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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.

204

University of Michigan - DearbornC

Dearborn, Michigan · United States · Global #715
56% acceptance 58% graduation $59,649 median earnings $24,040/yr 5,952 students
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205

West Coast UniversityC

Irvine, CA · United States · Global #716
31% graduation $102,672 median earnings $55,938/yr 2,673 students
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206

Yeshiva UniversityC

New York, New York · United States · Global #717
56% acceptance 83% graduation $71,353 median earnings $70,892/yr 2,852 students
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207

Dickinson State UniversityC

Dickinson, North Dakota · United States · Global #718
37% acceptance 51% graduation $50,720 median earnings $20,567/yr 1,090 students
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208

Oberlin CollegeC

Oberlin, Ohio · United States · Global #719
34% acceptance 81% graduation $58,343 median earnings $87,404/yr 2,887 students
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209

Ohio Northern UniversityC

Ada, Ohio · United States · Global #720
74% acceptance 75% graduation $80,928 median earnings $53,580/yr 2,489 students
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210

State University of New YorkC

New Paltz, New York · United States · Global #721
62% acceptance 72% graduation $58,073 median earnings $28,428/yr 6,086 students
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211

State University of New York at New PaltzC

New Paltz, New York · United States · Global #722
62% acceptance 72% graduation $58,073 median earnings $28,428/yr 6,086 students
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212

University of OklahomaC

Norman, Oklahoma · United States · Global #723
77% acceptance 75% graduation $63,126 median earnings $28,872/yr 22,734 students
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213

Western Governors UniversityC

Salt Lake City, Utah · United States · Global #724
46% graduation $60,615 median earnings $16,728/yr 155,088 students
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214

Centre CollegeC

Danville, Kentucky · United States · Global #725
54% acceptance 81% graduation $66,240 median earnings $67,787/yr 1,400 students
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215

Drew UniversityC

Madison, New Jersey · United States · Global #726
39% acceptance 30% graduation $83,438 median earnings $39,834/yr 282 students
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216

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical UniversityC

Tallahassee, Florida · United States · Global #727
21% acceptance 53% graduation $44,349 median earnings $23,970/yr 7,582 students
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217

Florida Atlantic UniversityC

Boca Raton, Florida · United States · Global #728
66% acceptance 63% graduation $56,746 median earnings $21,522/yr 23,757 students
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218

University of Illinois ChicagoC

Chicago, Illinois · United States · Global #729
77% acceptance 62% graduation $68,740 median earnings $27,521/yr 22,170 students
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219

Weber State UniversityC

Ogden, Utah · United States · Global #730
46% graduation $56,287 median earnings $16,035/yr 16,360 students
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220

American Public University SystemC

Charles Town, West Virginia · United States · Global #731
57% graduation $44,409 median earnings $18,768/yr 40,074 students
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221

American UniversityC

Washington, District of Columbia · United States · Global #732
57% graduation $44,409 median earnings $18,768/yr 40,074 students
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222

Gonzaga UniversityC

Spokane, Washington · United States · Global #733
82% acceptance 86% graduation $78,892 median earnings $73,178/yr 5,198 students
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223

Hult International Business SchoolC

Cambridge, Massachusetts · United States · Global #734
60% acceptance 67% graduation $79,075/yr 618 students
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224

Marquette UniversityC

Milwaukee, Wisconsin · United States · Global #735
81% acceptance 83% graduation $78,257 median earnings $66,768/yr 7,660 students
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225

Pacific Union CollegeC

Angwin, California · United States · Global #736
47% acceptance 58% graduation $70,484 median earnings $49,404/yr 805 students
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226

University of Alabama at HuntsvilleC

Huntsville, Alabama · United States · Global #737
69% acceptance 64% graduation $61,767 median earnings $27,392/yr 6,591 students
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227

University of North Carolina at WilmingtonC

Wilmington, North Carolina · United States · Global #738
64% acceptance 71% graduation $54,967 median earnings $26,547/yr 14,922 students
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228

Utah Valley UniversityC

Orem, Utah · United States · Global #739
45% graduation $55,486 median earnings $14,765/yr 28,453 students
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229

