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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103
University of TexasD+
San Marcos, Texas · United States · Global #577 · QS #1105
89% acceptance 55% graduation $56,906 median earnings $28,073/yr 36,177 students
104
University of San DiegoB-
San Diego, California · United States · Global #594 · QS #1177
27% acceptance 86% graduation $84,943 median earnings $38,701/yr 34,948 students
106
University of South AlabamaD+
Mobile, Alabama · United States · Global #597 · QS #1181
71% acceptance 53% graduation $49,379 median earnings $25,476/yr 8,879 students
107
University of Texas at El PasoC-
El Paso, Texas · United States · Global #598 · QS #1182
242 students
108
Utah State UniversityD+
Logan, Utah · United States · Global #602 · QS #1195
92% acceptance 59% graduation $54,022 median earnings $21,654/yr 20,272 students
110
United States Naval AcademyA+
Annapolis, Maryland · United States · Global #621
9% acceptance 93% graduation 4,474 students
111
University of Michigan - Ann ArborA
Ann Arbor, Michigan · United States · Global #622
16% acceptance 93% graduation $83,648 median earnings $34,654/yr 34,177 students
112
City University of New YorkA
New York, New York · United States · Global #623
4% acceptance 96% graduation $102,491 median earnings $89,472/yr 8,973 students
113
United States Air Force AcademyA
USAF Academy, Colorado · United States · Global #624
14% acceptance 88% graduation 4,114 students
114
United States Coast Guard AcademyA
New London, Connecticut · United States · Global #625
22% acceptance 93% graduation 1,108 students
115
United States Military AcademyA
West Point, New York · United States · Global #626
12% acceptance 87% graduation 4,408 students
116
Harvey Mudd CollegeA
Claremont, California · United States · Global #627
13% acceptance 92% graduation $138,687 median earnings $90,165/yr 921 students
117
Babson CollegeA
Wellesley, Massachusetts · United States · Global #628
17% acceptance 93% graduation $123,938 median earnings $80,192/yr 2,728 students
118
University of Notre DameA
Notre Dame, Indiana · United States · Global #629
11% acceptance 95% graduation $99,980 median earnings $83,271/yr 8,818 students
120
United States Merchant Marine AcademyA-
Kings Point, New York · United States · Global #631
34% acceptance 82% graduation $90,610 median earnings $9,168/yr 962 students
121
Washington & Lee UniversityA-
Lexington, Virginia · United States · Global #632
14% acceptance 94% graduation $94,810 median earnings $87,000/yr 1,881 students
122
Williams CollegeA-
Williamstown, Massachusetts · United States · Global #633
8% acceptance 94% graduation $88,665 median earnings $84,860/yr 2,076 students
123
Alliant International UniversityA-
San Diego, California · United States · Global #634
0% acceptance $66,666 median earnings 391 students
124
A
Anaheim UniversityA-
Anaheim, California · United States · Global #635
60% graduation $102,672 median earnings $34,887/yr 3,192 students
125
Bowdoin CollegeB+
Brunswick, Maine · United States · Global #636
7% acceptance 95% graduation $82,735 median earnings $85,100/yr 1,873 students
126
Lehigh UniversityB+
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #637
26% acceptance 88% graduation $105,584 median earnings $80,856/yr 5,898 students
127
Villanova UniversityB+
Villanova, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #638
27% acceptance 92% graduation $100,423 median earnings $84,793/yr 6,938 students
128
Swarthmore CollegeB+
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #639
7% acceptance 92% graduation $80,257 median earnings $84,103/yr 1,613 students
129
Tufts UniversityB+
Medford, Massachusetts · United States · Global #640
11% acceptance 94% graduation $83,214 median earnings $88,300/yr 7,061 students
130
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignB+
Champaign, Illinois · United States · Global #641
42% acceptance 85% graduation $81,054 median earnings $33,642/yr 36,258 students
131
Wellesley CollegeB+
Wellesley, Massachusetts · United States · Global #642
14% acceptance 92% graduation $84,803 median earnings $86,290/yr 2,300 students
132
Amherst CollegeB+
Amherst, Massachusetts · United States · Global #643
9% acceptance 94% graduation $77,644 median earnings $87,640/yr 1,911 students
133
Barnard CollegeB+
New York, New York · United States · Global #644
9% acceptance 93% graduation $80,516 median earnings $89,538/yr 3,264 students
134
Colgate UniversityB+
Hamilton, New York · United States · Global #645
14% acceptance 91% graduation $85,139 median earnings $87,070/yr 3,180 students
135
University of FloridaB+
Gainesville, Florida · United States · Global #646
24% acceptance 86% graduation $61,675 median earnings $25,720/yr 32,212 students
136
Bentley UniversityB+
Waltham, Massachusetts · United States · Global #647
45% acceptance 87% graduation $120,959 median earnings $79,548/yr 4,474 students
137
Colorado School of MinesB+
Golden, Colorado · United States · Global #648
61% acceptance 82% graduation $97,335 median earnings $40,560/yr 6,155 students
138
Bucknell UniversityB
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #649
29% acceptance 86% graduation $93,807 median earnings $83,756/yr 3,876 students
139
Hamilton CollegeB
Clinton, New York · United States · Global #650
14% acceptance 91% graduation $78,411 median earnings $84,230/yr 2,030 students
140
Middlebury CollegeB
Middlebury, Vermont · United States · Global #651
11% acceptance 91% graduation $76,310 median earnings $85,880/yr 2,738 students
141
Clemson UniversityB
Clemson, South Carolina · United States · Global #652
38% acceptance 87% graduation $71,513 median earnings $35,015/yr 23,300 students
142
Santa Clara UniversityB
Santa Clara, California · United States · Global #653
48% acceptance 88% graduation $109,183 median earnings $82,026/yr 6,552 students
143
Stevens Institute of TechnologyB
Hoboken, New Jersey · United States · Global #654
48% acceptance 87% graduation $108,772 median earnings $79,790/yr 4,222 students
144
Virginia State UniversityB
Petersburg, Virginia · United States · Global #655
55% acceptance 86% graduation $81,698 median earnings $36,951/yr 30,923 students
145
Carleton CollegeB
Northfield, Minnesota · United States · Global #656
20% acceptance 90% graduation $75,525 median earnings $84,893/yr 2,086 students
146
Wake Forest UniversityB
Winston-Salem, North Carolina · United States · Global #657
22% acceptance 89% graduation $78,158 median earnings $87,499/yr 5,485 students
147
Bates CollegeB
Lewiston, Maine · United States · Global #658
13% acceptance 90% graduation $69,498 median earnings $83,532/yr 1,760 students
148
San Diego State UniversityB
San Diego, California · United States · Global #659
36% acceptance 76% graduation $64,909 median earnings $27,780/yr 35,377 students
149
Vassar CollegeB
Poughkeepsie, New York · United States · Global #660
19% acceptance 91% graduation $71,366 median earnings $87,419/yr 2,444 students
150
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteB
Worcester, Massachusetts · United States · Global #661
60% acceptance 90% graduation $103,470 median earnings $78,679/yr 5,447 students
151
The Jewish Theological SeminaryB-
New York, New York · United States · Global #662
49% acceptance 90% graduation $92,751 median earnings $85,945/yr 172 students
152
University of Central FloridaB-
Orlando, Florida · United States · Global #663
40% acceptance 78% graduation $58,308 median earnings $23,133/yr 59,146 students
153
University of RichmondB-
University of Richmond, Virginia · United States · Global #664
22% acceptance 85% graduation $76,178 median earnings $80,961/yr 2,980 students