The College Football Playoff rankings placed the spotlight on, where else this year, "6-7" — flip-flopping Oregon and Ole Miss in those spots while keeping their top five teams the same in Tuesday night's reveal.
People are also reading…
- Kearney restaurant owner Carlos Godinez will be deported
- Nebraska spring football game live updates, score and highlights
- Where to watch the Nebraska football spring game: Time, TV channel
- Proposal to let nonresidents vote in Omaha, Lincoln elections advances in auditor oversight bill
- How to watch the Nebraska football spring game: Time, TV channel
- Grand Island man arrested for fifth DUI offense
- Nebraska softball triumphs over No. 7 UCLA in 4-1 victory
- Nebraska-Iowa basketball live updates, stats and highlights
- ICE detains Kearney entrepreneur with deep Nebraska ties
- Nebraska's Emmett Johnson receives national praise before NFL draft
- Think Lincoln has enough coffee shops? Think again — 2 more 7 Brews coming.
- New Grand Island restaurant offers Cuban buffet with Central American influences
- 1 adult, 4 juveniles charged for altercation following GISH student walkout
- Malmo Fire Department prepares to host 27th annual breakfast
- Movies and TV shows casting in Lincoln
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day shouts to his team against Rutgers during the an NCAA college football game Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
Jay LaPrete, Associated Press
Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin leaves the field Nov. 8 after an NCAA college football game against The Citadel in Oxford, Miss.
Rogelio V. Solis, Associated Press
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore (5) runs the ball Nov. 14 during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota in Eugene, Ore.
Lydia Ely, Associated Press
The 2024-2025 school year saw a growing number of students at campuses nationwide. Undergraduate enrollment was up by 3.2% in the spring of 2025, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. That increase is all the more noteworthy when you consider the current price tag for a college education—per the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of one year at a higher education institution clocks in at more than $38,000 in 2022-23. Still, college offers a valuable return on investment for many prospective students. An analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that in recent years, college grads earned a median of $80,000 per year, while workers with only a high school diploma earned a median of $47,000 per year.
With this in mind, the return on investment may be more apparent at some schools than others. Stacker compiled a list of the best colleges in America using Niche's 2026 rankings. All four-year schools in Niche's database were considered. Niche ranks colleges using various factors, including academics, admissions, finances, and student life. You can check out the full methodology here.
- Winston Tan // Shutterstock
Best colleges in America
![]()
Best colleges in America
The 2024-2025 school year saw a growing number of students at campuses nationwide. Undergraduate enrollment was up by 3.2% in the spring of 2025, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. That increase is all the more noteworthy when you consider the current price tag for a college education—per the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of one year at a higher education institution clocks in at more than $38,000 in 2022-23. Still, college offers a valuable return on investment for many prospective students. An analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that in recent years, college grads earned a median of $80,000 per year, while workers with only a high school diploma earned a median of $47,000 per year.
With this in mind, the return on investment may be more apparent at some schools than others. Stacker compiled a list of the best colleges in America using Niche's 2026 rankings. All four-year schools in Niche's database were considered. Niche ranks colleges using various factors, including academics, admissions, finances, and student life. You can check out the full methodology here.
- Winston Tan // Shutterstock
