Boston College jumped five spots to No. 31 in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report national university rankings, its highest position since 2016.

The rankings, released Tuesday, Sept. 22, placed BC in a three-way tie with New York University and Tufts University, as first reported by The Heights. The Chestnut Hill university had been ranked No. 36 a year ago.

The five-spot climb is BC's largest single-year jump since a six-place rise in 2006. It also marks the first ranking cycle since the Rev. Jack Butler, S.J., became the university's 26th president on July 31.

BC remains the third-highest-ranked Catholic university in the country, behind the University of Notre Dame at No. 20 and Georgetown University at No. 23.

Several Boston-area schools also moved in the rankings. Boston University landed at No. 34, Northeastern University climbed to No. 42, and Brandeis University jumped to No. 59. MIT claimed the No. 1 spot nationally. Harvard held at No. 3.

U.S. News evaluates 1,700 colleges and universities on 17 measures of academic quality and graduate success. Student outcomes carry the heaviest weight at 52 percent, followed by peer assessment at 20 percent and faculty resources at 11 to 15 percent.

BC's Carroll School of Management saw mixed results in program-specific rankings. Finance slipped one spot to No. 7, and accounting dropped three places to No. 11. Analytics climbed to a tie at No. 8, marketing rose to No. 9, and management improved one spot to No. 10. The Connell School of Nursing rebounded one place to a tie at No. 12 nationally after a four-place drop in the 2026 rankings.

Fr. Butler, who previously served as Haub Vice President for University Mission and Ministry, succeeded the Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., after Leahy's 30-year tenure. When Butler took office in July, he said his goal was "to continue to deepen the momentum, stability, and continuity" he inherited from Leahy.

BC's formal inauguration of Butler is scheduled for Oct. 15–17, with academic symposia, a Mass in Conte Forum, and a football game against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Oct. 17.