Palm Beach Atlantic University is listed among the top universities in the country for the first time, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2020 edition released September 9. Palm Beach Atlantic’s rating falls in the second tier of national universities (No. 293-381) in the study that includes rankings of more than 1,800 schools nationwide.

Based on a reclassification in 2018 of Palm Beach Atlantic, the University moved from the regional to the national rankings, which assess institutions offering doctoral and professional programs, and conducting a high level of research.

“Launching our 51^st year, PBA is steadfast in our mission to enlighten minds, enrich souls and extend hands in service” said President William M.B. Fleming, Jr. “As South Florida’s premier Christ-first university, we are grateful for our strong enrollment, sound financial footing and growing numbers of alumni who excel in their workplaces and communities.”

In addition, U.S. News ranked Palm Beach Atlantic No. 165 among Top Schools for Social Mobility, which indicates how well colleges serve low-income students, and No. 98 among Pharmacy Schools.

U.S. News gathers data from each college on key indicators of academic excellence. Each factor is assigned a weight that reflects a judgment about how much a measure matters. Finally, the colleges and universities in each category are ranked against their peers, based on their composite weighted score. To find more information on the Best Colleges 2020 rankings methodology, go to www.usnews.com/collegemeth.