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Leeds School of Business climbs four spots in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, placing it among the top 6 percent of undergraduate business programs nationwide.

Leeds moved up four spots in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2026 rankings, tying for No. 32 overall with Boston College, University of Arizona, University of Iowa and UC Irvine. Leeds continues to hold its place as the top-ranked business school in Colorado and is now No. 21 among public universities nationwide.

“This four-spot rise overall is an impressive achievement and represents the second-largest upward movement among the top 35 business schools,” said Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of Leeds.

In addition to the rankings, Leeds saw a record-breaking surge in undergraduate applications—more than 16,000 for the 2025–26 academic year. And this past spring, Leeds graduated its largest class ever, with nearly 1,700 undergraduates crossing the stage to venture into their next chapter.

As part of its 2035 Strategic Plan, Leeds’ mission, vision and values focuses on academic excellence, values-based leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration and bold innovation. Rising in the U.S. News & World Report rankings is one of many indicators of the school’s exceptional progress in these areas, Khatri noted.

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How Leeds Stands Out

#1 in Colorado

(out of 10 ranked)

#32 overall

(tied with Boston College,
University of Arizona, University of Iowa and UC Irvine)

#21 public

(tied with University of Arizona, University of Iowa and UC Irvine)

Top 6%

of all schools��ranked��
(n=533)

#4 in Big 12��
Conference

(out of 16)

A world-class faculty

Since fall 2024, 44 new faculty members have joined Leeds, bringing global expertise from leading business schools—a testament to the school’s growing reputation for academic and research excellence.

Chenshan Hu, a new assistant professor of operations management, cited Leeds’ “exceptional research” and “strong commitment to sustainability” as key reasons for joining the faculty.

MJ Yang was drawn to Leeds’ “fantastic group of scholars in entrepreneurship and strategy,” as well as the region’s quantum computing ecosystem. He left a tenured position at the University of Oklahoma to join Leeds this fall as an assistant professor of entrepreneurship and strategy.

Leeds’ research impact is gaining recognition as faculty tackle some of the biggest questions and challenges facing business today. From 2020 to 2024, Leeds published an impressive 152 articles in top-tier journals, advancing significantly in the University of Texas Dallas rankings for 2025.

Investing in career outcomes

Students like first-year Roberto Araujo-Rodriquez (Bus’29) come to Leeds not only to gain essential business fundamentals, but also with a clear vision for how they want to make their mark. For Araujo-Rodriquez, who already owns a car detailing business, that means exploring possibilities to start a chain of luxury restaurants after graduation.��

Leeds’ expansive experiential learning opportunities—including internships, career treks, study abroad and professional mentoring—set the school apart. A recent transformative gift further demonstrates Leeds’ commitment to shaping the next generation of business leaders. The new Nicholas Dante Badami Office for Experiential Learning will amplify Leeds’ experiential initiatives, strengthen career outcomes, foster leadership and entrepreneurial mindsets, and ensure professional readiness.��

Pulling rank

Maintaining a top-tier ranking among both public and private undergraduate business programs is a significant accomplishment. The U.S. News & World Report annual rankings are the most quoted of their kind in the United States, and for more than 40 years they have served as a trusted benchmark for families and prospective students when choosing a college.

Leeds’ graduate programs also shine. Last year, the school’s part-time MBA programs jumped eight spots to   in the U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Graduate Schools rankings. The Executive MBA ranked No. 49 globally for employer reputation and No. 5 among U.S. public schools for career outcomes, according to the .

As Leeds continues to rise in national and global rankings, the school remains focused on its long-term strategic initiatives, preparing students to innovate and thrive in a rapidly evolving business landscape.����