The top universities in the US 2026US Rank 2026WUR Rank 2026UniversityOverallTeachingResearch EnvironmentResearch QualityIndustryInternational Outlook12Massachusetts Institute of Technology97.799.295.399.610091.92=3Princeton University97.298.297.3999885.4=3=5Harvard University97.195.910098.986.788.3=3=5Stanford University97.197.597.499.510083.957California Institute of Technology96.396.497.496.810087.969University of California, Berkeley94.487.39998.999.583.9710Yale University94.194.694.597.287.681.4814University of Pennsylvania90.888.190.396.197.978.4915The University of Chicago90.689.690.196.876.479.71016Johns Hopkins University90.184.689.996.310081.9=11=18Cornell University89.585.990.695.970.383.5=11=18University of California, Los Angeles89.58691.495.693.569.21320Columbia University89.487.887.895.974.883.71423University of Michigan-Ann Arbor86.985.787.393.881.465.81524Carnegie Mellon University8572.7839985.584.31625University of Washington83.7778097.681.670.11728Duke University82.978.774.295.410074.21830Northwestern University81.973.27696.9967119=31New York University81.674.678.594.374.874.1=20=41Georgia Institute of Technology77.160.875.890.499.181.5=20=41University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign77.167.980.785.384.462.32247University of California, San Diego76.666.463.797.110071.32350University of Texas at Austin75.867.87690.182.346.224=53University of Wisconsin-Madison7570.368.88882.6622564University of California, Dis72.863.966.484.986.577.12665Brown University72.6706187.469.669.92767Washington University in St Louis7260.856.297.574.573.82872University of California, Santa Barbara71.250.363.294.592.780.229=73University of Southern California71.159.859.692.774.971.530=76Boston University70.461.256.591.872.473.23178University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill70.363.859.691.375.949.93285Purdue University West Lafayette68.862.166.373.886.375.23388University of Minnesota67.560.35984.199.944.734=92Vanderbilt University66.753.848.195.691.960.83597University of California, Irvine66.447.852.891.298.476.336102Emory University65.953.846.294.682.866.437=103Rice University65.856.746.888.172.982.638=105Michigan State University65.757.155.982.769.967.3=39=108Ohio State University (Main campus)65.457.451.785.785.458.4=39=108Penn State (Main campus)65.454.861.980.470.857.841112University of Massachusetts65.35546.687.988.67542=116University of Maryland, College Park6550.458.389.169.548.943127University of Rochester63.651.844.586.39278.144=134University of Florida62.955.356.776.290.948.945=138University of Arizona62.648.352.586.180.653.746=145Case Western Reserve University6251.842.288.774.964.647=151Texas A&M University61.852.557.273.473.563.248=156University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campus61.449.243.39276.849.449159University of Colorado Boulder61.347.551.684.177.353.650=166University of Virginia (Main campus)60.751.141.786.67958.351180Dartmouth College6056.338.581.872.863.852=181University of California, Santa Cruz59.938.341.793.275.773.553189Tufts University59.451.334.788.276.661.954194University of Notre Dame59.152.845.873.572.569.955=198Indiana University58.847.136.987.385.362.4=56201–250Arizona State University (Tempe)56.4–58.639.644.584.170.770.6=56201–250Georgetown University56.4–58.652.235.382.19353.5=56201–250George Washington University56.4–58.648.534.384.467.867.5=56201–250Northeastern University, US56.4–58.638.432.490.569.279.6=56201–250University of Illinois Chicago56.4–58.650.135.280.176.157.5=56201–250University of Miami56.4–58.647.335.583.883.361.6=56201–250University of Utah56.4–58.643.439.286.591.441.7=63251–300Boston College54.3–56.345.833.1846059.4=63251–300University of Hawai’i at Mānoa54.3–56.338.94373.767.674=63251–300Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University54.3–56.341.941.277.576.763.1=66301–350Florida State University51.6–54.23939.573.867.357.2=66301–350Illinois Institute of Technology51.6–54.24126.977.392.473.5=66301–350North Carolina State University51.6–54.245.143.967.681.561.5=66301–350Rutgers