#1
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
Students walking on Princeton University's campus
Tuition and fees: $56,820
Enrollment: 5,323
Setting: suburban
The ivy-covered campus of Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton was the first university to offer a "no loan" policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition.
#2
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
Harvard University
Tuition and fees: $58,938
Enrollment: 6,722
Setting: urban
Harvard University is a private institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. This Ivy League school is the oldest higher education institution in the country and has the largest endowment of any school in the world.
#3
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Yale University
Tuition and fees: $55,800
Enrollment: 5,430
Setting: city
Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, offers a small college life with the resources of a major research institution. Yale students are divided into 12 residential colleges that foster a supportive environment for living, learning and socializing.
#4 (tie)
Columbia University
New York, NY
Low Memorial Library, a Columbia University Landmark.
Tuition and fees: $57,008
Enrollment: 6,084
Setting: urban
Columbia University has three undergraduate schools: Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and the School of General Studies. This Ivy League, the private school guarantees students housing for all four years on campus in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood in New York City.
#4 (tie)
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Stanford University
Tuition and fees: $54,757
Enrollment: 7,061
Setting: suburban
The sunny campus of Stanford University is located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. The private institution stresses a multidisciplinary combination of teaching, learning, and research, and students have many opportunities to get involved in research projects.
#4 (tie)
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
A mix of historical Gothic buildings and innovative structures by renowned architects make up the University of Chicago campus.
Tuition and fees: $58,253
Enrollment: 5,659
Setting: urban
The University of Chicago, situated in Chicago’s Hyde Park community, offers a rich campus life in a big-city setting. Since 1987, the private institution has hosted the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt, a four-day event that is regarded as the largest scavenger hunt in the world.
#7
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
CamThe Great Dome at MIT
Tuition and fees: $55,016
Enrollment: 4,528
Setting: urban bridge, MA
Though the Massachusetts Institute of Technology may be best known for its math, science and engineering education, this private research university also offers architecture, humanities, management, and social science programs. The school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just across the Charles River from downtown Boston.
#8 (tie)
Duke University
Durham, NC
The iconic Duke Chapel.
Tuition and fees: $57,488
Enrollment: 6,646
Setting: suburban
Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is a private institution that has liberal arts and engineering programs for undergraduates. The Duke Blue Devils sports teams have a fierce rivalry with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels and are best known for their outstanding men's basketball program.
#8 (tie)
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
The University of Pennsylvania Campus with Jon M. Huntsman Hall, Looking East
Tuition and fees: $57,668
Enrollment: 9,712
Setting: urban
Founded by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania is a private institution in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students can study in one of four schools that grant undergraduate degrees: Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Wharton.
#10
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
Caltech
Tuition and fees: $53,362
Enrollment: 977
Setting: suburban
The California Institute of Technology focuses on science and engineering education and has a low student-to-faculty ratio of 3:1. This private institution in Pasadena, California, is actively involved in research projects with grants from NASA, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
#11
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
Dartmouth College in the winter.
Tuition and fees: $58,108
Enrollment: 4,276
Setting: rural
Dartmouth College, a private institution in Hanover, New Hampshire, uses quarters, not semesters, to divide the school year. Among more than 300 student organizations at Dartmouth is the Outing Club, the nation's oldest and largest collegiate club of its kind, which offers outdoor activities, expeditions, gear rentals, and courses.
#12
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
The main gate to the Homewood campus of The Johns Hopkins University in north Baltimore.
Tuition and fees: $57,060
Enrollment: 6,251
Johns Hopkins University is a private institution in Baltimore, Md. that offers a wide array of academic programs in the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, and engineering disciplines. The Hopkins Blue Jays men’s lacrosse team is consistently dominant in the NCAA Division I; other sports teams at Hopkins compete at the Division III level.
#13
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
The entrance to Northwestern University's Evanston campus.
Tuition and fees: $57,251
Enrollment: 8,688
Setting: suburban
Northwestern University is a private school in Evanston, Ill., about 30 minutes outside of Chicago. Undergraduate students have more than 70 options for majors or can design their own non-traditional degree program.
