In a recent podcast interview, the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, stated: “What I want to do and what I will do is you graduate from a college; I think you should get automatically as part of your diploma a green card to be able to stay in this country,” said Trump. “And that includes junior colleges too; anybody graduates from a college. You go there for two years or four years.” This shocking statement comes on the heels of his former administration’s record of blocking entry to high-skilled immigrants into the country. It seems unlikely that, despite this promise, Trump will pursue such legislation if elected. His longtime immigration advisor, Stephen Miller, would work to stop this potential influx of immigrants. A change like this could bring up to one million immigrants into the country annually.
For current US citizens and those who do get to study abroad here, attending a college or university in recent years has become significantly more challenging. The rising costs of an advanced education have contributed to many pondering tough questions. Is college attendance really worth the money spent? Are there alternatives to a college degree? According to the Federal Reserve Board, as of 2024, student loan debt in the U.S. has soared to about $1.74 trillion. Even with these additional costs and knowing their potential debt, a college degree is still perceived as key to entering the American middle class.
To identify America’s top colleges and universities, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the education and community research platform Niche’s Best Colleges in America ranking and university websites. Niche-ranked schools on a weighted index of multiple measures from the U.S. Department of Education and reviews from students and alumni. The measures used in this ranking are related to academics, value, student life, overall student experience, diversity, safety, and assessments of professors, the school campus, and the surrounding community. A detailed explanation of the methodology is available here.
Those colleges and universities that ranked at the top have some similar characteristics. All but two are East Coast schools. Seven of the top 10 are Ivy League institutions. The top 10 colleges and universities have less than 10% acceptance rates, making them highly selective and enhancing their reputation as the top colleges in the country.
Why Are We Talking About the Colleges and Universities in the US?
The colleges and universities that have made this list offer a long-standing history of academic excellence. Attending and completing college with a four-year degree or higher has the potential to allow one to earn more on average, increase the chances of employment, expand opportunities available, and prepare one for the future with valuable life skills.
Here are America’s top colleges and universities.
35. Barnard College (New York, NY)
- Acceptance rate: 11.5%
- Student-faculty ratio: 10-to-1
- Graduation rate: 92.8%
- College founded: 1889
- Average annual net price of tuition: $28,366
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 46.2% of 3,043 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $57,900
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 95.7
34. Tufts University (Medford, MA)
- Acceptance rate: 11.4%
- Student-faculty ratio: 6-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.8%
- College founded: 1852
- Average annual net price of tuition: $31,630
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 45.7% of 6,676 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $75,800
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 94.4
33. Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, PA)
- Acceptance rate: 7.8%
- Student-faculty ratio: 7-to-1
- Graduation rate: 94.1%
- College founded: 1860s
- Average annual net price of tuition: $19,733
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 78.1% of 1,651 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $56,700
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 98.5
32. Williams College (Williamstown, MA)
- Acceptance rate: 8.8%
- Student-faculty ratio: 6-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.8%
- College founded: 1793
- Average annual net price of tuition: $14,487
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 60.5% of 2,174 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $59,000
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 92.8
31. Davidson College (Davidson, NC)
- Acceptance rate: 17.8%
- Student-faculty ratio: 9-to-1
- Graduation rate: 89.6%
- College founded: 1837
- Average annual net price of tuition: $25,794
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 69.6% of 1,973 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $58,900
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: unavailable
30. University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA)
- Acceptance rate: 20.7%
- Student-faculty ratio: 7-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.7%
- College founded: 1819 (by Thomas Jefferson)
- Average annual net price of tuition: $20,401
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 62.5% of 17,294 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $61,200
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 94
29. Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME)
- Acceptance rate: 8.8%
- Student-faculty ratio: 8-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.8%
- College founded: 1794
- Average annual net price of tuition: $26,727
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 61.6% of 1,915 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $65,500
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 96.4
28. Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
- Acceptance rate: 16.0%
- Student-faculty ratio: 13-to-1
- Graduation rate: 91.9%
- College founded: 1885, as the Georgia School of Technology, changing its name in 1948
- Average annual net price of tuition: $17,360
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 72.1% of 17,360 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $79,100
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 95.9
27. University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN)
- Acceptance rate: 15.1%
- Student-faculty ratio: 7-to-1
- Graduation rate: 95.9%
- College founded: 1842
- Average annual net price of tuition: $30,510
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 68.2% of 8,973 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $78,400
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 95.1
26. University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)
- Acceptance rate: 12.5%
- Student-faculty ratio: 7-to-1
- Graduation rate: 92.0%
- College founded: 1880
- Average annual net price of tuition: $26,021
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 76.1% of 20,790 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $74,000
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 92.4
25. Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, CA)
- Acceptance rate: 11.2%
- Student-faculty ratio: 8-to-1
- Graduation rate: 92.7%
- College founded: 1946 (originally a college for men, women were admitted beginning in 1976)
- Average annual net price of tuition: $21,663
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 66% of 1,416 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $72,900
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 96.2
24. Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD)
- Acceptance rate: 7.5%
- Student-faculty ratio: 2-to-1
- Graduation rate: 94.6%
- College founded: 1876
- Average annual net price of tuition: $20,680
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 71.4% of 6,132 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $73,200
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 95.3
23. University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
- Acceptance rate: 6.5%
- Student-faculty ratio: 3-to-1
- Graduation rate: 95.9%
- College founded: 1890
- Average annual net price of tuition: $33,727
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 58% of 7,636 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $68,100
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 93.2
22. Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
- Acceptance rate: 8.7%
- Student-faculty ratio: 8-to-1
- Graduation rate: 94.1%
- College founded: 1865
- Average annual net price of tuition: $24,262
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 57.7% of 15,735 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $77,200
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 91.4
21. University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
- Acceptance rate: 20.2%
- Student-faculty ratio: 4-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.7%
- College founded: 1817
- Average annual net price of tuition: $19,485
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 70.2% of 32,282 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $63,400
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 94.8
20. Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Acceptance rate: 13.5%
- Student-faculty ratio: 5-to-1
- Graduation rate: 92.8%
- College founded: 1900, founded by Andrew Carnegie as Carnegie Technical School, later becoming Carnegie Institute of Technology. In 1967, it merged with Mellon University.
