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.
Best for Agriculture & Food
Best for Architecture & Built Environment
Best for Arts & Design
Best for Biology & Life Sciences
Best for Business & Management
Best for Chemistry
Best for Computer Science & IT
Best for Economics & Finance
Best for Education
Best for Engineering
Best for Environmental & Earth Sciences
Best for History & Archaeology
Best for Humanities & Literature
Best for Languages & Linguistics
Best for Law
Best for Mathematics & Statistics
Best for Media & Communication
Best for Medicine & Health
Best for Music & Performing Arts
Best for Other Fields
Best for Physics & Astronomy
Best for Political Science & IR
Best for Psychology
Best for Social Sciences
154
New Jersey Institute of TechnologyB-
Newark, New Jersey · United States · Global #665
65% acceptance 73% graduation $84,276 median earnings $32,859/yr 9,019 students
155
George Washington UniversityB-
Washington, District of Columbia · United States · Global #666
47% acceptance 84% graduation $90,873 median earnings $83,856/yr 11,182 students
156
Grinnell CollegeB-
Grinnell, Iowa · United States · Global #667
15% acceptance 88% graduation $62,830 median earnings $83,440/yr 1,729 students
157
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteB-
Troy, New York · United States · Global #668
63% acceptance 84% graduation $102,051 median earnings $82,404/yr 5,714 students
158
Franklin and Marshall CollegeB-
Lancaster, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #669
28% acceptance 84% graduation $76,124 median earnings $85,776/yr 1,799 students
159
Mayo ClinicB-
Rochester, Minnesota · United States · Global #670
39% acceptance $79,652 median earnings 309 students
160
New Mexico Institute of Mining & TechnologyB-
Socorro, New Mexico · United States · Global #671
44% acceptance 57% graduation $76,489 median earnings $24,967/yr 995 students
161
Providence CollegeB-
Providence, Rhode Island · United States · Global #672
51% acceptance 86% graduation $87,054 median earnings $80,466/yr 4,229 students
162
SUNY Maritime CollegeB-
Throggs Neck, New York · United States · Global #673
72% acceptance 64% graduation $95,951 median earnings $29,786/yr 1,285 students
163
Bryn Mawr CollegeB-
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #674
29% acceptance 82% graduation $75,217 median earnings $83,250/yr 1,359 students
164
Denison UniversityB-
Granville, Ohio · United States · Global #675
17% acceptance 79% graduation $67,753 median earnings $81,900/yr 2,380 students
165
Skidmore CollegeB-
Saratoga Springs, New York · United States · Global #676
21% acceptance 83% graduation $69,363 median earnings $85,270/yr 2,694 students
166
The College of New JerseyB-
Ewing, New Jersey · United States · Global #677
62% acceptance 86% graduation $73,323 median earnings $38,860/yr 7,105 students
167
Florida International UniversityC+
Miami, Florida · United States · Global #678
55% acceptance 74% graduation $60,249 median earnings $21,462/yr 39,508 students
168
Pitzer CollegeC+
Claremont, California · United States · Global #679
25% acceptance 83% graduation $69,512 median earnings $86,466/yr 1,227 students
169
Kenyon CollegeC+
Gambier, Ohio · United States · Global #680
31% acceptance 82% graduation $71,830 median earnings $87,590/yr 1,732 students
170
Macalester CollegeC+
Saint Paul, Minnesota · United States · Global #681
29% acceptance 87% graduation $63,878 median earnings $82,991/yr 2,131 students
171
Spelman CollegeC+
Atlanta, Georgia · United States · Global #682
25% acceptance 78% graduation $59,993 median earnings $50,952/yr 3,414 students
172
University of DallasC+
Irving, Texas · United States · Global #683
65% acceptance 76% graduation $68,227 median earnings $29,807/yr 21,751 students
173
Virginia Military InstituteC+
Lexington, Virginia · United States · Global #684
71% acceptance 76% graduation $77,369 median earnings $34,824/yr 1,527 students
174
Bryant UniversityC+
Smithfield, Rhode Island · United States · Global #685
65% acceptance 80% graduation $90,008 median earnings $69,964/yr 3,194 students
175
Gettysburg CollegeC+
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #686
39% acceptance 83% graduation $71,517 median earnings $81,960/yr 2,099 students
176
James Madison UniversityC+
Harrisonburg, Virginia · United States · Global #687
72% acceptance 80% graduation $69,954 median earnings $31,735/yr 20,888 students
