What Are the Best Colleges for Women? Herzing University Ranks No. 1 in Wisconsin.

Newsweek names Herzing University as one of the best colleges for women in the country, ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin and No. 4 in the nation in its inaugural "America's Best Colleges for Women 2026" ranking. The ranking was developed in partnership with Gender Fair and draws on U.S. Department of Education data across four areas: leadership, pay and policies, safety and opportunity.

Herzing earned 94 out of 100 in Leadership and 98 out of 100 in Safety.

Why Is Herzing One of the Best Colleges for Women?

Herzing University is built around the needs of women at every stage of their education and career. Here is what sets it apart:

• Student body: Approximately 86% of Herzing's students are women
• Leadership: 58% of managers and above are women
• Faculty: More than 1,000 women serve as faculty nationwide, including 200+ in Wisconsin
• Safety: 98 out of 100 Safety score, one of the highest in the ranking
• Access: 72% of undergraduate students are Pell eligible
• Flexibility: Programs are available online, hybrid and on campus

Herzing President Renee Herzing recently spoke with The Cap Times in Madison, Wisconsin about the significance of the excellent ranking. 

“I feel like we are one of the best kept secrets in education, not only Wisconsin, but just kind of nationally,” she said in the article.

Is Herzing a Good School for Women Pursuing Nursing?

Yes. Nursing is where Herzing's commitment to women is most visible. The university has graduated more than 10,000 nurses nationally and offers programs at every level:

• Associate in Nursing (RN Prep)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• RN to BSN completion
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

In Wisconsin alone, 90% of current nursing students are women and 83% of nursing graduates are women. Wisconsin is projected to face a shortage of up to 20,000 nurses by 2040, according to the state's Department of Workforce Development. Herzing is helping close that gap.

As nursing workforce data shows, demand for nurses is only growing. Herzing's programs are designed to meet that demand while working around the realities of students' lives.

Can Women Balance Nursing School With Work and Family at Herzing?

Yes. Herzing's programs are built to accommodate working adults as much as possible. Most students are balancing more than just school: 55% of Wisconsin students are between the ages of 24 and 35, and the majority are managing jobs, families and other responsibilities at the same time.

Herzing graduates have described how the university's support systems and flexible format made it possible to finish a nursing degree while working full time and raising a family.

Herzing also invests in community beyond the classroom. Through employee resource groups like The HERzing Collective+, women at Herzing have access to mentorship, leadership development and peer connection.

What Does This Ranking Mean for Prospective Students?

It means the environment, outcomes and support systems that women need to succeed are already in place. The Newsweek ranking is based on measurable data, not reputation, which makes it a reliable signal for women deciding where to invest their time and money.

Herzing has spent nearly six decades building programs around the people who need them most. Being named No. 1 in Wisconsin and No. 4 nationally in the very first year this ranking existed reflects that work.