Best Universities in United States 2026
891 universities in United States ranked on real data — QS reputation, admission rate, graduation & graduate earnings. How we rank.
Which are the best universities in United States in 2026? We rank 891 United States universities on real published data — QS World reputation, admission selectivity, graduation rates and graduate earnings — never opinion.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology tops the ranking with an independent grade of A+ (5% acceptance, $143,372 median graduate earnings), ahead of Stanford University and Harvard University. Every university carries an independent ScholarshipsAds grade, so you can compare quality, selectivity, tuition and graduate outcomes at a glance.
Filter by field of study below, or open any university for its full review, programs, tuition and scholarships.
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654
Huntington UniversityF
Huntington, Indiana · United States · Global #1165
76% acceptance 64% graduation $46,672 median earnings $42,157/yr 1,082 students
655
Indiana University at South BendF
South Bend, Indiana · United States · Global #1166
84% acceptance 40% graduation $44,947 median earnings $17,364/yr 3,933 students
656
Kutztown UniversityF
Kutztown, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #1167
91% acceptance 54% graduation $53,775 median earnings $29,866/yr 6,180 students
657
La Sierra UniversityF
Riverside, California · United States · Global #1168
92% acceptance 60% graduation $61,824 median earnings $51,459/yr 1,116 students
658
Lenoir Community CollegeF
Kinston, North Carolina · United States · Global #1169
36% graduation $33,866 median earnings $14,929/yr 1,469 students
659
Longwood UniversityF
Farmville, Virginia · United States · Global #1170
90% acceptance 61% graduation $52,347 median earnings $34,588/yr 3,015 students
660
Manhattan CollegeF
New York, New York · United States · Global #1171
25% graduation $42,306 median earnings $12,866/yr 18,623 students
661
Montclair State UniversityF
Montclair, New Jersey · United States · Global #1172
70% acceptance 38% graduation $61,415 median earnings $42,035/yr 781 students
662
M
Mount Mercy UniversityF
Cedar Rapids, Iowa · United States · Global #1173
83% acceptance 58% graduation $60,787 median earnings $55,054/yr 1,107 students
663
Oakwood UniversityF
Huntsville, Alabama · United States · Global #1174
45% acceptance 45% graduation $42,488 median earnings $40,176/yr 1,153 students
664
Saint Cloud State UniversityF
Saint Cloud, Minnesota · United States · Global #1175
95% acceptance 40% graduation $55,813 median earnings $21,116/yr 5,088 students
665
Saint Edward's UniversityF
Austin, Texas · United States · Global #1176
81% acceptance 63% graduation $58,826 median earnings $66,719/yr 2,493 students
666
Shasta CollegeF
Redding, California · United States · Global #1177
100% acceptance 100% graduation $28,891 median earnings $34,535/yr 21 students
667
Southern Connecticut State UniversityF
New Haven, Connecticut · United States · Global #1178
91% acceptance 50% graduation $55,043 median earnings $29,673/yr 6,295 students
668
University of EvansvilleF
Evansville, Indiana · United States · Global #1179
78% acceptance 64% graduation $53,770 median earnings $57,451/yr 1,539 students
669
U
University of Mount UnionF
Alliance, Ohio · United States · Global #1180
78% acceptance 59% graduation $53,217 median earnings $49,276/yr 1,995 students
670
University of Northern ColoradoF
Greeley, Colorado · United States · Global #1181
86% acceptance 51% graduation $52,231 median earnings $29,254/yr 5,598 students
671
University of Southern MaineF
Portland, Maine · United States · Global #1182
79% acceptance 40% graduation $49,958 median earnings $23,717/yr 4,222 students
672
University of the OzarksF
Clarksville, Arkansas · United States · Global #1183
60% acceptance 51% graduation $44,384 median earnings $38,666/yr 767 students
673
University of Wisconsin - SuperiorF
Superior, Wisconsin · United States · Global #1184
93% acceptance 42% graduation $49,606 median earnings $19,860/yr 1,807 students
674
Whittier CollegeF
Whittier, California · United States · Global #1185
81% acceptance 60% graduation $59,492 median earnings $63,664/yr 764 students
675
William Paterson UniversityF
Wayne, NJ · United States · Global #1186
90% acceptance 44% graduation $57,780 median earnings $28,476/yr 6,614 students