177
Missouri University of Science and TechnologyC+
Rolla, Missouri · United States · Global #688
73% acceptance 64% graduation $82,957 median earnings $29,231/yr 5,521 students
178
St. Louis College of PharmacyC+
Saint Louis, Missouri · United States · Global #689
90% acceptance 62% graduation $137,047 median earnings $54,802/yr 337 students
179
University of North FloridaC+
Jacksonville, Florida · United States · Global #690
53% acceptance 69% graduation $56,343 median earnings $20,983/yr 13,359 students
180
Fordham UniversityC+
Bronx, New York · United States · Global #691
59% acceptance 82% graduation $85,569 median earnings $82,762/yr 10,512 students
181
Loyola Marymount UniversityC+
Los Angeles, California · United States · Global #692
45% acceptance 79% graduation $78,349 median earnings $83,943/yr 7,094 students
182
Marymount UniversityC+
Arlington, Virginia · United States · Global #693
45% acceptance 79% graduation $78,349 median earnings $83,943/yr 7,094 students
183
Occidental CollegeC+
Los Angeles, California · United States · Global #694
44% acceptance 81% graduation $75,951 median earnings $84,800/yr 1,877 students
184
Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyC+
Terre Haute, Indiana · United States · Global #695
77% acceptance 78% graduation $101,253 median earnings $77,890/yr 2,309 students
185
Texas Christian UniversityC+
Fort Worth, Texas · United States · Global #696
44% acceptance 86% graduation $68,424 median earnings $76,604/yr 11,026 students
186
Illinois Institute of TechnologyC+
Chicago, Illinois · United States · Global #697
55% acceptance 75% graduation $82,592 median earnings $68,164/yr 2,833 students
187
Illinois Wesleyan UniversityC+
Bloomington, Illinois · United States · Global #698
39% acceptance 75% graduation $70,871 median earnings $70,700/yr 1,582 students
188
Milwaukee School of EngineeringC+
Milwaukee, Wisconsin · United States · Global #699
59% acceptance 67% graduation $89,070 median earnings $62,648/yr 2,654 students
189
Rutgers UniversityC+
New Brunswick, NJ · United States · Global #700
66% acceptance 67% graduation $74,479 median earnings $35,178/yr 3,753 students
190
S
SOKA University of AmericaC+
Aliso Viejo, California · United States · Global #701
43% acceptance 92% graduation $55,017 median earnings $55,064/yr 484 students
191
Whitman CollegeC+
Walla Walla, Washington · United States · Global #702
38% acceptance 81% graduation $67,589 median earnings $78,092/yr 1,531 students
192
Dickinson CollegeC
Carlisle, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #703
42% acceptance 80% graduation $70,204 median earnings $82,902/yr 2,273 students
193
Furman UniversityC
Greenville, South Carolina · United States · Global #704
43% acceptance 79% graduation $68,635 median earnings $76,798/yr 2,379 students
194
Kettering UniversityC
Flint, Michigan · United States · Global #705
79% acceptance 71% graduation $94,823 median earnings $61,250/yr 1,205 students
195
Pepperdine UniversityC
Malibu, California · United States · Global #706
63% acceptance 83% graduation $82,939 median earnings $93,512/yr 3,553 students
196
Ramapo CollegeC
Mahwah, New Jersey · United States · Global #707
71% acceptance 70% graduation $67,541 median earnings $29,483/yr 4,898 students
197
R
Ramapo College of New JerseyC
Mahwah, New Jersey · United States · Global #708
71% acceptance 70% graduation $67,541 median earnings $29,483/yr 4,898 students
198
San Jose State UniversityC
San Jose, California · United States · Global #709
85% acceptance 69% graduation $78,988 median earnings $26,593/yr 27,601 students
199
William Jewell CollegeC
Liberty, Missouri · United States · Global #710
38% acceptance 68% graduation $59,268 median earnings $35,785/yr 924 students
200
Wofford CollegeC
Spartanburg, South Carolina · United States · Global #711
52% acceptance 84% graduation $68,964 median earnings $72,441/yr 1,816 students
201
Irvine Valley CollegeC
Irvine, California · United States · Global #712
57% graduation $49,156 median earnings $13,001/yr 10,286 students
202
Mount Holyoke CollegeC
South Hadley, Massachusetts · United States · Global #713
36% acceptance 84% graduation $58,418 median earnings $84,926/yr 2,169 students
203
Reed CollegeC
Portland, Oregon · United States · Global #714
25% acceptance 71% graduation $62,927 median earnings $86,376/yr 1,320 students