Talking about the best colleges in the US, no doubt most of US universities are good but the outcomes of yearly University rankings are eagerly awaited by university executives and policymakers and by extension students and, guardians alike. However, some of the enthusiasm is diminishing as the same (old) universities are featured year after year.

One of the top three motives for internationalizing, according to the EAIE Barometer survey, is to improve one’s international reputation or place in rankings. Rankings are utilized by certain governments in higher education policy, by institutions seeking foreign partners, and by prospective students looking for a place to study – frequently owing to a lack of alternative widely accepted measures. But, in the area of higher education, how influential are rankings.

These rankings are based on the following criteria, viz; National policy, Institutional decision making, Monitoring and benchmarking, Data collection, Partnering, Branding, Student choice, Quality of enrolled students, Attracting researchers, Research choices

Because the university or college you attend will have a significant influence on the rest of your life, it’s generally a good idea to perform some preliminary research. To aid with the process, we’ve produced a list of the top 100 institutions and colleges in the United States, as determined by the QS World University Rankings: USA 2021.

We’ve at the same time ranked the entire list of top US institutions by state, so you can locate a good university in your state of choice.

Visit our Top ranking schools category to see the best colleges in other countries.

Best colleges in the US ranked

Rank      University

• 1              Harvard University
• 2              Stanford University
• 3              Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• 4              University of California Berkeley (UCB)
• 5              University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
• 6              Yale University
• 7              Columbia University
• 8              Princeton University
• 9              New York University (NYU)
• 10           University of Pennsylvania
• 11           University of Chicago
• 12           Cornell University
• 13           Duke University
• 14 =        Johns Hopkins University
• 14 =        University of Southern California
• 16           Northwestern University
• 17           Carnegie Mellon University
• 18           University of Michigan
• 19           Brown University
• 20           Boston University
• 21           California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• 22           Emory University
• 23           Rice University
• 24           University of Washington, Seattle
• 25           Washington University in St. Louis
• 26           Georgetown University
• 27           University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
• 28           Vanderbilt University
• 29           University of Texas at Austin
• 30 =        University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 30 =        University of Rochester
• 32 =        Dartmouth College
• 32 =        University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• 34           University of California, Davis (UCD)
• 35           University of Florida
• 36 =        Tufts University
• 36 =        University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC)
• 38           Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
• 39           Stony Brook University
• 40           University of Virginia
• 41           Case Western Reserve University
• 42           Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick
• 43           University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
• 44           Pennsylvania State University, University Park
• 45 =        George Washington University
• 45 =        University of California, Irvine (UCI)
• 47           University of Notre Dame
• 48           University of Miami
• 49           Northeastern University
• 50 =        Ohio State University, Columbus
• 50 =        University at Buffalo SUNY
• 52           University of Maryland, College Park
• 53           Purdue University
• 54           University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
• 55 =        Boston College
• 55 =        Michigan State University
• 57           University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• 58           University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 59           Syracuse University
• 60 =        Lehigh University
• 60 =        University of Pittsburgh
• 62 =        Arizona State University, Tempe
• 62 =        Brandeis University
• 63           Temple University
• 64 =        Texas A&M University
• 64 =        University of Arizona
• 66           University of Houston
• 67 =        Binghamton University, SUNY
• 67 =        Drexel University
• 67 =        North Carolina State University
• 67 =        Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• 71           University of Connecticut
• 72           University of Georgia
• 73           Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech)
• 74           University of New Mexico
• 75           Indiana University Bloomington
• 76           Tulane University
• 77           University of Colorado at Boulder
• 78 =        Florida State University
• 78 =        University of South Florida
• 80 =        Illinois Institute of Technology
• 80 =        University of California, Riverside (UCR)
• 80 =        University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)
• 83 =        Howard University
• 83 =        University of Texas Dallas
• 85 =        Santa Clara University
• 85 =        Wake Forest University
• 87 =        University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• 87 =        University of Utah
• 89           George Mason University
• 90 =        New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
• 90 =        University of Massachusetts, Boston
• 92           University of Kansas
• 93           University at Albany SUNY
• 94           Oregon State University
• 95           University of Delaware
• 96           University of the Pacific
• 97 =        Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, Newark
• 97 =        University of Hawai’i at Manoa
• 99 =        San Diego State University
• 99 =        University of Iowa
• 99 =        University of Oklahoma, Norman