Wilmington UniversityC

New Castle, Delaware · United States · Global #740
64% acceptance 71% graduation $54,967 median earnings $26,547/yr 14,922 students
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230

Chapman UniversityC-

Orange, California · United States · Global #741
65% acceptance 82% graduation $70,070 median earnings $83,146/yr 7,478 students
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231

Creighton UniversityC-

Omaha, Nebraska · United States · Global #742
80% acceptance 83% graduation $73,911 median earnings $63,423/yr 4,348 students
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232

DePauw UniversityC-

Greencastle, Indiana · United States · Global #743
57% acceptance 75% graduation $70,527 median earnings $74,320/yr 1,905 students
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233

DigiPen Institute of TechnologyC-

Redmond, Washington · United States · Global #744
64% acceptance 61% graduation $79,878 median earnings $55,588/yr 995 students
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234

Dominican University of CaliforniaC-

San Rafael, California · United States · Global #745
84% acceptance 78% graduation $84,713 median earnings $71,751/yr 1,114 students
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235

Drake UniversityC-

Des Moines, Iowa · United States · Global #746
64% acceptance 74% graduation $71,901 median earnings $64,835/yr 2,543 students
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236

Elizabethtown CollegeC-

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #747
59% graduation $36,143 median earnings $14,212/yr 4,088 students
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237

Florida Gulf Coast UniversityC-

Fort Myers, Florida · United States · Global #748
63% acceptance 57% graduation $54,560 median earnings $20,807/yr 13,874 students
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238

Montana TechC-

Butte, Montana · United States · Global #749
45% graduation $54,329 median earnings $18,476/yr 342 students
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239

Sacred Heart UniversityC-

Fairfield, Connecticut · United States · Global #750
65% acceptance 73% graduation $75,059 median earnings $69,289/yr 7,087 students
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240

Saint Joseph's UniversityC-

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #751
89% acceptance 79% graduation $86,881 median earnings $67,954/yr 4,948 students
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241

St. Mary's College of MarylandC-

St. Mary's City, Maryland · United States · Global #752
69% acceptance 70% graduation $60,110 median earnings $31,865/yr 1,603 students
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242

Towson UniversityC-

Towson, Maryland · United States · Global #753
82% acceptance 69% graduation $64,390 median earnings $28,535/yr 16,136 students
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243

University of North Carolina at CharlotteC-

Charlotte, North Carolina · United States · Global #754
80% acceptance 69% graduation $57,289 median earnings $23,010/yr 24,453 students
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244

University of West FloridaC-

Pensacola, Florida · United States · Global #755
58% acceptance 59% graduation $49,137 median earnings $19,947/yr 9,330 students
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245

Wabash CollegeC-

Crawfordsville, Indiana · United States · Global #756
63% acceptance 77% graduation $69,952 median earnings $65,144/yr 866 students
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246

Washburn UniversityC-

Topeka, Kansas · United States · Global #757
53% graduation $49,774 median earnings $21,512/yr 4,562 students
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247

West Chester University of PennsylvaniaC-

West Chester, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #758
78% acceptance 71% graduation $61,258 median earnings $28,394/yr 14,164 students
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248

Brigham Young University HawaiiC-

Laie, Hawaii · United States · Global #759
47% acceptance 53% graduation $52,064 median earnings $25,098/yr 2,889 students
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249

College of CharlestonC-

Charleston, South Carolina · United States · Global #760
60% acceptance 66% graduation $56,416 median earnings $32,362/yr 10,558 students
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250

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityC-

Daytona Beach, FL · United States · Global #761
77% acceptance 68% graduation $84,131 median earnings $62,798/yr 3,218 students
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251

Emerson CollegeC-

Boston, Massachusetts · United States · Global #762
51% acceptance 77% graduation $62,832 median earnings $80,399/yr 3,870 students
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252

Gustavus Adolphus CollegeC-

Saint Peter, Minnesota · United States · Global #763
61% acceptance 77% graduation $65,607 median earnings $67,613/yr 1,878 students
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253

Hampden-Sydney CollegeC-

Hampden-Sydney, Virginia · United States · Global #764
41% acceptance 62% graduation $67,640 median earnings $70,325/yr 946 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 →