University–New Brunswick51.6–54.245.331.478.469.158.6=66301–350Stony Brook University51.6–54.243.430.878.968.372.3=66301–350University at Buffalo51.6–54.242.334.575.473.471.7=66301–350University of California, Riverside51.6–54.237.432.679.569.875.1=66301–350University of Iowa51.6–54.246.834.374.989.952.3=74351–400Oregon Health and Science University49.9–51.538.820.991.687.934.2=74351–400University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus49.9–51.533.725.193.373.536.2=74351–400University of Connecticut49.9–51.540.628.673.469.166.3=74351–400University of Georgia (USA)49.9–51.541.538.367.466.651.9=74351–400University of Kansas49.9–51.545.429.870.779.356.2=74351–400University of South Florida49.9–51.533.635.57199.564.5=80401–500Brandeis University46.2–49.837.326.17064.579.7=80401–500Colorado School of Mines46.2–49.840.932.663.786.741.5=80401–500Drexel University46.2–49.842.425.572.174.760.6=80401–500Florida International University46.2–49.833.232.670.765.549.1=80401–500George Mason University46.2–49.83128.379.863.960.4=80401–500Iowa State University46.2–49.841.636.264.78744=80401–500Rush University46.2–49.844.516.480.663.530.4=80401–500Saint Louis University46.2–49.843.817.773.564.447.5=80401–500Syracuse University46.2–49.835.527.971.164.468.7=80401–500Temple University46.2–49.843.222.679.970.841.2=80401–500The University of Tennessee-Knoxville46.2–49.835.431.372.470.852.8=80401–500Tulane University46.2–49.84323.475.863.850.2=80401–500University of California, Merced46.2–49.831.62986.75847.7=80401–500University of Central Florida46.2–49.829.132.877.274.336.8=80401–500University of Delaware46.2–49.836.13268.580.458.1=80401–500University of Houston46.2–49.833.226.27368.875.3=80401–500University of Kentucky46.2–49.84429.668.871.143.6=80401–500University of Oregon46.2–49.834.73075.773.841.4=80401–500University of South Carolina-Columbia46.2–49.835.92474.864.656=80401–500University of Texas at Dallas46.2–49.829.226.676.673.863.4=80401–500Virginia Commonwealth University46.2–49.838.12381.375.335.4=80401–500Wake Forest University46.2–49.83823.280.592.338.7=80401–500Washington State University46.2–49.837.333.167.882.856.2=103501–600Colorado State University, Fort Collins43.6–46.13530.268.770.746.2=103501–600Georgia State University43.6–46.132.926.767.162.553.3=103501–600Missouri University of Science and Technology43.6–46.127.929.564.18975.2=103501–600Mizzou - University of Missouri43.6–46.139.826.263.669.352=103501–600New Jersey Institute of Technology43.6–46.127.523.365.268.591.9=103501–600Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute43.6–46.138.927.958.185.172.6=103501–600Stevens Institute of Technology43.6–46.127.625.272.267.879.2=103501–600The University of Tulsa43.6–46.141.417.570.658.860.7=103501–600University of Denver43.6–46.140.225.563.557.239.4=103501–600University of Missouri-Kansas City43.6–46.130.324.475.264.345.5=103501–600University of Nebraska-Lincoln43.6–46.133.131.463.968.659.7=103501–600University of Nebraska Medical Center43.6–46.138.517.379.467.340.8=103501–600Wayne State University43.6–46.138.922.172.180.142.1=116601–800American University39.0–43.535.718.663.641.643.6=116601–800Auburn University39.0–43.536.527.955.671.854.6=116601–800Kansas State University39.0–43.535.122.952.668.453.2=116601–800Lehigh University39.0–43.533.822.761.267.671.2=116601–800Louisiana State University39.0–43.534.120.660.865.746.2=116601–800Mississippi State University39.0–43.528.521.264.863.250.5=116601–800New Mexico State University (Main campus)39.0–43.526.224.566.256.245=116601–800Ohio University (Main campus)39.0–43.533.118.961.659.138.7=116601–800Oklahoma State University39.0–43.536.521.160.961.955.4=116601–800Rochester Institute of Technology39.0–43.524.222.665.562.346.7=116601–800SUNY Binghamton University39.0–43.533.226.954.764.644.1=116601–800SUNY University at Albany39.0–43.528.727.666.468.857.2=116601–800Texas Tech University39.0–43.531.62257.864.458.3=116601–800The University of Texas at San Antonio39.0–43.521.923.475.760.940.4=116601–800University