The Big Ten prides itself on being the premier academic conference while also having a strong athletic foundation across all of the major sports. No other conference can boast high-profile academics and athletics the way the Big Ten can. Seventeen of the 18 member institutions are members of the Association of American Universities, an organization devoted to strong academics and research. Nebraska is the only school not in the AAU.
It used to be that all Big Ten schools (but one) were ranked in the top 100 schools in the country. Last year, there were two below the 100-rank line. But this year, there are now three.
U.S. News & World Report has updated its academic rankings for 2026. Here is where each Big Ten school ranks against each other, as well as the national ranking, total enrollment, and acceptance rate.
18. University of Nebraska
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska…