2026 U.S. News Top 50 Colleges

Each fall, families and students watch closely as U.S. News & World Report releases its Best Colleges rankings. In September 2025, the highly anticipated 2026 edition was published.

This guide is built for parents and students who want the facts without the fluff. Here’s what you’ll find:

• What “National Universities” means (large, research-focused, bachelor’s-granting institutions in the U.S.)
• How U.S. News calculates its rankings in 2026
• The biggest shifts compared to 2025 (which schools rose, fell, or made notable moves)
• A Top-50 college profile list covering tuition, enrollment, selectivity, and flagship majors—directly referencing official school sources

How the 2026 Rankings Were Calculated

U.S. News evaluated roughly 1,700 four-year, bachelor’s-granting institutions and ranked National Universities using up to 17 weighted measures. For 2026, the methodology put the heaviest weight on student outcomes, followed by reputation, resources, selectivity, and research activity.

Student Outcomes (~47–53%)

• Graduation rates: 16% (21% if no SAT/ACT data)
• First-year retention: 5%
• Graduation-rate performance: 10%
• Pell Grant graduation rates: 5.5%
• Pell graduation performance: 5.5%
• Graduates earning more than high school-only peers: 5%
• Borrower debt: 5%

Reputation (~20%)

• Peer assessment surveys from presidents, provosts, and admissions leaders

Resources (~16–17%)

• Financial resources per student: 8%
• Faculty salaries: 6%
• Full-time faculty: 2%
• Student–faculty ratio: 3%

Student Selectivity (up to 5%)

• Standardized test scores (SAT/ACT): up to 5% (0% if no usable data)

Research & Scholarly Output (~4%)

• Citations per publication: 1.25%
• Field-weighted citation impact: 1.25%
• Publication share in top 5% journals: 1%
• Publication share in top 25% journals: 0.5%

Click to see the full U.S. News ranking methodology

Top 50 College Ranking 2026 vs. 2025

At the very top, rankings stayed relatively stable. Princeton, MIT, and Harvard hold the top three spots. But further down the list, significant changes stand out:

• University of Chicago jumped to #6 (+5 from 2025)
• Caltech fell to #11 (−5)
• Yale moved up to tie Stanford at #4 (+1)
• Among public universities: UC Berkeley leads at #15, followed by UCLA at #17

Institution	Rank (2026)	Rank (2025)	Change
Princeton	1	1	—
MIT	2	2	—
Harvard	3	3	—
Stanford	4 (tie)	4	—
Yale	4 (tie)	5	▲ +1
University of Chicago	6	11 (tie)	▲ +5
Duke	7 (tie)	6	▼ −1
Johns Hopkins	7 (tie)	6	▼ −1
Northwestern	7 (tie)	6	▼ −1
University of Pennsylvania	7 (tie)	10	▲ +3
California Institute of Technology	11	6	▼ −5
Cornell	12	11	▼ −1
Brown	13 (tie)	13	—
Dartmouth	13 (tie)	15	▲ +2
Columbia	15 (tie)	13	▼ −2
UC Berkeley	15 (tie)	17	▲ +2
Rice	17 (tie)	18	▲ +1
UCLA	17 (tie)	15	▼ −2
Vanderbilt	17 (tie)	18	▲ +1
Carnegie Mellon	20 (tie)	21	▲ +1
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor	20 (tie)	21	▲ +1
University of Notre Dame	20 (tie)	18	▼ −2
Washington University in St. Louis	20 (tie)	21	▲ +1
Emory	24 (tie)	24	—
Georgetown	24 (tie)	24	—
UNC Chapel Hill	26 (tie)	27	▲ +1
University of Virginia	26 (tie)	24	▼ −2
USC	28	27	▼ −1
UC San Diego	29	29	—
University of Florida	30 (tie)	30	—
UT Austin	30 (tie)	30	—
Georgia Tech	32 (tie)	33	▲ +1
NYU	32 (tie)	30	▼ −2
UC Davis	32 (tie)	33	▲ +1
UC Irvine	32 (tie)	33	▲ +1
Boston College	36 (tie)	37	▲ +1
Tufts	36 (tie)	37	▲ +1
University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign	36 (tie)	33	▼ −3
University of Wisconsin–Madison	36 (tie)	39	▲ +3
UC Santa Barbara	40	39	▼ −1
Ohio State	41	41	—
Boston University	42 (tie)	41	▼ −1
Rutgers University–New Brunswick	42 (tie)	41	▼ −1
University of Maryland–College Park	42 (tie)	44	▲ +2
University of Washington (Seattle)	42 (tie)	46	▲ +4
Lehigh	46 (tie)	46	—
Northeastern University	46 (tie)	54	▲ +8
Purdue (West Lafayette)	46 (tie)	46	—
University of Georgia	46 (tie)	46	—
University of Rochester	46 (tie)	44	▼ −2

