Best College in Every State
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The college search process can be overwhelming. But here’s one way to approach it: Look for the best schools in your state. Some families love to maintain proximity. There’s also a potential financial benefit, as residents can take advantage of in-state tuition, at least at most public universities.
To figure out the best-ranked colleges in each state, we sifted through Niche’s 2021 Best Colleges in America, then checked state-by-state to find the top university in each, plus the runners-up.
These are the best colleges in every state.
Alabama: Auburn University
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Location: Auburn
Net price per year: $23,205
Acceptance rate: 75 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 137
Note: Niche uses many factors to make its annual list, including admissions data, costs and student life information from the U.S. Department of Education, and student and alumni reviews. For 2021, it ranked 2,917 schools.
Bottom Line: Auburn University
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Auburn University is the Heart of Dixie’s top university.
The public school has over 21,000 undergraduate students and a high acceptance rate at 75 percent.
It’s the state’s second-largest university, and it opened in 1856 as the East Alabama Male College.
Alabama Runners-Up
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No. 2: The University of Alabama
- Home of the Crimson Tide, the University of Alabama’s Tuscaloosa campus is synonymous with American football. The school’s football program dates to 1892.
No. 3: The University of Alabama, Huntsville
- PayScale.com ranked the University of Alabama, Huntsville as the best value college in the state based on the cost of the degree and future earning potential.
No. 4: Samford University
No. 5: The University of Alabama, Birmingham
- Established in 1969, the school has approximately 22,000 students and hosts one of the largest medical centers in the U.S.
Alaska: University of Alaska Southeast
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Location: Juneau
Net price per year: $8,927
Acceptance rate: 63 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 335
Bottom Line: University of Alaska Southeast
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The small university — enrollment is less than 700 undergraduate students — received an overall grade of B+ from Niche.
Students mostly study liberal arts and humanities, business and nursing.
Alaska Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Alaska Fairbanks
- It has a 76 percent acceptance rate.
No. 3: University of Alaska Anchorage
- The school has just over 15,000 undergraduate students and was founded in 1954.
No. 4: Alaska Pacific University
- The private, Christian university is located in Anchorage.
No. 5: Ilisagvik College
Arizona: Arizona State University
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Location: Tempe
Net price per year: $13,731
Acceptance rate: 85 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 144
Bottom Line: Arizona State University
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Arizona State University is the Grand Canyon State’s top school.
With an acceptance rate of 85 percent, this public university has nearly 40,000 undergraduate students, making it one of the largest schools on our list.
ASU is also known to be one of the nation’s top party schools. Party hard, Sun Devils.
Arizona Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Arizona
No. 3: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott
- ERAU is the largest accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace.
No. 4: Arizona State University, Downtown Phoenix Campus
- ASU’s downtown Phoenix campus is home to the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. College Magazine ranked the program as the No. 4 journalism school in the U.S. in 2019.
No. 5: Arizona State University, West Campus
- ASU’s northwest Phoenix campus borders the city of Glendale and houses programs in health, business, education, and interdisciplinary arts and sciences. The campus’s architecture was inspired by the architecture at the University of Oxford.
Arkansas: Hendrix College
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Location: Fayetteville
Net price per year: $22,732
Acceptance rate: 72 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 152
Bottom Line: Hendrix College
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The private university in Conway has been graduating students since 1876.
It has a small student body with just under 1,500 students, mostly undergraduates, which makes Hendrix a tight-knit community.
Although it’s affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the school has a secular curriculum.
Arkansas Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Arkansas
- The home of the Razorbacks was founded in 1871 as Arkansas Industrial University. Vitamin E was found by University of Arkansas chemistry professor Barnett Sure in the early 20th century.
No. 3: Ouachita Baptist University
- Named after the river that forms part of the eastern campus boundary line, the private, Baptist liberal arts college is located in Arkadelphia.
No. 4: Harding University
- Harding is a private university in Searcy with nearly 6,000 students. The conservative Christian school requires that students attend weekly chapel service and take bible study courses.
No. 5: John Brown University
- Home of the Golden Eagles, the Siloam Springs private, Christian school is interdenominational and has just over 2,600 students, mostly undergraduates.
California: Stanford University
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Location: Palo Alto
Net price per year: $17,271
Acceptance rate: 4 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 3
Bottom Line: Stanford University
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Stanford is a private school located in the San Francisco Bay area.
The school has an even lower acceptance rate than MIT (the top school on our list) at just 4 percent (MIT’s is 7 percent).
