, modernized living and learning environment for our students.” 

To develop the ranking, Newsweek partnered with Gender Fair, which provides rankings based on equality and gender parity to promote accountability. The methodology used to develop the rankings utilized federally reported data from the U.S. Department of Education – the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the Campus Safety and Security Database to provide a new dimension of insight.  

“Spelman College's placement reflects its strong performance across the four core measurements, leadership, pay, safety and opportunity, and emphasizes the school's long-standing commitment to support women leaders in equitable and safe academic environments,” said Newsweek in its ranking announcement.  

The ranking considered co-educational institutions in the U.S. that offer bachelor’s degrees, have a minimum of 1,000 students, and employ at least 20 women in academic roles. Other top colleges include St. Catherine University, Thomas Jefferson University, Miami Dade College, California State University – Los Angeles and CUNY York College.    

To learn more about Newsweek’s America’s Best Colleges for Women 2026 ranking, visit newsweek.com.