Classes may just be getting started, but there's already a new college-rankings report card out for the new year, and Trinity University has made the high honor roll. The esteemed San Antonio university ranks among America's top 20 small colleges and liberal arts colleges for 2025 by Niche.

Specifically, the education review and ranking website deems Trinity University:

• No. 18 Small College in America (and No. 1 in Texas)
• No. 20 Liberal Arts College in America (and No. 1 in Texas)
• No. 55 Best Private University in America
• No. 4 Best College in Texas

"Trinity [is] increasingly being recognized as [a] choice destination by incoming students who are drawn to explore their interests and launch their careers in a vibrant, diverse, and economically flourishing environment," the university says in a press release.

Trinity climbs two spots higher than its rating of 20th small college in Niche's 2024 rankings. It falls one place from last year's ranking of the 19th best U.S. liberal arts college.

The San Antonio university receives an overall grade of A, earning an A+ in one of the 12 ranking categories — academics. It gets an A for diversity, location, and professors, and an A- for value and student life. Its lowest grade was a C- for campus food.

Trinity also ranks highly in other specific categories for 2025, including:

• No. 4 Best College with No Application Fee in America
• No. 56 for Best Colleges for Accounting and Finance in America
• No. 60 for Best Colleges for History in America
• No. 60 for Best Colleges for Anthropology and Sociology in America
• No. 70 for Best Colleges for English in America
• No. 86 Best Colleges in America
• No. 89 for Colleges with the Best Academics in America
• No. 91 for Colleges with the Best Professors in America

Trinity is no stranger to ranking highly on lists of the best colleges and universities in the country, including those published by Niche, Forbes, WalletHub, and U.S. News & World Report.

The university credits its small-school environment, which "gives students the opportunity to take advantage of big-school resources while also receiving the support and space they need to thrive," they say in the release.

One Niche reviewer reinforced that, writing on the rankings report, “Trinity University offers a rich academic experience marked by rigorous programs and dedicated faculty who prioritize student success ... With a focus on undergraduate education, Trinity provides small class sizes and personalized attention, fostering a close-knit community where students can thrive intellectually and socially. The University's beautiful campus and state-of-the-art facilities create an inspiring learning environment, while a wide array of extracurricular activities, including research opportunities, internships, and study abroad programs, enrich the student experience.”

Yale University tops Niche’s national list for 2025, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Brown University, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Rice University in Houston ranks first among the best colleges in Texas, and No. 15 nationally. The top 10 Texas schools for 2025 are:

• No. 1 Rice University
• No. 2 University of Texas at Austin
• No. 3 Texas A&M University
• No. 4 Trinity University
• No. 5 Southern Methodist University
• No. 6 University of Houston
• No. 7 Texas Tech University
• No. 8 Texas Christian University
• No. 9 University of North Texas
• No. 10 University of Texas at Arlington

Nearby University of Texas at San Antonio ranks No. 282 among Niche's best colleges in America, and second-best in San Antonio behind Trinity University. Rounding out the top five in San Antonio are Hallmark University (No. 3), St. Mary's University (No. 4), and University of the Incarnate Word (No. 5).

Find Niche's complete 2025 college rankings here.