California Runners-Up
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No. 2: California Institute of Technology
- With seven current Nobel Laureates at this specialized Pasadena university, Caltech is one of the foremost science and engineering institutes in the world.
No. 3: University of Southern California
- USC has approximately 20,000 students and is ranked No. 20 in U.S. News’s Best Colleges rankings. Like ASU, USC is known to be a party school.
No. 4: Pomona College
- The school, founded in Claremont in 1887 by Congregationalists, was modeled after the small New England schools that the Congregationalists founded in eastern U.S. states.
No. 5: University of California, Los Angeles
- Nearly 14,000 high school seniors and 5,200 transfer students were accepted after a very competitive admissions process for the 2018-19 year. UCLA administration officials announced plans to reserve more places for California residents in the coming years.
Colorado: The Colorado School of Mines
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Location: Golden
Net price per year: $25,767
Acceptance rate: 49 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 79
Bottom Line: The Colorado School of Mines
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The small public university in Golden offers a big-time education.
The school has a focus on engineering and geological sciences, and a 49 percent acceptance rate.
Golden is also home to the Coors Brewing Company. Cheers, Mines students!
Colorado Runners-Up
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No. 2: Colorado College
- The private school in the mountain town of Colorado Springs has an alternative take on how students learn. Rather than signing up for multiple classes, CC students take only one class at a time, for 3.5 weeks at a time.
No. 3: University of Colorado, Boulder
- Home of the Buffalos, CU was founded in 1876, five months before Colorado was admitted to the Union. Go Buffs!
No. 4: University of Denver
- Founded in 1864, DU is the oldest private higher education institution in the Rockies.
No. 5: Colorado State University
- Located in the town of Fort Collins, CSU has nearly 34,000 students.
Connecticut: Yale University
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Location: New Haven
Net price per year: $18,748
Acceptance rate: 6 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 3
Bottom Line: Yale University
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Surprise, surprise: The best university in Connecticut is Yale University. The private, Ivy League institution has just a 6 percent acceptance rate.
Yale is the third-oldest university in the U.S. and one of the nine colonial colleges that date back to before the American Revolution.
Yale also practices need-blind admissions, meaning it doesn’t consider a prospective student’s financial resources when determining whether or not to grant admission.
Connecticut Runners-Up
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No. 2: Wesleyan University
- Located in Middleton, the school was founded in 1831 as a men’s university and currently has just over 3,200 students.
No. 3: University of Connecticut
- Located in Storrs, the university dates back to 1881 and has nearly 24,000 undergraduates.
No. 4: Trinity College, Connecticut
- The second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut was founded in 1823 as an alternative to Yale.
No. 5: Fairfield University
- The Jesuit School located in the city that bears the same name was ranked by U.S. News as the best regional university for the Northern Region.
Delaware: University of Delaware
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Location: Newark
Net price per year: $15,883
Acceptance rate: 66 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 131
Bottom Line: University of Delaware
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With an acceptance rate of 66 percent, this public university has just over 18,000 undergraduate students.
Popular majors include finance, liberal arts and humanities, and marketing.
The average starting salary for graduates is $46,700.
Delaware Runners-Up
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No. 2: Goldey-Beacom College
- Home of the Lightning, the school in Pike-Creek Valley has less than 3,000 students.
No. 3: Delaware State University
- Established in 1891, DSU is a historically black college in the city of Dover.
No. 4: Wilmington University
- Eighty-seven percent of WilmU students work part- or full-time.
No. 5: Delaware Technical Community College, Terry
- DelTech has four campuses: Stover, Georgetown, Stanton and Wilmington, and was established in 1966.
District of Columbia: Georgetown University
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Net price per year: $28,509
Acceptance rate: 15 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 25
Bottom Line: Georgetown University
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The private, Catholic university has fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students.
Many of them are focused on political science, government and international relations.
It makes sense for the top school in the nation’s capital.
Washington, D.C., Runners-Up
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No. 2: George Washington University
- It’s ranked No. 13 in the U.S. for International Relations studies.
No. 3: American University
- It’s ranked No. 12 in the U.S. for International Relations studies.
No. 4: Catholic University of America
- It’s ranked No. 23 in the U.S. for Catholic colleges.
No. 5: Howard University
- The historically black college has an undergraduate population of just over 6,000 students.
Florida: University of Florida
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Location: Gainesville
Net price per year: $11,313
Acceptance rate: 39 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 56
Bottom Line: University of Florida
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Home of the Florida Gators, UF at Gainesville has a 39 percent acceptance rate and over 30,000 undergraduate students.
The university has one of the top agricultural sciences programs in the country.
And outside the classroom, the Gators rank No. 1 for college athletics in America out of 1,401 schools.
Florida Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Miami
- Home of the Hurricanes, the private research institution in Coral Gables has nearly 30,000 students.
No. 3: Florida State University
No. 4: University of South Florida
- USF in Tampa educates nearly 25,000 undergraduates.
No. 5: University of Central Florida
- The school ranks No. 14 in the U.S. for culinary arts.
Georgia: Georgia Institute of Technology
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Location: Atlanta
Net price per year: $16,950
Acceptance rate: 22 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 27
Bottom Line: Georgia Institute of Technology
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The Georgia Institute of Technology was established in 1885.
Today, the public research university has more than 32,000 students and is ranked No. 3 for public universities in America.
Georgia Runners-Up
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No. 2: Emory University
- Emory was founded in 1836 by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named after the church’s bishop, John Emory.
No. 3: University of Georgia
- The “birthplace of higher public education in America,” as UGA calls itself, was chartered in Athens in 1785.
No. 4: Mercer
- The private university located in Macon has a 72 percent acceptance rate.
No. 5: Spelman College
- Established in 1881, the historically black college for women in Atlanta has had many notable alumni over the years, including author Alice Walker and Marian Wright Edelman, founder and honorary president of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF).
Hawaii: Brigham Young University–Hawaii
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Location: Laie
Net price per year: $12,871
Acceptance rate: 45 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 383
Bottom Line: Brigham Young University–Hawaii
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Brigham Young University–Hawaii is the top school in the Aloha State.
Located in the city of Laie, on the island of Oahu, the university has nearly 3,000 undergrads and accepts 45 percent of applicants.
Brigham Young is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Hawaii Runners- Up
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No. 2: University of Hawaii, West Oahu
- It ranks No. 186 overall in public colleges in the U.S.
No. 3: University of Hawaii, Manoa
- The public research university is the main campus of the University of Hawaii system.
No. 4: Chaminade University of Honolulu
- The private, Marianist university in Honolulu has less than 3,000 students and was founded in 1955.
No. 5: Hawaii Pacific University
- The private university in Honolulu and has an acceptance rate of 75 percent.
Idaho: University of Idaho
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Location: Moscow
Net price per year: $15,061
Acceptance rate: 77 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 295
Bottom Line: University of Idaho
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The University of Idaho is the top school in the Gem State.
With a little over 7,000 undergraduates, 77 percent of applicants are admitted.
The public university in the city of Moscow was Idaho’s only university for 71 years until 1963.
Idaho Runners-Up
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No. 2: Northwest Nazarene University
- Located in Nampa, the school has nearly 2,060 students and is a private, Christian liberal arts college.
No. 3: The College of Idaho
- The private, residential liberal arts college in Caldwell, founded in 1891, is the state’s oldest private liberal arts college.
No. 4: Boise State University
- Home of the Boise State Broncos, the public research university has just over 25,000 students.
No. 5: Brigham Young University–Idaho
- Niche ranks it as the No. 1 conservative school in the U.S.
Illinois: Northwestern University
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Location: Evanston
Net price per year: $27,540
Acceptance rate: 8 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 14
Bottom Line: Northwestern University
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Located in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, the school has just over 8,000 undergraduate students.
Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism is one of the world’s best journalism schools.
Illinois Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Chicago
- The private, non-denomination research university in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood is the alma matter of a long list of notable alums, including film critic Roger Ebert.
No. 3: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- The public research institution founded in 1867 has nearly 50,000 students.
No. 4: Wheaton College, Illinois
- The Protestant college was founded by evangelical abolitionists in 1860 and was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
No. 5: DePaul University
- Located in Chicago, DePaul has a 68 percent acceptance rate.
Indiana: University of Notre Dame
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Location: South Bend
Net price per year: $30,229
Acceptance rate: 18 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 16
Bottom Line: University of Notre Dame
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Bearing the name of the famous Parisian cathedral that caught fire in 2019, the University of Notre Dame is the best school in the Hoosier State.
This famous Catholic school renowned for its athletics is also academically rigorous.
Indiana Runners-Up
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No. 2: Purdue University
- With nearly 44,000 students, the school in West Lafayette was founded in 1869 by local businessman John Purdue.
No. 3: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
- Located in Terre Haute, the school has been around since 1874, and its mascot is Rosie the Elephant.