#14
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Washington University enjoys the best of both worlds- a suburban campus near a major urban center. Pictured: the iconic Brookings Hall
Tuition and fees: $56,467
Enrollment: 7,336
Setting: suburban
Students can study architecture, art, arts and sciences, business, and engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, a private research institution in Missouri. Outside of class, about a quarter of the student body is involved in Greek life.
#15
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
Central campus, with the iconic McGraw clock tower in the background.
Tuition and fees: $57,286
Enrollment: 14,393
Setting: rural
Cornell University, a private school in Ithaca, N.Y., started the country’s first colleges for hotel administration, industrial and labor relations, and veterinary medicine. Cornell now offers a wide variety of undergraduate programs and runs interdisciplinary research centers for nanotechnology, supercomputing, and more.
#16 (tie)
Brown University
Providence, RI
An autumn morning view of Brown University and Providence, R.I. from atop the Sciences Library.
Tuition and fees: $57,434
Enrollment: 6,455
At Brown University, undergraduate students are responsible for designing their own academic study with more than 70 concentration programs to choose from. Another unique offering at this private, Ivy League institution in Providence, R.I. is the Program in Liberal Medical Education, which grants both a bachelor’s degree and a medical degree in eight years.
#16 (tie)
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
Main Building
Tuition and fees: $56,237
Enrollment: 8,477
Setting: city
The University of Notre Dame is a private, independent, Catholic institution in South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame’s athletic teams, known as the Fighting Irish, play in the NCAA Division I and are particularly competitive on the football field.
#16 (tie)
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
With its bronze bell that tolls the hour, Kirkland Hall – built in 1875 – is Vanderbilt University’s signature building.
Tuition and fees: $53,838
Enrollment: 6,835
Setting: urban
Vanderbilt University is a private institution in Nashville, Tenn. with four undergraduate colleges: the College of Arts and Science, the School of Engineering, Peabody College, and the Blair School of Music. More than 40 percent of Vanderbilt students participate in Greek life.
#19
Rice University
Houston, TX
Rice's Lovett Hall, the first building to be built on campus, is one of the most photographed buildings in Houston.
Tuition and fees: $50,566
Enrollment: 3,965
Setting: urban
Rice University is located in the heart of the Museum District in Houston, TX. The private institution has a need-blind admissions policy and meets the full demonstrated need of any accepted student who requires help paying tuition.
#20
University of California--Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley campus landmark, Sather Tower
In-state tuition and fees: $17,844
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $25,064
Enrollment: 25,951
Setting: city
The University of California—Berkeley overlooks the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley, Calif. Students at this public school have more than 700 organizations to get involved in, including more than 55 fraternity and sorority chapters.
#21 (tie)
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Emory undergraduates have the resources of the University—including its seven graduate and professional schools—and Atlanta at close reach.
Tuition and fees: $55,008
Enrollment: 7,836
Setting: city
Students can begin their education at the school's main location in a suburb of Atlanta, known as Emory College, or at Oxford College, a smaller campus about 40 miles away. This private institution offers about 70 majors in the arts and sciences, as well as degrees in business administration and nursing.
#21 (tie)
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Georgetown University's Main Campus
Tuition and fees: $56,744
Enrollment: 7,636
Setting: urban
Georgetown University is the oldest Catholic university in the country. The school's location in Washington, D.C. gives students many opportunities for internships throughout the nation's capital.
#23 (tie)
University of California--Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
An aerial view of the central campus at UCLA.
In-state tuition and fees: $16,702
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $35,580
Enrollment: 28,674
Setting: urban
The University of California—Los Angeles is just five miles away from the Pacific Ocean. The public institution offers more than 3,000 courses and more than 130 majors to undergraduate students.
#23 (tie)
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Rotunda and Lawn
In-state tuition and fees: $16,998
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $42,184
Enrollment: 16,087
Setting: suburban
The University of Virginia is a public institution that was founded in 1819. The school has 55.4 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at University of Virginia is 16:1.
#25 (tie)
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
Welcome to Carnegie Mellon University.
Tuition and fees: $58,786
Enrollment: 6,306
Setting: urban
Carnegie Mellon University, a private institution in Pittsburgh, Pa., is the country’s only school founded by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The school specializes in academic areas including engineering, business, computer science, and fine arts.
