BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Western Washington University is at the top of the class in a new ranking – just in time for the first day of classes.

That’s according to the 2027 US News and World Report’s rankings of Best Colleges, which was released earlier this week.

WWU got the #1 spot for the Best Value School within Washington state, Oregon and Idaho.

Researchers compared academic quality against financial factors, such as tuition, scholarship opportunities and rates of financial aid awards.

WWU expanded its guaranteed admissions earlier this year, which was made available statewide for eligible high school seniors.

The university’s President Sabah Randhawa in his annual address also said the institution will be looking to make several changes in the coming years, including a new college for health sciences, a change to semester system and regulations on AI use.

The university also ranked #12 among schools within the study’s 15-state West region, as well as the #11 regional spot on the Best Colleges for Veterans list.