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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.

754

YTI Career InstituteF

York, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #1265
45% graduation $40,672 median earnings 642 students
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755

Black Hills State UniversityF

Spearfish, South Dakota · United States · Global #1266
96% acceptance 43% graduation $46,674 median earnings $21,277/yr 1,928 students
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756

Eastern Mennonite UniversityF

Harrisonburg, Virginia · United States · Global #1267
100% acceptance 67% graduation $54,869 median earnings $56,756/yr 754 students
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757

Fairleigh Dickinson UniversityF

Teaneck, New Jersey · United States · Global #1268
91% acceptance 53% graduation $57,273 median earnings $50,305/yr 2,627 students
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758

Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeF

Fayetteville, North Carolina · United States · Global #1269
24% graduation $31,861 median earnings $11,277/yr 9,471 students
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759

Goucher CollegeF

Baltimore, Maryland · United States · Global #1270
78% acceptance 57% graduation $53,023 median earnings $70,544/yr 964 students
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760

Hiram CollegeF

Hiram, Ohio · United States · Global #1271
94% acceptance 55% graduation $54,311 median earnings $40,572/yr 777 students
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761

Humboldt State UniversityF

Arcata, California · United States · Global #1272
98% acceptance 49% graduation $47,626 median earnings $25,170/yr 5,612 students
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762

Indiana Institute of TechnologyF

Fort Wayne, Indiana · United States · Global #1273
70% acceptance 48% graduation $47,327 median earnings $45,879/yr 1,441 students
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763

Lander UniversityF

Greenwood, South Carolina · United States · Global #1274
81% acceptance 50% graduation $42,396 median earnings $27,277/yr 3,397 students
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764

Lewis-Clark State CollegeF

Lewiston, Idaho · United States · Global #1275
88% acceptance 40% graduation $46,001 median earnings $21,925/yr 2,385 students
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765

Lyon CollegeF

Batesville, Arkansas · United States · Global #1276
63% acceptance 47% graduation $44,232 median earnings $44,978/yr 648 students
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766

Marian UniversityF

Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin · United States · Global #1277
75% acceptance 44% graduation $53,501 median earnings $44,450/yr 1,010 students
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767

Monmouth CollegeF

Monmouth, Illinois · United States · Global #1278
91% acceptance 65% graduation $51,110 median earnings $57,157/yr 702 students
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768

Montreat CollegeF

Montreat, North Carolina · United States · Global #1279
69% acceptance 50% graduation $45,151 median earnings $47,133/yr 762 students
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769

Mott Community CollegeF

Flint, Michigan · United States · Global #1280
32% graduation $32,538 median earnings $15,460/yr 5,251 students
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770

New Mexico State UniversityF

Las Cruces, New Mexico · United States · Global #1281
19% graduation $39,067 median earnings $14,397/yr 5,177 students
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771

Purdue UniversityF

West Lafayette, Indiana · United States · Global #1282
84% acceptance 36% graduation $45,872 median earnings $22,183/yr 5,484 students
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772

Purdue University Fort WayneF

Fort Wayne, Indiana · United States · Global #1283
84% acceptance 36% graduation $45,872 median earnings $22,183/yr 5,484 students
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773

Saint Martin's UniversityF

Lacey, Washington · United States · Global #1284
90% acceptance 52% graduation $62,092 median earnings $62,449/yr 1,158 students
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774

School of the Art Institute of ChicagoF

Chicago, Illinois · United States · Global #1285
77% acceptance 67% graduation $40,151 median earnings $75,625/yr 2,805 students
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775

University of Central OklahomaF

Edmond, Oklahoma · United States · Global #1286
78% acceptance 37% graduation $48,351 median earnings $26,392/yr 10,170 students
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776

University of MaineF

Orono, Maine · United States · Global #1287
27% graduation $40,342 median earnings $19,052/yr 2,659 students
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777

Cheyney UniversityF

Cheyney, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #1288
41% graduation $37,837 median earnings $26,782/yr 617 students
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778

College of the Holy CrossF

Worcester, Massachusetts · United States · Global #1289
80% acceptance 44% graduation $51,724 median earnings $41,282/yr 64 students
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779

Fort Lewis CollegeF

Durango, Colorado · United States · Global #1290
77% acceptance 36% graduation $46,349 median earnings $27,030/yr 3,079 students
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780