Best university by state

1. University of Alabama, 2. Auburn University, 3. University of Alabama Birmingham, 4. University of South Alabama

Alaska

1. University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2. University of Alaska Anchorage

Arizona  

1. Arizona State University, 2. Arizona State University Tempe, 3. The University of Arizona

Arkansas  

1. University of Arkansas Fayetteville

California

1.Stanford University, 2. University of California, 3. Berkeley (UCB), 4. University of California, 5. Los Angeles (UCLA), 6. University of Southern California, 7. California Institute of Technology (Caltech), 8. University of California, San Diego (UCSD), 9. University of California, 10. Davis (UCD), 11. University of California, 12. Santa Barbara (UCSB),

13. University of California, Irvine (UCI), 14. University of California, Riverside (UCR), 15. University of California, 16. Santa Cruz (UCSC), 17. Santa Clara University, 18. University of the Pacific, 19. San Diego State University, University of San Francisco, 20. San Francisco State University, 21. Loyola Marymount University, 30. Pepperdine University, 31. San Jose State University, 32. University of San Diego, 33. Chapman University,

34. Dominican University of California, 35. California Lutheran University, 36. California State University – Fullerton, 37. California State Polytechnic University – Pomona, 38. California State University – Los Angeles, 39. Sonoma State University, 40. University of Redlands, 41. California State University – San Marcos, 42. California State University Northridge, 43. California State University Sacramento, 44. California State University, Long Beach,

45. California State University, 46. San Bernardino, 47. Saint Marys College of California, 48. University of La Verne, 49. California Polytechnic State University, 50. San Luis Obispo, 51. California State University – Stanislaus, 52. California State University, Dominguez Hills

Colorado   

1. University of Colorado Boulder, 2. University of Colorado Denver, 3. Colorado State University, Fort Collins,4.  University of Denver, 5. Regis University

Connecticut

1. Yale University, 2. University of Connecticut, 3. Fairfield University, 4. University of Bridgeport, University of Hartford, 5. Quinnipiac University, 6. University of New Haven, 7. Western Connecticut State University

Delaware   

1. University of Delaware, 2. Delaware State University

Florida   

1. University of Florida, 2. University of Miami, 3. Florida State University, 4. University of South Florida, 5. University of Central Florida, 6. Florida International University, 8. Nova Southeastern University, 9. Rollins College, 10, Stetson University,

11. Florida Atlantic University – Boca Raton, 12. University of North Florida, 13. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, 14. Florida Institute of Technology, 15. Jacksonville University, 16. Lynn University, 17. University of Tampa

Georgia   

1. Emory University, 2. Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), 3. The University of Georgia, 4. Georgia State University, 5. Georgia Southern University, 6. University of North Georgia, 7. Mercer University

Guam

1. University of Guam

Hawaii

1. University of Hawai’i at Mañoa, 2. Chaminade University of Honolulu, 3.Hawaii Pacific University

Idaho

1. University of Idaho, 2. Boise State University

Illinois

1. University of Chicago, 2. Northwestern University, 3. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois, 4. Chicago (UIC), 5. Illinois Institute of Technology, 6. DePaul University, 7. Loyola University Chicago, 8. Dominican University,

9. Northern Illinois University, Roosevelt University, 10. Western Illinois University, 11. Illinois State University, 12. Northeastern Illinois University, 13. University of Illinois, Springfield (UIS)

Indiana

1. Purdue University, 2. University of Notre Dame, 3. Indiana University Bloomington, 4. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 5. Ball State University, Butler University, 6. University of Evansville, 7. Valparaiso University

Iowa

1. University of Iowa, 2. Iowa State University

Kansas

1. University of Kansas, 2. Kansas State University, 3. Wichita State University

Kentucky

1. University of Kentucky, 2. University of Louisville

Louisiana

1. Tulane University, 2. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, 3. Xavier University of Louisiana

Maine

1. University of Maine

Maryland

1. Johns Hopkins University, 2. University of Maryland, 3. College Park, 4. University of Maryland, 5. Baltimore County, 6. Loyola University Maryland, 7. Morgan State University, 8. Notre Dame of Maryland University, 9. Frostburg State University, 10. Mount St Mary’s College, Salisbury University, 11. Towson University

Massachusetts

1.Harvard University, 2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 3. Boston University, 4. Tufts University, 5. Northeastern University, 6. Boston College, 7. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 8. Brandeis University, 9. University of Massachusetts,

10. Boston, 11. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 12. Bentley University, 13. Clark University, 14. Suffolk University, 15. Simmons University, 16. University of Massachusetts Lowell, 17. University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

Michigan

1. University of Michigan, 2. Michigan State University, 3. Wayne State University, 4. Michigan Technological University, 5. Andrews University, 6. University of Michigan-Dearborn, 7. Oakland University, 8. Western Michigan University, 9. Central Michigan University, 10. Lawrence Technological University, 11. Madonna University, 12. University of Michigan-Flint

