🎓Best Universities in America
American universities shape innovation, leadership, and research on a global scale, with reputations built over centuries that influence careers and discoveries. Rankings spark endless debate among students, parents, and employers about value, selectivity, and outcomes. Vote on the order that best reflects excellence today.
What counts: Best means top-tier academic reputation, research impact, selectivity, and long-term outcomes; figures are approximate averages across recent data and may vary by program or residency.
Stanford University▲ Rising
Stanford rose from a frontier campus to Silicon Valley's engine, launching companies like Google and Hewlett-Packard that define the modern economy. Its 2010s surge in tech entrepreneurship solidified its elite status. The university earns its ranking through unmatched industry ties and innovation output.
US News Rank: 2Acceptance Rate: 4 %Tuition: $56,000Endowment: 37 $BEnrollment: 17 kFounded: 1885
added by IJRin 3 rankingsStanford University
40Princeton University▲ Rising
Princeton's collegiate gothic campus and focus on undergraduate teaching have defined elite liberal-arts education since 1746, producing presidents and Nobel laureates. Its 2010s financial-aid expansions broadened access without diluting excellence. This earns its high placement for intimate academics and resources.
US News Rank: 4Acceptance Rate: 6 %Tuition: $56,000Endowment: 35 $BEnrollment: 8 kFounded: 1746
added by IJRin 3 rankingsPrinceton University
37Harvard University▲ Rising
Harvard's unmatched endowment and alumni influence have kept it at the pinnacle since its 1636 founding, powering breakthroughs from the atomic bomb to modern biotech. Its signature moment came with the 2008 financial crisis response that showcased its global leadership. This cements its top spot for prestige and resources.
US News Rank: 1Acceptance Rate: 5 %Tuition: $55,000Endowment: 50 $BEnrollment: 23 kFounded: 1636
added by IJRin 3 rankingsHarvard University
33Yale University▲ Rising
Yale built its reputation on drama, law, and secret societies since 1701, shaping American cultural and political elites from the Bush family to modern Hollywood. Its 1990s arts and drama renaissance reinforced its standing. The university claims its spot through distinctive residential colleges and creative output.
US News Rank: 5Acceptance Rate: 5 %Tuition: $62,000Endowment: 41 $BEnrollment: 14 kFounded: 1701
added by IJRin 3 rankingsYale University
30Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT transformed from a 19th-century engineering school into the world's top STEM powerhouse, driving advances from radar in WWII to CRISPR gene editing. Its 2000s emphasis on open-source innovation and entrepreneurship locked in its elite ranking. The institute stands out for rigorous technical training and practical impact.
US News Rank: 3Acceptance Rate: 7 %Tuition: $57,000Endowment: 24 $BEnrollment: 11 kFounded: 1861
added by IJRin 2 rankingsMassachusetts Institute of Technology
17Johns Hopkins University▲ Rising
Johns Hopkins pioneered the research university model in 1876 and has led in medicine and public health ever since, shaping the NIH and global health policy. Its 2020s COVID response highlighted its impact. It earns this ranking via unmatched medical research dominance.
US News Rank: 8Acceptance Rate: 11 %Tuition: $60,000Endowment: 9 $BEnrollment: 26 kFounded: 1876
added by IJRin 2 rankingsJohns Hopkins University
13Cornell's land-grant roots since 1865 created a unique mix of Ivy prestige and practical agriculture and engineering programs that scaled to national leadership. Its 2000s expansion in tech and NYC campus added modern relevance. This earns its place through breadth and public mission.
US News Rank: 11Acceptance Rate: 7 %Tuition: $62,000Endowment: 10 $BEnrollment: 25 kFounded: 1865
added by IJRin 2 rankingsCornell University
13Brown's 1969 open curriculum revolutionized undergraduate choice, attracting creative students and producing leaders in tech, media, and policy. Its 2010s focus on entrepreneurship kept it rising. The university holds its ranking through distinctive student freedom and outcomes.
US News Rank: 12Acceptance Rate: 5 %Tuition: $65,000Endowment: 6 $BEnrollment: 10 kFounded: 1764
added by IJRin 2 rankingsBrown University
12Dartmouth's small size and outdoor ethos since 1769 have created tight alumni bonds and leadership in finance and consulting. Its 1990s professional-school growth added depth. The college earns its ranking through intimate community and strong outcomes.
US News Rank: 14Acceptance Rate: 6 %Tuition: $63,000Endowment: 8 $BEnrollment: 6 kFounded: 1769
added by IJRin 2 rankingsDartmouth College
12Duke leveraged tobacco wealth into a 20th-century research powerhouse, rising rapidly after the 1920s with strong medical and business programs. Its 2000s basketball and global-health focus cemented national visibility. The university holds its place through balanced excellence and Southern charm.
US News Rank: 7Acceptance Rate: 8 %Tuition: $62,000Endowment: 12 $BEnrollment: 17 kFounded: 1838
added by IJRin 3 rankingsDuke University
8University of Pennsylvania▲ Rising
Penn's Wharton School, founded in 1881, pioneered business education and continues to dominate finance and entrepreneurship rankings. Benjamin Franklin's practical ethos still drives its interdisciplinary approach. It earns its ranking through professional outcomes and urban energy.
US News Rank: 10Acceptance Rate: 6 %Tuition: $61,000Endowment: 20 $BEnrollment: 26 kFounded: 1740
added by IJRin 2 rankingsUniversity of Pennsylvania
7California Institute of Technology▲ Rising
Caltech's tiny size belies its outsized role in physics and space exploration, managing NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab since the 1930s and producing dozens of Nobel winners. Its post-WWII focus on pure science secured its elite tier. It earns this ranking through unmatched per-capita research impact.
