Widener University is a private, metropolitan institution located in Chester, Pennsylvania. Its campus encompasses six colleges and schools, alongside two distinct law schools situated in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware. The university offers a broad array of programs, including associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees across diverse fields such as liberal arts, business, engineering, nursing, and various health and human service professions. It holds the designation of a "Doctoral/Professional University" and is recognized as a "Community Engagement Institution."
Established in 1821 as the Bullock School for Boys in Wilmington, Delaware, the institution underwent several transformations. It operated as the Alsop School for Boys from 1846 to 1853 and then as Hyatt's Select School for Boys until 1859. Military instruction was introduced in 1858, and the school was renamed Delaware Military Academy in 1859. After relocating to Pennsylvania in 1862, it became Chester County Military Academy, later renamed Pennsylvania Military College in 1892. The university adopted the Widener name in 1972.
Campus
Widener University operates across three campuses located in Chester, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Chester campus, established in 1866 when the institution relocated to the area, serves as the hub for full-time undergraduate day students, part-time adult and continuing studies students, graduate students, and participants in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).
The Widener School of Law was founded in 1976. Previously a single entity spanning the Delaware and Harrisburg campuses, the school was reorganised in July 2015 into two separate institutions: Widener University Delaware Law School, based in Wilmington, and Widener University Commonwealth Law School, located in Harrisburg.
What is the Widener University US News National Rankings 2025?
The Widener University ranks 266 according to the US News National Rankings 2025.
Widener University Global Ranking
The University is still awaiting its official rankings from prominent organisations such as QS, Times Higher Education, and US News and World Report. Despite its growing reputation and contributions to academia, the university has not yet been featured in the rankings published by these influential bodies. But it has been ranked at #266 out of 436 national universities of the U.S. News in 2025.
Although the University continues to develop its academic programs and research initiatives, it remains unranked by these major international ranking institutions. The absence of a ranking from QS, Times Higher Education, and US News does not reflect the quality of education or research output but simply indicates that the university has not been formally assessed by these specific agencies.
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Frequently asked questions on Widener University Ranking 2025
1: What types of personalised academic support are available? Does it cost anything?
A: All Widener students have access to personalised support at no extra cost. Support includes academic advising, academic coaching with a trained professional, tutoring with a qualified student mentor, as well as access to Widener's
2: How does one know which courses he/she needs to take?
A: Every degree program includes a unique curriculum of required courses, and many include specific curriculum sequences that help you determine which courses to take semester-to-semester.