Minnesota

1. University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 2. University of Saint Thomas, 3. Augsburg University, 4. Hamline University

Mississippi

1. University of Mississippi, 2. Mississippi State University

Missouri

1. Washington University in St. Louis, 2. University of Missouri, 3. Columbia, St. Louis University, 4. Missouri University of Science and Technology, 7. University of Missouri, 8. Kansas City, 9. University of Missouri Saint Louis, 10. Truman State University

Montana

1. University of Montana Missoula, 2. Montana State University – Bozeman

Nebraska

1. University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 2. Creighton University, 3. University of Nebraska – Omaha

Nevada

1. University of Nevada – Las Vegas, 2. University of Nevada – Reno

New Hampshire

1. Dartmouth College, 2. University of New Hampshire

New Jersey

1. Princeton University, 2. Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, 3. New Brunswick, 4. New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), 5. Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, 6. Newark, Stevens Institute of Technology,

7. Rowan University, Rutgers, 8. The State University of New Jersey, 9. Camden, 10. The College of New Jersey, 11. Rider University, 12. William Paterson University of New Jersey, 13. Saint Peter’s University

New Mexico

1. University of New Mexico, 2. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

New York

1. Columbia University, 2. New York University (NYU), 3. Cornell University, 4. University of Rochester, 5. Stony Brook University,6.  University at Buffalo SUNY, 7. Syracuse University, 8. Binghamton University SUNY, 9. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,

10. University at Albany SUNY, 11. Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), 12. Fordham University, 13. Clarkson University, Baruch College, 14. CUNY, 15. Hunter College, 16. Hofstra University, 17. Pace University – New York, 18. St. Johns University, 19. Yeshiva University,

20. CUNY Queens College, 21. New York Institute of Technology, 22. College of Staten Island CUNY, 23. CUNY City College, 24. Ithaca College, 25. State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego), 26. SUNY Geneseo, 27. SUNY New Paltz, 28. Adelphi University, 29. Alfred University,

30. CUNY Lehman College, 31. Manhattan College, 32. SUNY Brockport, 33. SUNY Fredonia, 34. SUNY Oneonta, 35. Buffalo State College (SUNY), 36. Manhattanville College, 37. Marist College, 38. Nazareth College, 39. Niagara University,

40. SUNY Cortland, 41. SUNY Plattsburgh, 42. SUNY Potsdam.

North Carolina

1. Duke University, 2. University of North Carolina, 3. Chapel Hill, 4. North Carolina State University, 5. Wake Forest University, 6. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 7. Elon University, 8. University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 9. East Carolina University, Appalachian State University (ASU), 10. Campbell University, 11. University of North Carolina at Wilmington

North Dakota

1. North Dakota State University, 2. University of North Dakota

Ohio

1. Case Western Reserve University, 2. Ohio State University, 3. Columbus, 4. University of Cincinnati, 5. Ohio University, 6. Miami University, 7. University of Dayton, 8. Kent State University, 9. University of Toledo, 10. John Carroll University

Oklahoma

1. University of Oklahoma, 2. Norman, 3. Oklahoma State University, 4. University of Tulsa

Oregon  

1. Oregon State University, 2. University of Oregon, 3. Portland State University, 4. University of Portland

Pennsylvania

1. University of Pennsylvania, 2. Carnegie Mellon University, 3. Pennsylvania State University, 4. University Park, 5. Lehigh University, 6. University of Pittsburgh, 7. Temple University, 8. Drexel University, 9. Villanova University, 10. University of Scranton, 11. Immaculata University, 12. La Salle University, 13. Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 14. Wilkes University, 15. Chestnut Hill College, 16. Duquesne University, 17. Eastern University, 18. King’s College, Waynesburg University

Rhode Island

1. Brown University, 2. University of Rhode Island, 3. Bryant University, 4. Providence College

South Carolina

1. University of South Carolina at Columbia, 2. Clemson University, 3. College of Charleston

South Dakota

1. South Dakota State University, 2. University of South Dakota

Tennessee 

1. Vanderbilt University, 2. University of Tennessee, 3. Knoxville, 4. University of Memphis, 4. Christian Brothers University

Texas 

1.Rice University, 2. University of Texas at Austin, 3. Texas A&M University, 4. University of Houston, 5. University of Texas Dallas, 6. Baylor University, 7. University of North Texas, 8. Southern Methodist University, 9. Texas Christian University,

10. Texas Tech University, University of Texas at San Antonio, 11. Texas State University, 12. University of St Thomas – Houston, 13. St. Edward’s University, 14. University of Texas Arlington, 15. Lamar University, Our Lady of the Lake University, 16. Sam Houston State University, 17. University of the Incarnate Word

Utah

1. University of Utah, 2. Brigham Young University-Provo, 3. Utah State University

Vermont

1. University of Vermont

Virginia

1. University of Virginia, 2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech), 3. George Mason University, 4. College of William & Mary, 5. Virginia Commonwealth University, 6. James Madison University, 7. Marymount University, 9. Old Dominion University, 10. Hampton University, 11. Radford University, 12. Shenandoah University

Washington

1. University of Washington, 2. Seattle, Seattle University, 3. Washington State University, 4. Seattle Pacific University, 5. Western Washington University, 6. Gonzaga University, 7. Pacific Lutheran University

Washington D.C. 

