Arizona State University (ASU) has been ranked No. 1 in innovation for the 11th consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report in its 2026 “Best Colleges” rankings. The ranking is determined through a survey of college presidents, provosts, and admissions deans who identify institutions making significant improvements in curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology, or facilities.
ASU President Michael M. Crow commented on the achievement: “Now more than ever, higher education needs new and better ways to move teaching, learning and discovery forward. This ranking reflects our continued efforts to perpetually revolutionize knowledge creation and practice, all in service to our mission, while navigating a rapidly changing and complex landscape.”
Since the inception of the “Most Innovative Schools” category by U.S. News & World Report, ASU has held the top spot each year, consistently outranking Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University.
In addition to this recognition for innovation—an accolade ASU has also received for eight straight years according to previous reports—the university placed third among national public universities for first-year student experience. It tied with Texas A&M and ranked ahead of institutions such as the University of Michigan and Purdue University. In learning communities (cohort-based learning), ASU was tied at eighth place with Virginia Tech and Florida State University. For co-op programs and internships among public universities, it ranked fifth.
Other recent accolades include being named the top institution in the United States—and within the global top ten—for work toward United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by Times Higher Education’s 2025 University Impact Ranking. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education rated ASU as a “top performer” globally in its 2025 Sustainable Campus Index.
The Washington Monthly annual College Guide placed ASU eighth among public national institutions for value based on access, affordability, outcomes, community service, and national service. In digital leadership development for AI-ready graduates, ASU ranked fourth among public universities nationally.
According to a City of Phoenix press release, Arizona State University is collaborating with Argos Vision—a tech startup—to pilot smart traffic cameras aimed at improving road safety across Phoenix locations over one year.
This past year saw notable research breakthroughs from ASU faculty including a new test that can determine when cancer began progressing; studies on lighting effects that may improve sleep and mood for people with dementia; fire-detecting systems designed to reduce wildfire damage; as well as developments supporting local communities during extreme heat events.
ASU expanded its partnership with OpenAI this year by providing free ChatGPT licenses to all members of its community. Faculty have also developed AI tools aiding medical diagnostics such as chest X-rays analysis.
In microelectronics research, an ongoing partnership with Applied Materials led to operational phases at a Materials-to-Fab Center this summer. The company is investing further in engineering initiatives at ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.
Academically, U.S. News & World Report placed ASU’s supply chain management degree program second nationwide among both public and private universities within W.P. Carey School of Business rankings. Other undergraduate programs earned high marks nationally: fifth in teaching programs; sixth in business analytics; eighth in entrepreneurship; ninth in software engineering; tenth in accounting; eleventh in artificial intelligence; twelfth in electrical engineering; fourteenth overall among undergraduate business programs; twentieth among undergraduate engineering programs.
These achievements add to Arizona State University’s record as a leader not only in innovation but also across academic disciplines and societal impact.
