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Elizabethtown College Rankings & Distinctions

Elizabethtown College consistently strives to provide a top-quality educational experience to our students. With a proven record of doing so, Etown has been recognized by a variety of professional organizations as a top performer in the field of higher education.

College Rankings


A Top Regional University

Elizabethtown College was ranked #39 (tie) of Best Regional Universities (North) by US News & World Report.

A Best Value School

Elizabethtown College was ranked #11 for Best Value Schools (Regional Universities - North) by US News & World Report.

A Top Engineering Program

Elizabethtown College was ranked #69 (tie) for Undergraduate Engineering Programs (No Doctorate) by US News & World Report.

Ranked for Social Mobility

Elizabethtown College was ranked #149 (tie) in Top Performers on Social Mobility (Regional Universities - North) by US News & World Report.

Best Undergraduate Teaching

Elizabethtown College was ranked #6 (tie) for Undergraduate Teaching Programs (Regional Universities - North) by US News & World Report.

A Best Mid-Atlantic College

Elizabethtown College is one of 97 colleges listed on the Princeton Review’s "Best Mid-Atlantic" section of the 2024 Best Colleges: Region by Region.

Highest Level Diversity Recognition

The Elizabethtown College School of Engineering and Computer Science has been honored by the American Society for Engineering Education’s (ASEE) Diversity Recognition Program, earning Bronze Level recognition in December 2021. ASEE’s bronze category is the highest level issued to institutions during the current submission cycle and recognizes that the School is among the nation’s leaders in inclusive excellence.

A College of Distinction

Elizabethtown College has been named a 2023-2024 College of Distinction, Pennsylvania College of Distinction, and has earned additional recognition in the areas of 

One of the Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown College’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) is one of just 10 institutions named to the Forbes' Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania of 2023 list.

A Top College in America

Elizabethtown College was listed in the top 500 U.S. colleges on  Forbes America's Top Colleges of 2023

A Best College in America

Elizabethtown College was ranked one of the Best Colleges in America for 2023 by Money.com.

A Hidden Gem College

Elizabethtown College is ranked #24 NCAA D-III Hidden Gem Colleges by College Raptor.

Best Bachelor's in Human Services Degrees

Elizabethtown College has been named one of the Best Bachelor’s Degrees in Human Services by BestAccreditedColleges.org for our highly flexible, accelerated program.

Best Bang for the Buck

Elizabethtown College ranked #259 out of 388 colleges in the Northeast region for "Best Bang for the Buck"  by Washington Monthly.

Top Ranking Online Programs

Elizabethtown College ranked #28 on the list of Best Online Associate In Human Services for 2024 and #41 on the list of Cheapest Accelerated Bachelor’s Degree Online Of 2024 on Intelligent.com.

One of the Best Master's Degree Colleges in Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown College has been ranked #24 for Best Master's Degrees in Pennsylvania by University HQ in 2023.

Best Online Bachelor's Degree in Business

Elizabethtown College’s School of Graduate and Professional Studies has been ranked #34 for Best Online Bachelor's Degree in Business by University HQ in 2023.

One of the Best Bachelor's Degree Colleges in Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown College has been ranked #32 for Best Bachelor's Degrees in Pennsylvania by University HQ in 2023.

Top 25 Online Bachelor's in Human Services Degrees

Elizabethtown College has been named in the top 25 of Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Human Services by University HQ.

Best Online Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare Administration

Elizabethtown College's School of Graduate and Professional Studies has been ranked #18 for Best Online Bachelor's Degree in Healthcare Administration by University HQ in 2023.

Top 25 Online Bachelor's in Human Services Degrees

Elizabethtown College was ranked #5 for Best Online Bachelor's in Addiction Counseling Programs by University HQ.

Top Value in Pennsylvania

Best Value Schools ranked Elizabethtown College School of Graduate and Professional Studies #29 for the Best Colleges in Pennsylvania, Elizabethtown College as one of the Best Criminal Justice Colleges in Pennsylvania, #20 for Best Health Science Degree Programs, #13 for Best Bachelor’s in Human Services Programs and #20 for Best Bachelor of Multimedia Design Programs.

High Ranking Nationally and in Pennsylvania

Elizabethtown College was ranked #149 For 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in the United States by College Factual

One of the Best Online Colleges

Elizabethtown College has been ranked on both the 2023 Best Online Colleges & Universities list and the 2023 Best Value Online Colleges & Universities list by College Consensus.

Student Awards


Tristan Mabee ’24, a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Major and Data Analytics Minor, in the Honors Program and Momentum Program is the recipient of a 2023 Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education. These scholarships are reserved for college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering. Read more.

Laura Cardona ’23, an International Business and Political Science major, has been awarded a prestigious U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study Mandarin. The CLS scholarship is one of the most competitive scholarships in the U.S. and is the most prestigious language program for U.S. citizens. With an acceptance rate of less than 10%, the program covers about one academic year of university-level language coursework during an eight-to-ten-week program. Read more.

Alex Lynch ’24, an International Business Major in the Honors Program, has been named as a EuroScholar. Created in 2005 by Leiden University in the Netherlands, EuroScholars aims to create a framework within which young talented researchers (international students) and senior European researchers can work together on academic research. Participants in the program become true “EuroScholars” by contributing to European scientific research. Read more.

Zulma Escalante ’24, an International Business Major and Spanish Minor in the Momentum Program, Frida Sanchez-Rosalino ’25, a Spanish Education Major and Family Business & Entrepreneurship Minor, in the Honors Program and Momentum Program, and Wade Cook ’25, a Japanese Major and Asian Studies & Communications Minor, were all recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. The Gilman Scholarship is part of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is supported by the Institute of International Education (IIE). The program looks to fund students who have been historically underrepresented in studying abroad. Read more.

Faculty Awards


James MacKay, A. C. Baugher Professor of Chemistry, is the recipient of the 2022-2023 Ranck Prize for Research Excellence. Read more.

Jane Cavender, Professor of Biology, is the recipient of the 2022-23 Polanowski Prize for Excellence in Faculty-Student Advising. Read more.

Brenda Read-Daily, Associate Professor of Engineering, is the recipient of the 2022-23 Kreider Prize for Teaching Excellence. Read more.

Petru Sandu, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Management and Director of the Family Business and Entrepreneurship Program, was named a Fulbright Scholar for Spain in 2023. The Fulbright Program is devoted to increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. Fulbright is the world’s largest and most diverse international educational exchange program. Read more.

James MacKay, A. C. Baugher Professor of Chemistry, earned the Distinguished Mentor Award and the Honors Program’s Outstanding Professor Award. Read more.

Elizabethtown College