America’s colleges and universities are a major point of focus for over-achieving U.S. students. Those looking to further their education and obtain immediate and high-paying employment straight out of school aim to be admitted to the best colleges they can get into. Preparation for college begins early these days, with even freshmen in high school taking SAT prep classes and parents paying for costly tutors.

Gaining acceptance to the best schools is not easy. And even those who obtain a coveted spot at top universities may struggle to find a way to pay for this best of the best education. America is now notorious for the debt its students accrue, with student loan debt hitting $1.74 trillion as of 2024. However, many would-be students see the hard work and years of future payments as necessities to become part of the American elite. 

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.

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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