Click to download the full Top 100 ranking shifts PDF

2026 Top 50 Colleges (National Universities)

Below is a mini-profile list of the Top 50 colleges for 2026. Each profile includes location, tuition, undergraduate enrollment, admissions selectivity, and flagship majors. Families can use this as a shortlist builder for further research.

1. Princeton University

• Location: Princeton, NJ
• Tuition (2025–26): $65,210
• Enrollment: ~5,800 undergrads
• Acceptance: ~4% (recent cycles, test-optional)
• Flagship majors: Public Policy (SPIA), Computer Science, Economics

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

• Location: Cambridge, MA
• Tuition (2025–26): $59,320
• Enrollment: ~4,500 undergrads
• Acceptance: ~4–5%
• SAT Middle-50%: ERW 740–780; Math 780–800
• Flagship majors: Engineering, Computer Science, Physics

3. Harvard University

• Location: Cambridge, MA
• Tuition (2025–26): $64,310
• Enrollment: ~7,000 undergrads
• Acceptance: ~3–4% (test-optional policy)
• Flagship majors: Economics, Computer Science, Government

4. Stanford University

• Location: Stanford, CA
• Tuition (2025–26): $67,731
• Enrollment: ~7,500 undergrads
• Flagship majors: Computer Science, Engineering, Economics

4. Yale University

• Location: New Haven, CT
• Tuition (2025–26): $69,900 
• Enrollment: ~6,900 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: test policy recently changed; ranges may update—see class profile
• Flagship majors: History, Economics, Global Affairs

6. University of Chicago

• Location: Chicago, IL
• Tuition (2025–26): $23,775 per quarter
• Enrollment: ~7,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: test-optional; Not published (see admissions)
• Flagship majors: Economics, Mathematics, Public Policy

7. Duke University

• Location: Durham, NC
• Tuition (2025–26): $70,265 
• Enrollment: ~6,900 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance: ~5% (Class of 2028)
• SAT middle-50%: 1520–1570 (recent class)
• Flagship majors: Biomedical Engineering, Public Policy, CS

7. Johns Hopkins University

• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Tuition (2025–26): $66,670 
• Enrollment: ~6,100 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance: selective; see admissions
• SAT middle-50%: ~1530–1570 (recent class)
• Flagship majors: Biomedical Engineering, Public Health, Neuroscience

7. Northwestern University

• Location: Evanston, IL
• Tuition (2025–26): $69,375 
• Enrollment: ~8,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: not consistently published; see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: Journalism (Medill), Economics, CS

7. University of Pennsylvania

• Location: Philadelphia, PA
• Tuition (2025–26): $63,204 
• Enrollment: ~10,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see class profile (policy and data updated by cycle)
• Flagship majors: Business (Wharton), Nursing, Computer & Information Science

11. California Institute of Technology

• Location: Pasadena, CA
• Tuition (2025–26):  $65,622
• Enrollment: ~1,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions (highly selective; testing policy noted)
• Flagship majors: Physics, Engineering, Computer Science

12. Cornell University

• Location: Ithaca, NY
• Tuition (2025–26): $71,266 
• Enrollment: ~16,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions (college-by-college)
• Flagship majors: Engineering, Hotel Administration, Agriculture/Life Sciences

13. Brown University

• Location: Providence, RI
• Tuition (2025–26): $71,700
• Enrollment: ~7,300 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: test-optional policy context; see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: Computer Science, Economics, Public Health

13. Dartmouth College

• Location: Hanover, NH
• Tuition (2025–26): $69,207
• Enrollment: ~4,500 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: Economics, Government, Engineering (Thayer)

15. Columbia University

• Location: New York, NY
• Tuition (2025–26): $71,170
• Enrollment: ~6,700 undergrads (Columbia College + SEAS)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: Engineering, Economics, Political Science

15. University of California, Berkeley

• Location: Berkeley, CA
• Tuition (2025–26):  $17,478(in-state), $44,734(out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~32,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: UC is test-free; acceptance varies by college
• Flagship majors: Computer Science, Engineering, Economics