- Average annual net price of tuition: $30,695
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 58.9% of 6,932 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $83,600
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 93.4
19. University of California – Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
- Acceptance rate: 10.8%
- Student-faculty ratio: 7-to-1
- Graduation rate: 92.1%
- College founded: 1919
- Average annual net price of tuition: $11,994
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 56.3% of 32,122 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $60,700
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 91.1
18. Pomona College (Claremont, CA)
- Acceptance rate: 6.6%
- Student-faculty ratio: 7-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.0%
- College founded: 1887
- Average annual net price of tuition: $18,694
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 58.9% of 1,777 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $58,100
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 96.8
17. California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA)
- Acceptance rate: 3.9%
- Student-faculty ratio: 3-to-1
- Graduation rate: 92.9%
- College founded: 1891 as Throop University, later changing to Caltech in 1920.
- Average annual net price of tuition: $25,429
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 67.1% of 982 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $85,900
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: unknown
16. Washington University (St. Louis, MO)
- Acceptance rate: 13.0%
- Student-faculty ratio: 4-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.1%
- College founded: 1853
- Average annual net price of tuition: $28,298
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 52.6% of 8,132 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $70,100
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 96.8
15. Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
- Acceptance rate: 7.0%
- Student-faculty ratio: 3-to-1
- Graduation rate: 95.2%
- College founded: 1851
- Average annual net price of tuition: $26,861
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 65.7% of 8,847 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $69,000
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 94.5
14. Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
- Acceptance rate: 7.1%
- Student-faculty ratio: 5-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.4%
- College founded: 1873
- Average annual net price of tuition: $25,606
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 69.9% of 7,111 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $69,000
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 95.5
13. Duke University (Durham, NC)
- Acceptance rate: 5.9%
- Student-faculty ratio: 2-to-1
- Graduation rate: 95.9%
- College founded: 1838
- Average annual net price of tuition: $27,297
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 60.9% of 6,640 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $84,400
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 94.1
12. Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
- Acceptance rate: 12.0%
- Student-faculty ratio: 4-to-1
- Graduation rate: 95.2%
- College founded: 1789
- Average annual net price of tuition: $23,049
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 53.1% of 7,598 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $93,500
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 94.4
11. Harvey Mudd College (Claremont, CA)
- Acceptance rate: 10.0%
- Student-faculty ratio: 9-to-1
- Graduation rate: 94.4%
- College founded: 1955
- Average annual net price of tuition: $33,838
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 70% of 905 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $88,800
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 98.4
10. Brown University (Providence, RI)
- Acceptance rate: 5.5%
- Student-faculty ratio: 7-to-1
- Graduation rate: 95.8%
- College founded: 1764
- Average annual net price of tuition: $25,028
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 55.1% of 7,349 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $67,500
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 93.5
9. Rice University (Houston, TX)
- Acceptance rate: 9.5%
- Student-faculty ratio: 5-to-1
- Graduation rate: 92.3%
- College founded: 1912
- Average annual net price of tuition: $18,521
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 69.8% of 4,240 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $65,400
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 95.4
8. Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH)
- Acceptance rate: 6.2%
- Student-faculty ratio: 6-to-1
- Graduation rate: 93.6%
- College founded: 1769
- Average annual net price of tuition: $24,078
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 59.7% of 4,555 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $75,500
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 96.2
7. University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
- Acceptance rate: 5.9%
- Student-faculty ratio: 5-to-1
- Graduation rate: 96.2%
- College founded: 1740, by Benjamin Franklin
- Average annual net price of tuition: $14,578
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 63% of 10,106 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $85,900
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 96.1
6. Columbia University (New York, NY)
- Acceptance rate: 4.1%
- Student-faculty ratio: 2-to-1
- Graduation rate: 97.4%
- College founded: 1754
- Average annual net price of tuition: $12,411
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 57.6% of 8,161 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $83,300
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 93.2
5. Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
- Acceptance rate: 4.4%
- Student-faculty ratio: 5-to-1
- Graduation rate: 97.6%
- College founded: 1746
- Average annual net price of tuition: $20,908
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: unknown
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $74,700
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 92%
4. Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
- Acceptance rate: 4.0%
- Student-faculty ratio: 4-to-1
- Graduation rate: 96.7%
- College founded: 1636 (oldest in the country)
- Average annual net price of tuition: $13,910
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 73.3% of 9,579 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $89,900
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 93.9
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
- Acceptance rate: 4.1%
- Student-faculty ratio: 3-to-1
- Graduation rate: 96.2%
- College founded: 1861
- Average annual net price of tuition: $30,958
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: ?% of 4,756 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $104,000
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 93.4
2. Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
- Acceptance rate: 3.9%
- Student-faculty ratio: 2-to-1
- Graduation rate: 95.5%
- College founded: 1885
- Average annual net price of tuition: $14,402
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: ?% of 7,841 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $94,000
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 92.5
1. Yale University (New Haven, CT)
- Acceptance rate: 5.3%
- Student-faculty ratio: 2-to-1
- Graduation rate: 96.9%
- College founded: 1701
- Average annual net price of tuition: $20,605
- Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 56% of 6,590 undergraduates
- Median income for graduates six years after graduation: $83,000
- Percentage of graduates employed after 2 years: 94.2
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