1. Georgetown University, 2. George Washington University, 3. Howard University, 4. American University, 5. Catholic University of America

West Virginia 

1. West Virginia University

Wisconsin   

1. University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2. University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 3. Marquette University, 4. University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, 5. Carthage College

Wyoming 

1. University of Wyoming

International students should be aware that admission to one of America’s top schools is very tough. According to U.S. News, the following are top schools in the US, based on factors such as dean prominence and reputation, residency programs, research activities, financing, and acceptance rates. College was ranked category of medicine, engineering, nursing, law, psychology, business, computer science, etc.

Best colleges in the US for medicine 

1. Harvard University:

Harvard is a top institution in the United States regardless of major, thus it should come as no surprise that Harvard Medical School is ranked first on this list. Harvard admits overseas students in addition to having one of the finest medical schools in the world. However, be sure you have the funds because the institution asks pupils to show confirmation of their financial ability to pay. All that remains is for you to make it through the famously rigorous and arduous assignment assuming you have the money and are accepted. After that, your diploma will be accepted all around the world.

• Overall score: 100
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.9
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.6
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.9
• Average MCAT score: 519
• Acceptance rate: 3.3%
• NIH research grants (in millions): $1,652.60
• NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $171.20
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 13.6
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $65,203
• Total enrollment: 712

2. Johns Hopkins University:

• Overall score: 76
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.8
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.6
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.9
• Average MCAT score: 521
• Acceptance rate: 6.0%
• NIH research grants (in millions): $663.00
• NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $281.10
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 5.0
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $60,749
• Total enrollment: 476

3. Stanford University:

• Overall score: 74
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.8
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.5
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.9
• Average MCAT score: 519
• Acceptance rate: 2.3%
• NIH research grants (in millions): $462.50
• NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $422.00
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 2.2
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $61,328
• Total enrollment: 489

4. University of California – San Francisco :

• Overall score: 84
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.0
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.5
• Selectivity ranking: 16
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.8
• Average MCAT score: 518
• Acceptance rate: 3.8%
• Graduates entering primary care: 43.3%
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 4.3
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $53,777
• Total enrollment: 643

5. University of Washington:

• Overall score: 84
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.2
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.5
• Selectivity ranking: 81
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.7
• Average MCAT score: 510
• Acceptance rate: 4.1%
• Graduates entering primary care: 49.0%
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 2.7
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $68,213
• Total enrollment: 1,113

6. University of Pennsylvania:

• Overall score: 75
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.7
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.5
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.9
• Average MCAT score: 522
• Acceptance rate: 4.4%
• NIH research grants (in millions): $700.50
• NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $265.10
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 4.3
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $65,343
• Total enrollment: 612

7. Duke University:

• Overall score: 72
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.4
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.3
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.8
• Average MCAT score: 517
• Acceptance rate: 2.4%
• NIH research grants (in millions): $707.50
• NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $248.50
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 3.9
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $54,511
• Total enrollment: 731

8. University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) :

• Overall score: 72
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.4
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.3
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.8
• Average MCAT score: 517
• Acceptance rate: 2.4%
• NIH research grants (in millions): $707.50
• NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $248.50
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 3.9
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $54,511
• Total enrollment: 731

9. Columbia University:

• Overall score: 72
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 4.5
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.4
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.9
• Average MCAT score: 521
• Acceptance rate: 3.5%
• NIH research grants (in millions): $585.70
• NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $276.40
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 3.7
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $68,886
• Total enrollment: 580

10. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor:

• Overall score: 72
• Peer assessment score (1-5): 3.7
• Residency director score (1-5): 4.2
• Selectivity ranking: 25
• Average undergrad GPA: 3.8
• Average MCAT score: 516
• Acceptance rate: 5.0%
• Graduates entering primary care: 43.0%
• Faculty-to-student ratio: 3.3
• Out-of-state tuition and fees: $59,718
• Total enrollment: 689

Our hope is that this ranking will help inform your decision on which college to pursue in the US. For the latest information on the best universities and colleges around the world, follow our website.