Seton Hall Recognized Again as 'Top College' by Princeton Review

Seton Hall University was again recognized as one of the Top Colleges in America by The Princeton Review. The University is featured in the 2026 edition of the education services company's annual college guide, "The Best 391 Colleges."

The University received national recognition across multiple areas:

• No. 1 Best Student Support and Counseling Services
• No. 1 Best College Radio Station
• No. 14 Most Active Student Government
• No. 14 Students Love Their School Teams
• No. 15 Lots of Race/Class Interaction

Earning a spot in The Princeton Review's "Best Colleges" guide places Seton Hall in an elite group of colleges and universities; fewer than 15 percent of all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. are selected for this list. The Princeton Review rankings are based on surveys of 170,000 students who are asked about their school's academics, administration, student body, extracurriculars and themselves.

According to surveys done by The Princeton Review, students are “generally eager to collaborate and succeed both academically and personally.” In this “very welcoming community” it's “very easy to build relationships and make connections with people outside your particular field of study,” and there are “many opportunities for team building and making friends” for first-year students. As one student says, “There's never a time I'm on campus where I don't see a friendly face.”

"It is gratifying that Seton Hall has been recognized as a place where students are supported and support each other,” said Monsignor Joseph Reilly, S.T.L., president of Seton Hall. “We work continually to ensure all students are seen, respected and encouraged to grow into the people God created them to be. As a result, they have the confidence to engage with the world and each other in meaningful ways every day.”

Ranked No. 1 for Student Support and Counseling Services

In addition to being named again to The Princeton Review’s list of Top Colleges, Seton Hall University was ranked No. 1 for Best Student Support and Counseling Services. Student Support initiatives on campus include Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Disability Support Services (DSS), Great Minds Dare to Care, Hazing Prevention, the upcoming Ready to Care program and The Well Mental Health Toolkit. The University also offers peer-to-peer offerings relating to mental health, including Active Minds Chapter, Dare to Care Peer educators and Know More Peer Educators, while Residence Life's professional and student staff routinely offer programming to students related to mental health and wellness.

“Through student support and counseling services, our goal is to help our students be successful. Providing resources beyond the classroom is critically important to student success both academically and personally,” said Karen Van Norman, associate vice president and dean of students. “This reflects the dedication of so many individuals, and it assures our students that their expectations in this area are met.”

“The University is a ‘home for the mind, the heart and the spirit.’ We ensure that every student, whether facing academic challenges, personal crossroads, or seeking meaningful engagement, receives compassionate and comprehensive support,” added Monica Burnette, vice president of student services. “Being nationally ranked No. 1 for student support means that our students feel supported, heard, and empowered to thrive. It reinforces that at Seton Hall, we focus on student belonging and holistic student success by fostering a welcoming, inclusive and supportive campus community.”

WSOU: Best College Radio Station in the Nation

The University's student-run radio station, WSOU 89.5 FM, also secured the No. 1 position in the "Best College Radio Station" category according to The Princeton Review. There are over 600 college radio stations in the United States, with WSOU ranked at the top.

The station, an integral part of Seton Hall since 1948, attracts over 120,000 listeners weekly from the NYC area, underscoring the university's broad impact. Among its many other accolades, WSOU has been inducted into the Rock Radio Hall of Fame and has won a Peabody Award as well as radio’s most prestigious accolade, the Marconi Award — twice. The station has also been named one of the Top 5 Rock Radio Stations in the Country by Rolling Stone magazine and has won Best Sports Play-by-Play from the National Student Production Awards and Garden State Journalists Association. The station also won the prestigious New York Press Award for its 2021 election night coverage.

Additional Princeton Review Accolades

Seton Hall's School of Law was ranked as the No. 1 law school in the nation for students securing state or local clerkships after graduation. Rankings were based on school-reported data, including the percentage of J.D. graduates from the 2024 class who were employed in state and local clerkships. Many employers have expressed a strong preference for hiring first-year associates who have first completed a judicial clerkship because of the unique and valuable training experience it provides. To prioritize Seton Hall students receiving a post-graduate clerkship, the Office of Career Services actively participates in a task force led by the New Jersey Judiciary focused on streamlining the application process for students, while increasing the number of applications that the judges receive.

In addition, the Stillman School of Business was recognized by The Princeton Review as a “Best Business School” and “Best Business School (Northeast)” as well as in the “Best Online M.B.A. Programs” category. These are based on data derived from The Princeton Review's surveys of administrators at 390 B-schools in 2025 and of 34,700 students enrolled in the schools' M.B.A. programs. With a unique emphasis on ethics and leading with purpose, Stillman offers online M.B.A.s in Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance and Marketing.

The Princeton Review also acknowledged Seton Hall for Most Active Student Government (No. 14 of 391), Students Love Their School Teams (No. 14) and Lots of Race/Class Interaction (No. 15).

“At Seton Hall, an active Student Government Association reflects a vibrant campus where student voices, leadership and civic engagement are encouraged and essential to our community,” said Burnette. “A thriving SGA ensures students are central in shaping programs and campus culture. We aim to empower students to advocate, serve and lead in ways that deeply enrich our University.”

An online version of the press release, can be found here: https://www.shu.edu/news/recognized-as-top-college-by-princeton-review.html

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall has been inspiring great minds to greater purpose since 1856. Home to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous majors, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, US News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek. Seton Hall, which embraces students of all religions, prepares its graduates to be exemplary servant leaders and caring global citizens. Its attractive main campus is located in suburban South Orange, New Jersey, only 14 miles to New York City, offering a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. A new independent economic analysis of the University found that Seton Hall provides a significant impact on New Jersey's economy, totaling over $1.6 billion annually and creating and sustaining nearly 10,000 jobs. The University’s nationally recognized School of Law is prominently located in downtown Newark. The University’s Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus in Clifton and Nutley, New Jersey, houses Seton Hall’s College of Nursing, its School of Health and Medical Sciences as well as the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Our outstanding faculty and values-centered curricula prepare students to grow into well-rounded professionals who lead with purpose by engaging the mind, heart and spirit. For more information, visit www.shu.edu.