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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404
Mercer UniversityD+
Macon, Georgia · United States · Global #915
69% acceptance 70% graduation $58,354 median earnings $58,204/yr 4,500 students
405
Mercy CollegeD+
Toledo, Ohio · United States · Global #916
93% acceptance 56% graduation $65,409 median earnings $30,260/yr 939 students
406
Millsaps CollegeD+
Jackson, Mississippi · United States · Global #917
43% acceptance 57% graduation $53,848 median earnings $60,061/yr 549 students
407
Northern Illinois UniversityD+
Dekalb, Illinois · United States · Global #918
70% acceptance 49% graduation $57,808 median earnings $28,851/yr 11,301 students
408
Northwest Florida State CollegeD+
Niceville, Florida · United States · Global #919
39% graduation $39,664 median earnings $12,914/yr 3,010 students
409
Pacific Lutheran UniversityD+
Tacoma, Washington · United States · Global #920
78% acceptance 69% graduation $66,990 median earnings $62,459/yr 2,401 students
410
San Francisco State UniversityD+
San Francisco, California · United States · Global #921
96% acceptance 50% graduation $68,077 median earnings $26,488/yr 18,639 students
411
Sinclair Community CollegeD+
Dayton, Ohio · United States · Global #922
41% graduation $37,558 median earnings $11,003/yr 13,308 students
412
Southern CollegeD+
Lakeland, Florida · United States · Global #923
64% acceptance 71% graduation $55,294 median earnings $60,768/yr 2,656 students
413
St. Petersburg CollegeD+
St. Petersburg, Florida · United States · Global #924
38% graduation $42,557 median earnings $12,885/yr 18,950 students
414
Sullivan UniversityD+
Louisville, Kentucky · United States · Global #925
71% graduation $38,008 median earnings $31,766/yr 2,026 students
415
University of La VerneD+
La Verne, California · United States · Global #926
71% acceptance 63% graduation $65,464 median earnings $62,278/yr 3,050 students
416
U
University of Michigan–FlintD+
Flint, Michigan · United States · Global #927
70% acceptance 40% graduation $53,230 median earnings $20,915/yr 4,411 students
417
University of New HavenD+
West Haven, Connecticut · United States · Global #928
60% acceptance 63% graduation $60,126 median earnings $66,962/yr 4,841 students
418
University of Pittsburgh at JohnstownD+
Johnstown, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #929
95% acceptance 56% graduation $66,125 median earnings $30,349/yr 1,808 students
419
University of PortlandD+
Portland, Oregon · United States · Global #930
91% acceptance 53% graduation $57,906 median earnings $21,590/yr 13,182 students
420
Western Connecticut State UniversityD+
Danbury, Connecticut · United States · Global #931
87% acceptance 52% graduation $59,115 median earnings $24,877/yr 3,511 students
421
Western New England UniversityD+
Springfield, Massachusetts · United States · Global #932
83% acceptance 64% graduation $73,157 median earnings $60,262/yr 2,603 students
422
Allen CollegeD+
Waterloo, Iowa · United States · Global #933
37% graduation $40,059 median earnings $14,024/yr 810 students
423
Alma CollegeD+
Alma, Michigan · United States · Global #934
57% acceptance 63% graduation $54,742 median earnings $63,650/yr 1,148 students
424
Ball State UniversityD+
Muncie, Indiana · United States · Global #935
86% acceptance 62% graduation $51,833 median earnings $26,146/yr 13,988 students
425
Beloit CollegeD+
Beloit, Wisconsin · United States · Global #936
63% acceptance 71% graduation $53,260 median earnings $71,365/yr 926 students
426
Bennington CollegeD+
Bennington, Vermont · United States · Global #937
45% acceptance 71% graduation $38,289 median earnings $87,284/yr 780 students
427
Brown UniversityD+
Providence, Rhode Island · United States · Global #938
76% acceptance 72% graduation $53,907 median earnings $44,710/yr 1,471 students
428
California State UniversityD+
Turlock, California · United States · Global #939
98% acceptance 53% graduation $63,188 median earnings $19,739/yr 8,385 students
429