No. 4: Indiana University–Bloomington
No. 5: Wabash College
- The small men’s school in Crawfordsville has less than 900 students.
Iowa: Grinnell College
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Location: Grinnell
Net price per year: $30,808
Acceptance rate: 24 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 68
Bottom Line: Grinnell College
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Grinnell College has less than 2,000 undergraduate students.
The four-year private school counts jazz musician Herbie Hancock and Intel co-founder Robert Noyce among its alumni.
Iowa Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Iowa
- Home of the Hawkeyes, the public research institution is the oldest and second-largest college in the state. It has approximately 33,000 students.
No. 3: Iowa State University
No. 4: Drake University
- Located in Des Moines, the private school established in 1881 has just over 5,000 students.
No. 5: Luther College
- Established by Norwegian immigrants in 1861, the school was originally a Lutheran seminary and today belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
Kansas: Kansas State University
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Location: Lawrence
Net price per year: $18,365
Acceptance rate: 93 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 174
Bottom Line: Kansas State University
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The main campus for Kansas State is in Manhattan.
The public research university has over 22,000 students.
Popular majors include animal sciences and husbandry, business, and mechanical engineering.
Kansas Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Kansas
- With a high acceptance rate, this four-year public university has just over 17,000 undergraduate students. Home of the Jayhawks, the University of Kansas is known for its men’s basketball team.
No. 3: Pittsburg State University
- The school in Pittsburg offers students the benefit of flat-rate tuition, meaning tuition rates don’t depend on how many class hours students are taking.
No. 4: Baker University
- The school is ranked No. 88 for nursing studies in the U.S.
No. 5: Newman University
- The school in Wichita has an acceptance rate of 62 percent.
Kentucky: University of Louisville
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Location: Louisville
Net price per year: $17,098
Acceptance rate: 72 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 265
Bottom Line: University of Louisville
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The University of Louisville is the home of the Cardinals.
The school is a member of the Kentucky State University System and has close to 12,000 undergraduate students.
It is a highly rated public institution that's known for its diversity.
Kentucky Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Kentucky
- The public school, which has more than 20,000 undergrads, is known for its rich Greek life. It counts actress Ashley Judd and Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell among its alumni.
No. 3: Centre College Berea College
No. 4: Berea College
- The school in Madison County is tuition-free for students.
No. 5: Transylvania University
- It has 46 majors and has no application fee.
Louisiana: Tulane University
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Location: New Orleans
Net price per year: $37,692
Acceptance rate: 17 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 66
Bottom Line: Tulane University
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The private four-year university in the Big Easy has less than 7,000 undergraduate students and an acceptance rate of 17 percent.
Founded in 1834 as a medical college, the school became a full university in 1847.
Louisiana Runners-Up
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No. 2: Louisiana Tech University
- Louisiana Tech, which is part of the University of Louisiana system, has just over 12,000 students.
No. 3: Louisiana State University
- Famous for its purple and gold colors, the LSU Tiger’s main campus is in Baton Rouge.
No. 4: Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
- The private, Catholic university system has a little over 500 students.
No. 5: University of Louisiana, Lafayette
Maine: Bowdoin College
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Location: Brunswick
Net price per year: $24,831
Acceptance rate: 10 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 26
Bottom Line: Bowdoin College
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Bowdoin College, a four-year private school in Brunswick, has a 10 percent acceptance rate and counts the CEO of Netflix as one of its most successful graduates.
Maine Runners-Up
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No. 2: Colby College
- Established in 1813, Colby College is the home of the Mules.
No. 3: Bates College
- Established in 1855 in Lewiston, the school has 33 Victorian houses as part of its dormitories.
No. 4: Maine Maritime Academy
No. 5: University of Maine
Maryland: Johns Hopkins University
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Location: Baltimore
Net price per year: $27,868
Acceptance rate: 11 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 21
Bottom Line: Johns Hopkins University
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Johns Hopkins University is the top school in the Old Line State, and it’s the U.S.’s first research university.
Its alumni include Gertrude Stein, Woodrow Wilson and Michael Bloomberg.
Maryland Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Maryland,College Park
- Kiplinger listed the University of Maryland among the top 10 U.S. public colleges for in-state students in 2019.
No. 3: Loyola University Maryland
No. 4: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Home of the Retrievers, the public research school has 14,000 students.
No. 5: St. Mary’s College of Maryland
- Home of the Seahawks, the school is a National Public Honors College and has 1,800 students.
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Location: Cambridge
Net price per year: $18,971
Acceptance rate: 7 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 1
Bottom Line: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the No. 1 school in the U.S.