676
Saint Mary’s University of MinnesotaF
Winona, Minnesota · United States · Global #1187
93% acceptance 66% graduation $58,170 median earnings $57,380/yr 1,073 students
677
Belmont UniversityF
Nashville, Tennessee · United States · Global #1188
95% acceptance 71% graduation $55,930 median earnings $62,570/yr 7,137 students
678
Dillard UniversityF
New Orleans, Louisiana · United States · Global #1189
42% acceptance 43% graduation $39,196 median earnings $39,202/yr 1,063 students
679
Eastern Michigan UniversityF
Ypsilanti, Michigan · United States · Global #1190
80% acceptance 46% graduation $51,793 median earnings $29,640/yr 10,055 students
680
Fisk UniversityF
Nashville, Tennessee · United States · Global #1191
37% acceptance 30% graduation $45,454 median earnings $39,450/yr 1,035 students
681
Friends UniversityF
Wichita, Kansas · United States · Global #1192
55% acceptance 43% graduation $52,113 median earnings $50,482/yr 1,048 students
682
Hamline UniversityF
Saint Paul, Minnesota · United States · Global #1193
88% acceptance 60% graduation $61,106 median earnings $58,110/yr 1,776 students
683
Hood CollegeF
Frederick, Maryland · United States · Global #1194
78% acceptance 57% graduation $57,089 median earnings $61,219/yr 1,194 students
684
Indiana State UniversityF
Terre Haute, Indiana · United States · Global #1195
81% acceptance 43% graduation $48,387 median earnings $24,535/yr 6,188 students
685
LaGrange CollegeF
Lagrange, Georgia · United States · Global #1196
62% acceptance 47% graduation $51,745 median earnings $49,681/yr 636 students
686
Long Island UniversityF
Brookville, New York · United States · Global #1197
86% acceptance 57% graduation $59,950 median earnings $55,424/yr 5,520 students
687
Loras CollegeF
Dubuque, Iowa · United States · Global #1198
100% acceptance 68% graduation $58,289 median earnings $50,537/yr 1,083 students
688
McMurry UniversityF
Abilene, Texas · United States · Global #1199
57% acceptance 44% graduation $48,779 median earnings $43,778/yr 1,176 students
689
Millikin UniversityF
Decatur, Illinois · United States · Global #1200
67% acceptance 55% graduation $51,262 median earnings $57,475/yr 1,382 students
690
Morgan State UniversityF
Baltimore, Maryland · United States · Global #1201
82% acceptance 41% graduation $50,698 median earnings $25,413/yr 9,019 students
691
New Mexico Highlands UniversityF
Las Vegas, New Mexico · United States · Global #1202
26% graduation $45,937 median earnings $20,868/yr 1,451 students
692
Nicholls State UniversityF
Thibodaux, Louisiana · United States · Global #1203
91% acceptance 54% graduation $45,454 median earnings $23,481/yr 4,737 students
693
Northern Michigan UniversityF
Marquette, Michigan · United States · Global #1204
84% acceptance 52% graduation $47,107 median earnings $27,841/yr 6,556 students
694
Old Dominion UniversityF
Norfolk, Virginia · United States · Global #1205
90% acceptance 46% graduation $54,914 median earnings $29,446/yr 17,514 students
695
Radford UniversityF
Radford, Virginia · United States · Global #1206
90% acceptance 49% graduation $53,739 median earnings $28,405/yr 6,038 students
696
Ripon CollegeF
Ripon, Wisconsin · United States · Global #1207
80% acceptance 63% graduation $54,902 median earnings $63,540/yr 688 students
697
Southern Arkansas UniversityF
Magnolia, Arkansas · United States · Global #1208
75% acceptance 49% graduation $42,386 median earnings $24,951/yr 2,708 students
698
Spring Hill CollegeF
Mobile, Alabama · United States · Global #1209
77% acceptance 52% graduation $51,500 median earnings $39,936/yr 782 students
699
Stephen F. Austin State UniversityF
Nacogdoches, Texas · United States · Global #1210
94% acceptance 53% graduation $49,634 median earnings $25,791/yr 8,728 students
700
Stetson UniversityF
DeLand, Florida · United States · Global #1211
72% acceptance 62% graduation $51,642 median earnings $72,533/yr 2,297 students
701
University of Central ArkansasF
Conway, Arkansas · United States · Global #1212
89% acceptance 54% graduation $45,938 median earnings $25,029/yr 7,762 students
702
University of FindlayF
Findlay, Ohio · United States · Global #1213
83% acceptance 58% graduation $56,996 median earnings $54,580/yr 2,223 students
703
University of Houston-DowntownF
Houston, Texas · United States · Global #1214
90% acceptance 33% graduation $53,551 median earnings $20,749/yr 12,555 students