of Alaska Fairbanks39.0–43.534.830.753.65567.6=116601–800University of Arkansas39.0–43.528.932.566.267.235.1=116601–800University of Maryland, Baltimore County39.0–43.527.527.261.367.655.8=116601–800University of Nevada, Las Vegas39.0–43.53122.971.952.440=116601–800University of North Carolina at Charlotte39.0–43.523.924.576.260.941.4=116601–800University of Texas at Arlington39.0–43.5252362.265.956.2=116601–800University of Toledo39.0–43.536.918.554.663.656.1=116601–800Worcester Polytechnic Institute39.0–43.532.621.459.667.257.6=138801–1000Baylor University35.5–38.94319.453.643.237.7=138801–1000Clark University35.5–38.927.219.357.244.266.8=138801–1000Florida Atlantic University35.5–38.921.924.653.766.353.7=138801–1000Northern Illinois University35.5–38.928.618.553.754.854.6=138801–1000Old Dominion University35.5–38.927.520.757.457.636.1=138801–1000Portland State University35.5–38.922.324.556.755.138.3=138801–1000Southern Illinois University Carbondale35.5–38.938.326.343.774.841.9=138801–1000The Catholic University of America35.5–38.944.520.440.570.948.6=138801–1000The University of Alabama35.5–38.928.622.459.45039.3=138801–1000University of Rhode Island35.5–38.929.6235553.251.6=138801–1000University of Wyoming35.5–38.936.415.357.254.139.6=138801–1000William & Mary35.5–38.939.222.653.945.736.9=1501001–1200Central Michigan University32.1–35.430.216.849.647.440.7=1501001–1200Clarkson University32.1–35.432.618.236.863.665.4=1501001–1200Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University32.1–35.433.819.843.146.550=1501001–1200Florida Institute of Technology32.1–35.429.417.845.860.560.6=1501001–1200Montana State University32.1–35.424.721.748.764.536.3=1501001–1200Nova Southeastern University32.1–35.439.413.841.848.937.4=1501001–1200San Diego State University32.1–35.422.912.857.25734.2=1501001–1200South Dakota Mines32.1–35.425.821.342.973.151.8=1501001–1200The New School32.1–35.429.914.343.525.766.6=1501001–1200University of Memphis32.1–35.430.119.348.662.745.8=1501001–1200University of South Dakota32.1–35.436.216.943.738.333.3=1501001–1200University of Texas at El Paso32.1–35.42830.241.743.744.7=1621201–1500Oakland University27.3–32.027.716.744.550.838.5=1621201–1500Rowan University27.3–32.029.613.245.340.639.8=1621201–1500Texas State University27.3–32.018.920.248.440.645.8=1621201–1500University of Nebraska Omaha27.3–32.017.916.949.841.836.2=1661501+Adelphi University10.3–27.225.57.926.218.135.8=1661501+Georgia Southern University10.3–27.218.312.237.234.732.6=1661501+Grand Valley State University10.3–27.221.29.431.628.536.1=1661501+Morgan State University10.3–27.219.714.329.823.654.7=1661501+Pace University-New York10.3–27.235.58.324.932.149.8=1661501+University of Texas Rio Grande Valley10.3–27.2189.645.823.743.4Key insights from the 2026 Times Higher Education US College Rankings There are 171 US universities and colleges are included in the 2026 THE World University RankingsAlmost all states and about 130 cities are represented in the best US universities list.Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) secures the top spot as the best university in the United States.Harvard University and Princeton University complete the top three.Public universities show strong representation, with University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) all ranking in the top 20. Choosing a college in the US
The US is a very popular choice for international students. There are more than 4,000 universities in the country for students to choose from including the prestigious Ivy League universities.
For students wishing to study in the US, you can check our our guides on applying to university in the US and on applying for a student visa to study in the US.
The table for the best universities in the US was derived from data collected from the THE World University Rankings. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry and international outlook. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the US university ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.