MIT, as it’s often known, has just a 7 percent acceptance rate and less than 5,000 undergraduate students.
The average starting salary for MIT alumni is $82,200.
Massachusetts Runners-Up
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No. 2: Harvard University
- The oldest university in the U.S., Harvard comes in at the second-best university in the state and the U.S.
No. 3: Tufts University
No. 4: Williams College
- It’s the No. 6-ranked small college in the U.S., according to Niche.
No. 5: Amherst College
- Founded in 1821, Amherst has less than 2,000 undergraduate students.
Michigan: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Location: Ann Arbor
Net price per year: $16,856
Acceptance rate: 23 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 23
Bottom Line: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Part of the so-called Big Ten Conference (there are actually 14 schools), the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor is one of the few public universities on this list.
The school has a 23 percent acceptance rate and nearly 30,000 undergraduate students.
Michigan Runners-Up
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No. 2: Michigan State
- Home of the Spartans, MSU served as a model institution for land-grant colleges after the passing of the Morrill Act in 1862.
No. 3: Michigan Technological University
- With a 74 percent acceptance rate, the public research university has over 7,200 students.
No. 4: Hope College
- The Christian college in Holland was established in 1866 and has approximately 3,200 undergraduates.
No. 5: Kalamazoo College
- The school was founded in 1833 and is among the 100 oldest colleges and universities in the nation.
Minnesota: Carleton College
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Location: Northfield
Net price per year: $32,336
Acceptance rate: 21 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 30
Bottom Line: Carleton College
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Carleton College also ranks No. 4 on Niche’s list of best liberal arts colleges in the U.S.
Minnesota Runners-Up
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No. 2: Macalester College
- The private school in St. Paul is for undergraduate students only.
No. 3: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
- The school has a 52 percent acceptance rate and nearly 60,000 students.
No. 4: St. Olaf College
- The coeducational, residential university in Northfield was established in 1874 by a group of Norwegian immigrants and is affiliated with the Lutheran Church.
No. 5: Gustavus Adolphus University
Mississippi: Mississippi State University
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Location: Starkville
Net price per year: $16,670
Acceptance rate: 57 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 167
Bottom Line: Mississippi State University
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The top school in the Magnolia State is known for its Greek life and counts author John Grisham among its alumni.
The university is ranked No. 15 in the U.S. for agricultural sciences.
Mississippi Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Mississippi
- Known locally and throughout the U.S. as Ole Miss, the school has nearly 24,000 students.
No. 3: Millsaps College
- The school in Jacksonville was founded in 1890 by members of the Methodist church.
No. 4: Mississippi College
No. 5: University of Southern Mississippi
- The public university in Hattiesburg has a 98 percent acceptance rate.
Missouri: Washington University
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Location: St. Louis
Net price per year: $27,931
Acceptance rate: 15 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 15
Bottom Line: Washington University
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Washington University’s School of Medicine is one of the nation’s best medical schools.
And WashU ranks as the No. 4 school for architecture.
Missouri Runners-Up
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No. 2: Saint Louis University
No. 3: University of Missouri
No. 4: Missouri University of Science & Technology
- Located in Rolla and founded in 1870, the school has less than 9,000 students.
No. 5: Rockhurst University
- It ranks No. 24 among Catholic colleges in the U.S.
Montana: Montana State University
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Location: Bozeman
Net price per year: $15,801
Acceptance rate: 82 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 380
Bottom Line: Montana State University
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The public university in Bozeman is the largest university in Montana, a state with a population of just under 1,000,000 people in the 2010 census.
It’s got more than 12,000 undergraduate students.
Montana Runners-Up
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No. 2: Montana Technical University
- The public, four-year university has a 92 percent acceptance rate and less than 2,000 undergraduate students..
No. 3: Carroll College
- The Roman Catholic university in Helena has less than 1,500 students.
No. 4: Rocky Mountain College
No. 5: University of Montana, Western
- Located in Dillon, equine studies and liberal arts and humanities are among the most popular topics of study.
Nebraska: University of Nebraska, Lincoln
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Location: Lincoln
Net price per year: $17,315
Acceptance rate: 80 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 190
Bottom Line: University of Nebraska, Lincoln
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The Cornhusker State’s top university has nearly 20,000 undergraduate students.
The Cornhuskers are a member of the Big Ten Conference.
Nebraska Runners-Up
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No. 2: Creighton University
- The Jesuit school in Omaha was founded in 1878 and has just over 8,000 students.