17. Rice University

• Location: Houston, TX
• Tuition (2025–26): $66,540
• Enrollment: ~4,300 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Engineering, CS, Biochemistry

17. University of California, Los Angeles

• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Tuition (2025–26): $15,700 (in-state), 53.302(out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~32,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: UC is test-free; acceptance varies by major/college
• Flagship majors: Biology, Economics, Engineering

17. Vanderbilt University

• Location: Nashville, TN
• Tuition (2025–26): $67,934
• Enrollment: ~7,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see class profile (very selective)
• Flagship majors: Human & Organizational Development, Engineering, Economics

20. Carnegie Mellon University

• Location: Pittsburgh, PA
• Tuition (2025–26): $67,020
• Enrollment: ~7,300 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: Computer Science, Engineering, Design

20. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

• Location: Ann Arbor, MI
• Tuition (2025–26):
  • Michigan Residents (In-State)
  • First-Years/Sophomores: $18,346
  • Juniors/Seniors: $20,648
  • Nonresidents (Out-of-State)
  • First-Years/Sophomores: $63,962
  • Juniors/Seniors: $68,444
• Enrollment: ~32,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: Engineering, Business (Ross), Computer Science

20. University of Notre Dame

• Location: Notre Dame, IN
• Tuition (2025–26): $67,607
• Enrollment: ~8,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Finance, Political Science, Biology

20. Washington University in St. Louis

• Location: St. Louis, MO
• Tuition (2025–26): $68,240 
• Enrollment: ~8,100 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Biology, Engineering, Business

24. Emory University

• Location: Atlanta, GA
• Tuition: $67,080
• Enrollment: ~8,000 undergrads (Oxford + Atlanta)
• Acceptance / SAT: see class profile
• Flagship majors: Biology, Business, Nursing

24. Georgetown University

• Location: Washington, DC
• Tuition: $35,568.00 per semester
• Enrollment: ~7,500 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: International Relations, Government, Finance

26. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Location: Chapel Hill, NC
• Tuition: $7020 (in-state), $43,152(out-of-state)
• (in-state/out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~20,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Biology, Business, Media/Journalism

26. University of Virginia

• Location: Charlottesville, VA
• Tuition: Depends on majonr, for a detailed breakdown: 2025-26 Tuition and Fee Rates
• Enrollment: ~17,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Commerce, Government, Engineering

28. University of Southern California

• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Tuition: Tuition and Fees by Semester
• Enrollment: ~21,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Film/Media, Business, Engineering/CS

29. University of California, San Diego

• Location: La Jolla, CA
• Tuition: $20,505 (in-state), $58,107 (out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~33,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: UC is test-free; acceptance varies by college
• Flagship majors: Biology, Engineering, Data Science

30. University of Florida

• Location: Gainesville, FL
• Tuition: $6,381(in-state), $30,886(out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~35,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Business, Engineering, Biology

30. University of Texas at Austin

• Location: Austin, TX
• Tuition: Depends on major, for a detailed breakdown see: Tuition Rates Charts
• Enrollment: ~41,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: CS, Engineering, Business

32. Georgia Institute of Technology

• Location: Atlanta, GA
• Tuition: $10,512 (in-state), $33,596 (out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~18,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Engineering, CS, Industrial Design

32. New York University

• Location: New York, NY
• Tuition: $65,622, Click to view: Cost of Attendance
• Enrollment: ~30,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: Business (Stern), Film/Media, Performing Arts

32. University of California, Davis

• Location: Davis, CA
• Tuition: $14,934(in-state), 52,536 (out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~31,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: UC is test-free
• Flagship majors: Biology, Environmental Science, Engineering

32. University of California, Irvine

• Location: Irvine, CA
• Tuition: $14,934.00 (in-state), $52.536(out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~30,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: UC is test-free
• Flagship majors: CS, Biology, Business/ICS

36. Boston College

• Location: Chestnut Hill, MA
• Tuition: $72,180
• Enrollment: ~9,400 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Finance, Economics, Nursing

36. Tufts University

• Location: Medford, MA
• Tuition: $71,982
• Enrollment: ~6,700 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: IR, Biology, CS

36. University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign

• Location: Urbana–Champaign, IL
• Tuition: $18,046-$23,426 (in-state), $38,398-$46,498 (out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~34,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Engineering, CS, Accounting

