University Ranking in U.S.

#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.