No. 3: Nebraska Wesleyan University
- The private Methodist school has 2,100 students and is located in Lincoln.
No. 4: University of Nebraska, Kearney
- Home of the Lopers, the school has been around since 1905.
No. 5: College of St. Mary
- The Omaha school ranks No. 13 among the best women’s colleges in the U.S.
Nevada: University of Nevada, Reno
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Location: Reno
Net price per year: $15,723
Acceptance rate: 88 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 352
Bottom Line: University of Nevada, Reno
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The public university has over 15,000 undergraduate students and accepts 88 percent of applicants.
It’s known for its earthquake research.
Nevada Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- UNLV has an 82 percent acceptance rate and just over 30,000 students.
No. 3: Nevada State College
- The school has an 81 percent acceptance rate and is a public university.
No. 4: Great Basin College
- GBU has a 100 percent acceptance rate. Popular majors include nursing assistant, emergency medical technician (EMT paramedic), liberal arts and humanities.
No. 5: College of Southern Nevada
- The Las Vegas school has just over 9,000 undergraduate students.
New Hampshire: Dartmouth College
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Location: Hanover
Net price per year: $23,394
Acceptance rate: 9 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 13
Bottom Line: Dartmouth College
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The Granite State’s top university dates to 1769, making it the ninth-oldest higher education institution in the U.S.
Dartmouth includes Robert Frost, Dr. Seuss and Shonda Rhimes among its long list of notable alumni.
New Hampshire Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of New Hampshire
- The school in Durham was established in 1866. It has a 77 percent acceptance rate.
No. 3: University of New Hampshire, Manchester
- Even with a 68 percent acceptance rate, the Manchester campus has less than 600 undergraduate students.
No. 4: Saint Anselm College
No. 5: Southern New Hampshire University
- The school ranks No. 51 in the U.S. for culinary arts schools.
New Jersey: Princeton University
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Location: Princeton
Net price per year: $16,192
Acceptance rate: 5 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 6
Bottom Line: Princeton University
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Another Ivy League school on our list, Princeton University has less than 6,000 undergraduate students.
Notable alumni include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the richest person in the world.
New Jersey Runners-Up
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No. 2: Stevens Institute of Technology
No. 3: Rutgers University, New Brunswick
- Established in 1766, the New Brunswick campus of the public research university is one of three regional campuses. The school has over 40,000 students and an acceptance rate of 60 percent.
No. 4: The College of New Jersey
- Established in 1855, the school has over 7,300 students.
No. 5: Rutgers University, Newark
- The Newark campus of the eighth-oldest university in the U.S. has just over 7,000 undergraduate students.
New Mexico: New Mexico Tech
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Location: Socorro
Net price per year: $14,641
Acceptance rate: 23 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 159
Bottom Line: New Mexico Tech
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With an acceptance rate of just 23 percent, this school is one of the most competitive public universities on our list.
The small school has just over 1,000 undergraduate students.
The college counts Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton Hotels chain, among its alumni.
New Mexico Runners-Up
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No. 2: New Mexico State University
- Founded in 1888, the school has nearly 25,000 students and a 66 percent acceptance rate.
No. 3: University of New Mexico
No. 4: Eastern New Mexico University
- The public university in Portales has just over 6,000 students and was established in 1927.
No. 5: Western New Mexico University
- The public university is located in Silver City and has around 1,200 undergraduates.
New York: Columbia University
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Location: New York City
Net price per year: $21,220
Acceptance rate: 6 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 12
Bottom Line: Columbia University
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Columbia University is another Ivy League school on our list.
This top university is located in the Big Apple and is one of the nine colonial colleges.
New York Runners-Up
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No. 2: Cornell University
- The Ivy League school in Ithaca was founded in 1865, and the school’s famous medical school, the Weill Cornell Medical School, now has a campus in Qatar.
No. 3: United States Military Academy at West Point
- Home of the Black Knights, the famous military school has less than 5,000 students and an 11 percent acceptance rate.
No. 4: Barnard College
No. 5: Colgate
- The private university in Hamilton has just under 3,000 undergraduate students and an acceptance rate of 25 percent.
North Carolina: Duke University
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Location: Durham
Net price per year: $19,785
Acceptance rate: 9 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 5
Bottom Line: Duke University
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The four-year private university was founded by Methodists and Quakers in Trinity in 1838 and moved to Durham in 1892
It has less than 7,000 undergraduate students and an acceptance rate of 9 percent.