US News Rank: 6Acceptance Rate: 3 %Tuition: $58,000Endowment: 4 $BEnrollment: 2 kFounded: 1891
added by IJRin 2 rankingsCalifornia Institute of Technology
5Northwestern University▲ Rising
Northwestern combined Chicago access with Big Ten athletics after its 1851 founding, building elite journalism, theater, and business programs. Its 2010s growth in data science reinforced its standing. The university claims its spot through professional-school strength and location.
US News Rank: 9Acceptance Rate: 7 %Tuition: $63,000Endowment: 14 $BEnrollment: 21 kFounded: 1851
added by IJRin 2 rankingsNorthwestern University
5University of California, Los Angeles▲ Rising
UCLA rose from a 1919 teachers college to a global research giant with powerhouse programs in film, medicine, and engineering. Its 2000s athletic and entertainment ties added visibility. It earns this spot through scale and West Coast opportunities.
US News Rank: 17Acceptance Rate: 11 %Tuition: $44,000Endowment: 6 $BEnrollment: 46 kFounded: 1919
added by IJRUniversity of California, Los Angeles
4Emory's 1836 Methodist roots and Atlanta location built elite medical and public-health programs that shaped CDC leadership. Its 2000s research investments sustained its ranking. It earns this spot through health-sciences strength and value.
US News Rank: 24Acceptance Rate: 13 %Tuition: $57,000Endowment: 9 $BEnrollment: 15 kFounded: 1836
added by IJRin 3 rankingsEmory University
4Columbia's Morningside Heights campus and New York location have driven its journalism, law, and business strength since 1754, with the Pulitzer Prizes as its signature achievement. Its 2010s global expansion reinforced elite status. It earns this spot through urban access and professional networks.
US News Rank: 13Acceptance Rate: 4 %Tuition: $65,000Endowment: 13 $BEnrollment: 33 kFounded: 1754
added by IJRin 2 rankingsColumbia University
3University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
UNC's 1789 founding as the first public university has produced generations of Southern leaders and Tar Heel basketball icons. Its 2000s research expansion in medicine and data kept it rising. It earns its spot through value and tradition.
US News Rank: 20Acceptance Rate: 17 %Tuition: $37,000Endowment: 5 $BEnrollment: 30 kFounded: 1789
added by IJRUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
0University of California, Berkeley▼ Falling
Berkeley's public mission since 1868 produced the Free Speech Movement and decades of Nobel-winning research across disciplines. Its 2010s tech boom reinforced West Coast leadership. It earns its ranking through scale, access, and impact.
US News Rank: 16Acceptance Rate: 14 %Tuition: $44,000Endowment: 7 $BEnrollment: 45 kFounded: 1868
added by IJR
-12University of Chicago▼ Falling
Chicago's 1890 founding emphasized rigorous inquiry, producing more Nobel economists than any other school and shaping modern social science. Its 2010s undergraduate expansion broadened appeal. It earns this spot through intellectual intensity and research output.
US News Rank: 15Acceptance Rate: 6 %Tuition: $62,000Endowment: 10 $BEnrollment: 18 kFounded: 1890
added by IJRin 3 rankingsUniversity of Chicago
-14Jefferson's 1819 vision created America's first public university with an honor code that still defines campus culture and leadership pipelines. Its 1990s law and business growth added strength. It earns this ranking through historic prestige and public mission.
US News Rank: 19Acceptance Rate: 19 %Tuition: $53,000Endowment: 9 $BEnrollment: 25 kFounded: 1819
added by IJRin 2 rankingsUniversity of Virginia
-14Carnegie Mellon University▼ Falling
Carnegie Mellon's 1900 founding and 1960s merger created a computing and robotics powerhouse that powers Silicon Valley talent pipelines. Its 2010s AI leadership solidified its elite tier. It earns this ranking through technical innovation and industry ties.
US News Rank: 21Acceptance Rate: 11 %Tuition: $61,000Endowment: 4 $BEnrollment: 15 kFounded: 1900
added by IJRin 2 rankingsCarnegie Mellon University
-14Rice University▼ Falling
Rice's 1912 founding with an oil fortune created a compact research university that punches above its weight in engineering and sciences. Its 2000s expansion in business and architecture added breadth. It earns this spot through quality and value.
US News Rank: 22Acceptance Rate: 9 %Tuition: $54,000Endowment: 8 $BEnrollment: 7 kFounded: 1912
added by IJRin 3 rankingsRice University
-14Vanderbilt University▼ Falling
Vanderbilt leveraged railroad wealth into a 1873 research university that now leads in education and music. Its 2010s growth in data science reinforced its standing. It earns this ranking through Southern prestige and professional outcomes.
US News Rank: 23Acceptance Rate: 7 %Tuition: $60,000Endowment: 10 $BEnrollment: 13 kFounded: 1873
added by IJRin 2 rankingsVanderbilt University
-15University of Michigan▼ Falling
Michigan's public flagship status since 1817 has delivered elite engineering, business, and law programs at scale, with the 1960s teach-in movement showcasing its activist tradition. Its 2010s research investments sustained its ranking. It earns this place through breadth and value.
US News Rank: 18Acceptance Rate: 18 %Tuition: $55,000Endowment: 17 $BEnrollment: 51 kFounded: 1817
added by IJRin 4 rankings
-16Georgetown University▼ Falling
Georgetown's 1789 founding and Washington location have defined its foreign-service and law dominance, producing diplomats and policymakers for generations. Its 2010s global expansion added reach. It earns this ranking through policy influence and location.
US News Rank: 25Acceptance Rate: 12 %Tuition: $62,000Endowment: 3 $BEnrollment: 19 kFounded: 1789
added by IJRin 2 rankingsGeorgetown University
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