#25 (tie)
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Tuition and fees: $58,280
Enrollment: 18,445
Setting: urban
Undergraduates study in the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences at the University of Southern California, a private school based in Los Angeles. The USC Trojans compete in the NCAA Division I Pac-12 Conference and are particularly competitive in football.
#27 (tie)
Tufts University
Medford, MA
Tufts' campus in Medford/Somerville, Mass., is just 15 minutes from Boston.
Tuition and fees: $48,643
Enrollment: 5,180
Setting: suburban
Tufts University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,180, with a gender distribution of 49.3 percent male students and 50.7 percent female students. At this school, 63 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 37 percent of students live off campus.
#27 (tie)
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC
Wake Forest, a collegiate university in Winston-Salem, N.C., is distinguished by small classes and faculty-student engagement.
Tuition and fees: $46,200 (2014-15)
Enrollment: 4,823
Setting: suburban
Founded in 1834, Wake Forest University is a private institution. Wake Forest University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered most selective.
#29
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI
Angell Hall
In-state tuition and fees: $18,977
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $48,811
Enrollment: 28,283
Setting: city
University of Michigan--Ann Arbor is a public institution that was founded in 1817. The school has 47.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at University of Michigan--Ann Arbor is 15:1.
#30
University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
Debra Barksdale, center, watches as doctoral student Jeongok Logan, left, and post-doctoral fellow Minhee Suh, center, evaluate data.
In-state tuition and fees: $8,374
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $33,624
Enrollment: 18,370
Setting: suburban
University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill was established in 1789 as a public institution. University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered most selective.
#31
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
A view of Gasson Hall at Boston College.
Tuition and fees: $57,436
Enrollment: 9,049
Setting: suburban
Boston College has a total undergraduate enrollment of 9,049, with a gender distribution of 46.1 percent male students and 53.9 percent female students. At this school, 85 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 15 percent of students live off campus.
#32
New York University
New York, NY
Tuition and fees: $56,170
Enrollment: 22,615
Setting: urban
Founded in 1831, New York University is a private institution. New York University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
#33 (tie)
College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, VA
William & Mary is known as a “Public Ivy,” combining a liberal arts education with opportunities for research.
In-state tuition and fees: $17,656
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $39,360
Enrollment: 6,271
Setting: suburban
College of William and Mary is a public institution that was founded in 1693. The school has 48.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at College of William and Mary is 12:1.
#33 (tie)
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY
University of Rochester's Rush Rhees Library
Tuition and fees: $56,960
Enrollment: 6,177
Setting: suburban
The University of Rochester was established in 1850 as a private institution. The University of Rochester follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered most selective.
#35 (tie)
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA
The Carl J. Shapiro Science Center features state-of-the-art labs and classrooms, the perfect catalyst for unparalleled science learning.
Tuition and fees: $47,833
Enrollment: 3,614
Setting: suburban
A private institution, Brandeis University was founded in 1948.
#35 (tie)
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA
The Rambling Wreck and Buzz are both beloved mascots of the Georgia Institute of Technology.
In-state tuition and fees: $11,394
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $30,698
Enrollment: 14,558
Setting: urban
Georgia Institute of Technology has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,558, with a gender distribution of 66.8 percent male students and 33.2 percent female students. At this school, 52 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 48 percent of students live off campus.
#37
University of California--San Diego
La Jolla, CA
The University of California, San Diego is recognized as one of the top 15 research universities worldwide.
In-state tuition and fees: $13,302
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $46,180
Enrollment: 23,805
Setting: urban
Founded in 1960, University of California--San Diego is a public institution. University of California--San Diego follows a quarter-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered most selective.
#38 (tie)
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH
Case Western Reserve University campus in the foreground, downtown Cleveland, Ohio, in the background
Tuition and fees: $53,158
Enrollment: 4,661
Setting: urban
Case Western Reserve University is a private institution that was founded in 1826. The school has 63.7 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Case Western Reserve University is 10:1.
#38 (tie)
University of California--Davis
Davis, CA
Cars are banned from central roadways making the bicycle the most popular mode of transportation on campus.