California State University Channel IslandsD+
Camarillo, California · United States · Global #940
95% acceptance 51% graduation $62,152 median earnings $23,561/yr 5,013 students
430
Colorado Christian UniversityD+
Lakewood, Colorado · United States · Global #941
64% graduation $50,416 median earnings $54,242/yr 5,549 students
431
Columbia Basin CollegeD+
Pasco, Washington · United States · Global #942
33% graduation $46,680 median earnings $18,261/yr 4,640 students
432
D
Dartmouth UniversityD+
North Dartmouth, Massachusetts · United States · Global #943
91% acceptance 52% graduation $68,804 median earnings $33,485/yr 5,221 students
433
Florida State College at JacksonvilleD+
Jacksonville, Florida · United States · Global #944
37% graduation $42,244 median earnings $9,323/yr 19,648 students
434
Geneva CollegeD+
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #945
61% graduation $50,004 median earnings $45,407/yr 1,096 students
435
Governors State UniversityD+
University Park, Illinois · United States · Global #946
48% acceptance 22% graduation $58,169 median earnings $24,227/yr 2,556 students
436
Hope CollegeD+
Holland, Michigan · United States · Global #947
33% acceptance 49% graduation $49,697 median earnings $51,784/yr 564 students
437
John Brown UniversityD+
Siloam Springs, Arkansas · United States · Global #948
76% acceptance 72% graduation $53,907 median earnings $44,710/yr 1,471 students
438
Lewis & Clark CollegeD+
Portland, Oregon · United States · Global #949
78% acceptance 75% graduation $62,205 median earnings $79,987/yr 2,120 students
439
Middle Tennessee State UniversityD+
Murfreesboro, Tennessee · United States · Global #950
69% acceptance 54% graduation $48,541 median earnings $24,289/yr 16,301 students
440
Millersville University of PennsylvaniaD+
Millersville, Pennsylvania · United States · Global #951
86% acceptance 58% graduation $55,246 median earnings $26,913/yr 5,728 students
441
Mount St. Mary's UniversityD+
Emmitsburg, Maryland · United States · Global #952
74% acceptance 65% graduation $64,072 median earnings $63,731/yr 1,768 students
442
Northwest Nazarene CollegeD+
Nampa, Idaho · United States · Global #953
65% acceptance 71% graduation $51,719 median earnings $55,163/yr 1,024 students
443
Olivet Nazarene UniversityD+
Bourbonnais, Illinois · United States · Global #954
56% acceptance 61% graduation $53,213 median earnings $51,981/yr 2,603 students
444
Purdue University NorthwestD+
Hammond, Indiana · United States · Global #955
72% acceptance 43% graduation $48,318 median earnings $15,571/yr 5,671 students
445
Regis UniversityD+
Denver, Colorado · United States · Global #956
86% acceptance 61% graduation $72,105 median earnings $54,800/yr 2,627 students
446
Roger Williams UniversityD+
Bristol, Rhode Island · United States · Global #957
88% acceptance 69% graduation $70,266 median earnings $61,950/yr 3,946 students
447
Samford UniversityD+
Birmingham, Alabama · United States · Global #958
82% acceptance 77% graduation $58,469 median earnings $57,456/yr 4,206 students
448
Southwest Minnesota State UniversityD+
Marshall, Minnesota · United States · Global #959
62% acceptance 45% graduation $51,342 median earnings $24,757/yr 2,315 students
449
Tuskegee UniversityD+
Tuskegee, Alabama · United States · Global #960
49% acceptance 55% graduation $49,641 median earnings $43,454/yr 2,630 students
450
University of Alabama at BirminghamD+
Birmingham, Alabama · United States · Global #961
88% acceptance 64% graduation $54,501 median earnings $28,145/yr 11,635 students
451
University of Alaska - FairbanksD+
Fairbanks, Alaska · United States · Global #962
38% graduation $48,866 median earnings $22,407/yr 4,207 students
452
university of illinois springfieldD+
Springfield, Illinois · United States · Global #963
86% acceptance 53% graduation $57,103 median earnings $25,521/yr 2,263 students
453
University of Massachusetts at DartmouthD+
North Dartmouth, Massachusetts · United States · Global #964
91% acceptance 52% graduation $68,804 median earnings $33,485/yr 5,221 students