Pitzer College Ranks High in Latest Princeton Review Best Value Colleges Rankings

Because of the impactful leadership and civic opportunities created for its students, Pitzer College has again ranked at No. 1 in the “Making an Impact” category in Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges of 2025” report.

In recent years, the College has dominated this category—which identifies how well schools foster opportunities for students to make a positive impact in their communities—by placing first in 2022, 2023,  2024, and 2025. The category is one of seven major areas used to assess the “best value” status of some 209 private and public colleges and universities across the country.

“We’re sincerely pleased to receive this important recognition from the Princeton Review,” said Pitzer President Strom Thacker. “It’s a powerful acknowledgement of something we know on our campus: For any student who wants to understand the best ways to create positive change in the world, Pitzer is the place to be.”

In the impact category, Pitzer’s top placement was followed by other member schools of The Claremont Colleges: Harvey Mudd College (No. 3) and Claremont McKenna College (No. 8). Pitzer’s top public counterpart in this category is the University of Vermont.

Along with teaching students how to produce meaningful impact, Pitzer also ranks in the top three this year in several other categories, including: Most Politically Active Students (No. 2), Green Matters: Everyone Cares About Conservation (No. 3), LGBTQ-Friendly (No. 3), and top 50 Green Colleges (No. 3).

The College has remained a consistent force in Princeton Review’s annual report, which is eagerly anticipated by many prospective students and families seeking to balance education excellence with affordability. The data points, which are drawn from a methodology including surveys of administrators, students, and alumni, emphasize the return on investment of attendance—not merely a school's prestige factor.

Thacker credited the College’s continuing rankings success this year to the ongoing hard work of Pitzer’s faculty and staff.

“Our campus community is a close-knit team deeply dedicated to the successful outcomes of our students,” he said. “It’s satisfying to see all these efforts reflected again in the latest Princeton Review rankings.”

• Learn more about Pitzer's 2025 Princeton Review "Best Value" achievements
• See the full list of Princeton Review 2025 Best Value Colleges