Kuyper CollegeF

Grand Rapids, Michigan · United States · Global #1291
69% acceptance 50% graduation $41,066 median earnings $38,366/yr 145 students
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781

Louisiana State University at AlexandriaF

Alexandria, Louisiana · United States · Global #1292
92% acceptance 34% graduation $42,205 median earnings $15,550/yr 5,632 students
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782

Mercyhurst UniversityF

Erie, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #1293
81% acceptance 60% graduation $47,452 median earnings $59,557/yr 2,191 students
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783

Midland UniversityF

Fremont, Nebraska · United States · Global #1294
66% acceptance 42% graduation $52,163 median earnings $55,719/yr 1,159 students
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784

Nashville State Community CollegeF

Nashville, Tennessee · United States · Global #1295
18% graduation $38,519 median earnings $14,385/yr 5,653 students
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785

Oklahoma City UniversityF

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · United States · Global #1296
15% graduation $41,307 median earnings $12,881/yr 3,514 students
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786

University of Maine at FarmingtonF

Farmington, Maine · United States · Global #1297
97% acceptance 52% graduation $44,433 median earnings $25,822/yr 1,140 students
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787

University of MontanaF

Missoula, Montana · United States · Global #1298
100% acceptance 51% graduation $43,229 median earnings $21,403/yr 1,198 students
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788

Western Montana CollegeF

Dillon, Montana · United States · Global #1299
100% acceptance 51% graduation $43,229 median earnings $21,403/yr 1,198 students
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789

Western New Mexico UniversityF

Silver City, New Mexico · United States · Global #1300
32% graduation $39,095 median earnings $21,562/yr 2,026 students
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790

Wilkes UniversityF

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #1301
97% acceptance 23% graduation $63,435 median earnings $25,994/yr 313 students
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791

Wright State UniversityF

Dayton, Ohio · United States · Global #1302
96% acceptance 42% graduation $49,500 median earnings $24,373/yr 6,762 students
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792

Young Harris CollegeF

Young Harris, Georgia · United States · Global #1303
63% acceptance 42% graduation $47,195 median earnings $48,301/yr 755 students
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793

Alverno CollegeF

Milwaukee, Wisconsin · United States · Global #1304
86% acceptance 49% graduation $53,145 median earnings $51,362/yr 631 students
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794

Arizona Western CollegeF

Yuma, Arizona · United States · Global #1305
20% graduation $36,857 median earnings $15,868/yr 6,374 students
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795

Arkansas Tech UniversityF

Russellville, Arkansas · United States · Global #1306
96% acceptance 49% graduation $41,766 median earnings $22,808/yr 5,388 students
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796

Columbia CollegeF

Columbia, South Carolina · United States · Global #1307
43% graduation $36,368 median earnings $27,793/yr 582 students
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797

Eastern New Mexico UniversityF

Portales, New Mexico · United States · Global #1308
92% acceptance 45% graduation $38,550 median earnings $18,940/yr 3,357 students
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798

ECPI UniversityF

Virginia Beach, Virginia · United States · Global #1309
75% acceptance 42% graduation $42,837 median earnings $30,055/yr 12,090 students
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799

Oklahoma Christian UniversityF

Edmond, Oklahoma · United States · Global #1310
97% acceptance 56% graduation $49,203 median earnings $39,106/yr 1,885 students
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800

Southeastern Louisiana UniversityF

Hammond, Louisiana · United States · Global #1311
99% acceptance 45% graduation $46,482 median earnings $23,604/yr 9,514 students
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801

Tabor CollegeF

Hillsboro, Kansas · United States · Global #1312
65% acceptance 34% graduation $54,058 median earnings $50,350/yr 494 students
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802

Trinity UniversityF

San Antonio, Texas · United States · Global #1313
100% acceptance 49% graduation $53,804 median earnings $33,903/yr 1,414 students
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803

Troy UniversityF

Troy, Alabama · United States · Global #1314
96% acceptance 50% graduation $42,062 median earnings $23,165/yr 9,805 students
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Rankings tell you how good a university is. They do not tell you what it costs. See student debt against graduate salary at 795 US universities — and how many years the degree takes to pay for itself. Is college worth it? See the numbers →