36. University of Wisconsin–Madison

• Location: Madison, WI
• Tuition: $12,186 (in-state), $44,210 (out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~33,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Engineering, Economics, Biology

40. University of California, Santa Barbara

• Location: Santa Barbara, CA
• Tuition: $14,934 (in-state), $52,536 (out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~23,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: UC is test-free
• Flagship majors: Physics, Marine Science, Engineering

41. The Ohio State University

• Location: Columbus, OH
• Tuition: $13,641(in-state), $42,423(out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~47,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Business, Engineering, Health Sciences

42. Boston University

• Location: Boston, MA
• Tuition: $69,870
• Enrollment: ~18,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see CDS/admissions
• Flagship majors: Communications, Business, Engineering

42. Rutgers University–New Brunswick

• Location: New Brunswick, NJ
• Tuition: $14,933 (in-state), $35,758c(out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~36,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Pharmacy, Engineering, CS

42. University of Maryland, College Park

• Location: College Park, MD
• Tuition: see tuition/COA (in-state/out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~31,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: CS, Engineering, Business

42. University of Washington, Seattle

• Location: Seattle, WA
• Tuition: $12,008(in-state), $41,974(out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~36,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: CS, Engineering, Biology

46. Lehigh University

• Location: Bethlehem, PA
• Tuition: $66,810
• Enrollment: ~5,300 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Engineering, Business, Supply Chain

46. Northeastern University

• Location: Boston, MA
• Tuition: $67,200
• Enrollment: ~20,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions (policy evolved with test-optional)
• Flagship majors: CS, Business, Health Sciences (co-op model)

46. Purdue University–West Lafayette

• Location: West Lafayette, IN
• Tuition: $ 9,718.00 (in-state), $ 28,794.00 (out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~37,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Engineering, CS, Aviation

46. University of Georgia

• Location: Athens, GA
• Tuition: $10,034 (in-state), $30,878(out-of-state)
• Enrollment: ~31,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: see admissions
• Flagship majors: Business, Biology, Public Affairs

46. University of Rochester

• Location: Rochester, NY
• $69,030$69,030
• Enrollment: ~7,000 undergrads (latest)
• Acceptance / SAT: test-optional; see admissions
• Flagship majors: Optics, Biomedical Engineering, Music (Eastman)

Top 10 U.S. Universities by Highest Tuition (2025–26 Academic Year)

Rank	University	Location	Tuition (2025–26)	Enrollment (UG)	Flagship Majors
1	Boston College	Chestnut Hill, MA	$72,180	~9,400	Finance, Economics, Nursing
2	Brown University	Providence, RI	$71,700	~7,300	Computer Science, Economics, Public Health
3	Tufts University	Medford, MA	$71,982	~6,700	IR, Biology, CS
4	Cornell University	Ithaca, NY	$71,266	~16,000	Engineering, Hotel Administration, Agriculture/Life Sciences
5	Columbia University	New York, NY	$71,170	~6,700	Engineering, Economics, Political Science
6	Duke University	Durham, NC	$70,265	~6,900	Biomedical Engineering, Public Policy, CS
7	Northwestern University	Evanston, IL	$69,375	~8,000	Journalism, Economics, CS
8	Dartmouth College	Hanover, NH	$69,207	~4,500	Economics, Government, Engineering
9	Yale University	New Haven, CT	$69,900	~6,900	History, Economics, Global Affairs
10	University of Rochester	Rochester, NY	$69,030	~7,000	Optics, Biomedical Engineering, Music

While rankings are a helpful starting point, they shouldn’t be the final word in your decision-making.

When building a college list, weigh these factors beyond just rank:

• Net Price After Aid – Scholarships and grants can drastically change affordability.
• Program Fit – Specialized tracks, research labs, and internships aligned with your child’s interests.
• Student Outcomes – Graduate placement, early-career earnings, and alumni networks.
• Campus Environment – Location, size, support services, and student culture.

Rankings spotlight reputation and resources, but the most important factor is whether a school will help your child grow, thrive, and achieve their goals.

Next Steps for Readers

• Explore the full 2026 U.S. News Top 100 Colleges

Check out related guides:

• 20 Best Private High Schools in the U.S. for 2025–26
• 20 Best Private High Schools in New York for 2025–26
• 20 Best Private High Schools in California for 2025–26
• California Edu: Bay Area Top Public High School Districts
• New York Public School District Overview

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Source: U.S. News 2026 rankings announcement and methodology, Wikipedia, and official university websites.