One of only six private HBCUs to earn recognition on the highly-coveted list
Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is proud to announce its inclusion in the Wall Street Journal’s 2025 Top 500 Universities ranking in “The 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S.: Princeton, Babson and Stanford Take the Top 3 Spots.” As one of only six private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) featured in the prestigious list, CAU continues to demonstrate its excellence in higher education.
“We are honored to be recognized among 499 other prestigious universities by the Wall Street Journal. This achievement underscores our dedication to providing an extraordinary educational experience that equips and empowers scholars for global leadership,” said Dr. George T. French Jr., president of Clark Atlanta University. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering a transformative education that cultivates generational change-makers to confront the challenges of today and opportunities of the future.”
The WSJ/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranking measures how well each college prepares graduates for financial success, examining factors such as graduation rates, future earnings, and student feedback on the college experience. CAU’s strong performance across these metrics is an attestation to its leadership within higher education. This is significantly bolstered by its exceptional faculty, who foster a rich learning environment; its students, who create a positive, culturally inclusive environment that celebrates intellectual curiosity and critical thinking; and the countless distinguished alumni who exemplify the university’s commitment to excellence and success.
As one of the nation’s top-ranked HBCUs, Clark Atlanta University continues to inspire and empower scholars to be global disruptors and catalysts for change. This recognition from the Wall Street Journal is a testament to the university’s enduring legacy and bright future.
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About Clark Atlanta University
Clark Atlanta University was formed with the consolidation of Atlanta University and Clark College, both of which hold unique places in the annals of African American history. Atlanta University, established in 1865 by the American Missionary Association, was the nation’s first institution to award graduate degrees to African Americans. Clark College, established four years later in 1869, was the nation’s first four-year liberal arts college to serve a primarily African American student population. Today, with nearly 4,000 students, CAU is the largest of the four institutions (CAU, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Morehouse School of Medicine) that comprise the Atlanta University Center Consortium. It is also the largest of the 37-member UNCF institutions. Notable alumni include: James Weldon Johnson; American civil rights activist, poet, and songwriter (Lift Every Voice and Sing “The Black National Anthem”; Ralph David Abernathy Sr., American civil rights activist; Congressman Hank Johnson, Georgia District 4; Kenya Barris, American award-winning television and movie producer; Kenny Leon, Tony Award-winning Broadway Director; Jacque Reid, Emmy Award-winning Television Personality and Journalist; Brandon Thompson, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for NASCAR; Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the Recording Academy. To learn more about Clark Atlanta University, visit www.cau.edu.