In-state tuition and fees: $13,896
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,774
Enrollment: 26,663
Setting: city
University of California--Davis was established in 1905 as a public institution. University of California--Davis follows a quarter-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered most selective.
#40 (tie)
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
The University Center on the campus of Lehigh University.
Tuition and fees: $44,890
Enrollment: 4,931
Setting: city
A private institution, Lehigh University was founded in 1865. Lehigh University offers a Greek system, where 43 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 40 percent is involved in a fraternity.
#40 (tie)
University of California--Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
Aerial view of the 1,055-acre oceanfront UC Santa Barbara main campus.
In-state tuition and fees: $13,746
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $36,624
Enrollment: 19,362
Setting: suburban
University of California--Santa Barbara has a total undergraduate enrollment of 19,362, with a gender distribution of 47.7 percent male students and 52.3 percent female students. At this school, 38 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 62 percent of students live off campus.
#42 (tie)
Boston University
Boston, MA
Boston University's Marsh Chapel
Tuition and fees: $46,664
Enrollment: 18,165
Setting: urban
Founded in 1839, Boston University is a private institution. Boston University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
#42 (tie)
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
Northeastern’s Centennial Quad, with Boston’s skyline in the distance. The urban campus offers green spaces and tree-lined walkways.
Tuition and fees: $43,440
Enrollment: 13,204
Northeastern University is a private institution that was founded in 1898. The school has 66.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Northeastern University is 13:1.
#42 (tie)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY
Tuition and fees: $47,908
Enrollment: 5,452
Setting: suburban
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was established in 1824 as a private institution. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered most selective.
#42 (tie)
University of California--Irvine
Irvine, CA
In-state tuition and fees: $14,757
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $37,635
Enrollment: 23,530
Setting: suburban
A public institution, University of California--Irvine was founded in 1965. University of California--Irvine offers a Greek system, where 10 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 9 percent is involved in a fraternity.
#42 (tie)
University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
The Illini Union, just off the Quad, is a major hub on campus where you'll find restaurants, study lounges, a bowling alley, and much more.
In-state tuition and fees: $17,602
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $40,228
Enrollment: 32,695
Setting: city
University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign has a total undergraduate enrollment of 32,695, with a gender distribution of 56.4 percent male students and 43.6 percent female students. At this school, 50 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 50 percent of students live off campus.
#47
University of Wisconsin--Madison
Madison, WI
In-state tuition and fees: $10,410
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $26,660
Enrollment: 31,319
Setting: city
Founded in 1848, University of Wisconsin--Madison is a public institution. University of Wisconsin--Madison follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
#48 (tie)
Pennsylvania State University--University Park
University Park, PA
Penn State students walk through Old Main lawn in the fall.
In-state tuition and fees: $17,502
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $30,452
Enrollment: 40,085
Setting: city
Pennsylvania State University--University Park is a public institution that was founded in 1855. The school has 42.1 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Pennsylvania State University--University Park is 17:1.
#48 (tie)
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Student walk to class under palm trees, blue skies and UF's iconic Century Tower.
In-state tuition and fees: $10,313
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $28,591
Enrollment: 33,168
Setting: suburban
The University of Florida was established in 1853 as a public institution. The University of Florida follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.
#48 (tie)
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
Patti and Allan Herbert Wellness Center and Intramural Field
Tuition and fees: $54,350
Enrollment: 11,380
Setting: suburban
A private institution, the University of Miami was founded in 1925. The University of Miami offers a Greek system, where 17 percent of the student body is involved in a sorority and 14 percent is involved in a fraternity.
#48 (tie)
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Cherry blossoms bloom annually in the Quad.
In-state tuition and fees: $17,394
Out-of-state tuition and fees: $33,513
Enrollment: 29,754
Setting: urban
The University of Washington has a total undergraduate enrollment of 29,754, with a gender distribution of 47.8 percent male students and 52.2 percent female students. At this school, 24 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 76 percent of students live off campus.
#48 (tie)
Yeshiva University
New York, NY
Tuition and fees: $48,730
Enrollment: 2,885
Setting: urban
Founded in 1886, Yeshiva University is a private institution. Yeshiva University follows a semester-based academic calendar and its admissions are considered more selective.