It’s the No. 1 school in America for public policy and is home to one of the country’s best medical schools, among other top programs.
North Carolina Runners-Up
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No. 2: Wake Forest University
- The private school in Winston-Salem was established in 1834 and has approximately 8,116 students and an acceptance rate of 29 percent.
No. 3: Davidson College
- Located in Davidson, the school has a 19 percent acceptance rate and less than 2,000 undergraduate students.
No. 4: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Home of the Tar Heels, the school was established in 1789 and touts itself as the country’s first public university.
No. 5: North Carolina State University
- The home of the Wolfpack in Raleigh has just under 30,000 students.
North Dakota: North Dakota State University
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Location: Fargo
Net price per year: $15,472
Acceptance rate: 93 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 356
Bottom Line: North Dakota State University
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The top school in the Roughrider State has over 10,000 undergrads and accepts 93 percent of applicants.
North Dakota State’s sports team is the Bison.
North Dakota Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of North Dakota
- The school in Grand Forks has an 83 percent acceptance rate.
No. 3: Minot State University
- The public school in the city of Minot is the third-largest university in North Dakota.
No. 4: University of Mary
- The private, Catholic university in Bismarck has over 1,800 undergraduate students.
No. 5: Valley State University
- The public university has a little more than 850 students with an acceptance rate of 74 percent.
Ohio: Case Western Reserve University
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Location: Cleveland
Net price per year: $34,061
Acceptance rate: 29 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 58
Bottom Line: Case Western Reserve University
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The Cleveland school was founded in 1967 through the federation of two longstanding contiguous institutions: Western Reserve University (which was found in 1826) and Case Institute of Technology (1880).
Case Western Reserve is the home of the Spartans and has a 29 percent acceptance rate. Popular majors include bioengineering and biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, and biology.
Ohio Runners-Up
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No. 2: Kenyon College
- The four-year private liberal arts college has less than 2,000 undergraduates. The school counts former U.S. president Rutherford B. Hayes as its most famous graduate.
No. 3: The Ohio State University
- Home of the Buckeyes, it was founded in 1870 and has a 52 percent acceptance rate.
No. 4: Denison University
- The school in Granville has some very famous alums, including actor Steve Carell and actress Jennifer Garner.
No. 5: University of Dayton
- The private, Catholic school has over 8,000 students and a 72 percent acceptance rate.
Oklahoma: University of Tulsa
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Location: Tulsa
Net price per year: $25,436
Acceptance rate: 41 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 124
Bottom Line: University of Tulsa
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The top school in the Sooner State is a private, Christian university with just over 3,000 undergraduate students and an acceptance rate of 41 percent.
Home of the Golden Hurricanes, the school has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church.
Oklahoma Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Oklahoma
- The school has nearly 20,000 undergraduate students. Frank Lloyd Wright named the school’s architectural style "Cherokee Gothic."
No. 3: Oklahoma State University
- The school has just over 25,000 students and a 74 percent acceptance rate.
No. 4: Oklahoma City University
No. 5: Oral Roberts University
- The private, evangelical school in Tulsa was founded in 1969.
Oregon: Reed College
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Location: Portland
Net price per year: $31,977
Acceptance rate: 35 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 81
Bottom Line: Reed College
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The self-proclaimed "one of the most intellectual colleges in the country" excels when it comes to art and philosophy.
It’s ranked No. 58 and No. 56 in those areas of study, respectively.
Oregon Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Portland
- The Roman Catholic school was founded by the Foundation of the Holy Cross, which also founded Notre Dame. Home of the Pilots, the school has less than 4,300 students.
No. 3: Lewis & Clark College
- Established in 1867 in Portland, the school was named after the explorers Lewis and Clark.
No. 4: Oregon State University
- Located in Corvallis, the school has over 200 undergraduate degree programs and was established in 1868.
No. 5: Oregon State UniversityUniversity of Oregon
- Located in the city of Eugene, the school has 295 acres of campus for students to enjoy. It was established in 1876.
Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania
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Location: Philadelphia
Net price per year: $26,266
Acceptance rate: 8 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 10
Bottom Line: University of Pennsylvania
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The University of Pennsylvania takes the cake for the best college in Pennsylvania.
UPenn has an 8 percent acceptance rate and is one of the nine colonial colleges founded before the Declaration of Independence.
Pennsylvania Runners-Up
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No. 2: Carnegie Mellon University
- The private research university in Pittsburgh was founded at the turn of the 19th century by the Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. The school now has campuses in Qatar and Silicon Valley.
No. 3: Haverford College
- Located in Haverford, the school has a 19 percent acceptance rate.
No. 4: Swarthmore College
- This small private institution in the town of Swarthmore was one of the first coed colleges in the U.S. Swarthmore counts the famous suffragist Alice Paul as one of its more notable alumni.
No. 5: Lehigh University
- Located in Bethlehem, the school has a 22 percent acceptance rate.
Rhode Island: Brown University
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Location: Providence
Net price per year: $27,238
Acceptance rate: 8 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 9
Bottom Line: Brown University
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Brown University, another of the Ivy League schools on our list, has less than 7,000 undergraduate students.
Founded in 1764, Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher learning in the U.S.
Rhode Island Runners-Up
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No. 2: Rhode Island School of Design
- RISD, as students commonly call it, is one of the premier arts and design schools in the world. Located in Providence, the school has a 24 percent acceptance rate.
No. 3: Providence College
- The private, Roman Catholic school has less than 5,000 students and, starting in 2016, all students were required to take a significant portion of credits in the development of Western civilization.
No. 4: Bryant University
- Located in Smithfield, the school has under 4,000 students.
No. 5: Salve Regina University
- The school in Newport has a 76 percent acceptance rate and was established in 1934.
South Carolina: Clemson University
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Location: Clemson
Net price per year: $19,508
Acceptance rate: 47 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 99
Bottom Line: Clemson University
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The public university has nearly 19,000 undergraduate students and a 47 percent acceptance rate.
Clemson counts Robert Brooks, the founder of Hooters, among its noteworthy alumni.
South Carolina Runners-Up
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No. 2: Furman University
- Located in Greenville, the school was founded in 1826.
No. 3: University of South Carolina
- The public school in Columbia has 359 acres on its main campus.
No. 4: Wofford College
- Located in Spartanburg, the school was founded in 1854 and is the home of the Terriers.
No. 5: Citadel Military College of South Carolina
- The Citadel is located in Charleston and has an enrollment of 2,654 undergraduate students.
South Dakota: Augustana University
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Location: Sioux Falls
Net price per year: $23,257
Acceptance rate: 65 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 173
Bottom Line: Augustana University
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Business, nursing and biology are the top three majors at the school.
The university’s mission is "inspired by Lutheran scholarly tradition and the liberal arts."
South Dakota Runners-Up
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No. 2: South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
- Located in Rapid City, the home of the Hardrockers has less than 3,000 students. It also has a museum of geology.
No. 3: University of South Dakota
- Located in Vermillion and founded in 1862, the school has just under 10,000 students.
No. 4: South Dakota State University
- The school in Brookings has a 92 percent acceptance rate.
No. 5: Dakota Wesleyan
- The private, Christian university located in Mitchell accepts 74 percent of applicants.
Tennessee: Vanderbilt University
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Location: Nashville
Net price per year: $23,596
Acceptance rate: 10 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 11
Bottom Line: Vanderbilt University
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Vanderbilt University — named after the New York shipping and real estate magnate of the 19th century, Cornelius Vanderbilt — is the top school in the Volunteer State.
When Vanderbilt gifted a $1 million endowment to the school, he never had visited the city before.
Tennessee Runners-Up
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No. 2: Rhodes College
- The school in Memphis is associated with the Presbyterian church.
No. 3: Sewanee – The University of the South
No. 4: Union University
- The Memphis school has just over 500 undergraduate students.
No. 5: University of Tennessee
- With the main campus in Knoxville, the school has just under 30,000 students. It was founded in 1794.
Texas: Rice University
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Location: Houston
Net price per year: $23,202
Acceptance rate: 11 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 7
Bottom Line: Rice University
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The small, private school in Houston has less than 4,000 undergraduate students.
The school opened in 1912 after its namesake, William Marsh Rice, was murdered.
Texas Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Texas at Austin
- Considered a "public Ivy," the school is located in what Texans call "The Republic of Austin" for its progressive values and environment. The school accepts 39 percent of applicants.
No. 3: Texas A&M
- Established in 1871, the public university has 70,000 students. It’s one of the largest schools on our list.
No. 4: Southern Methodist University
- Located in Dallas, the home of the Mustangs has under 12,000 students.
No. 5: Trinity University, Texas
- Established in 1869, the home of the Tigers in San Antonio has under 3,000 students.
Utah: Brigham Young University
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Location: Provo
Net price per year: $13,120
Acceptance rate: 64 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 90
Bottom Line: Brigham Young University
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The university has nearly 30,000 undergraduate students, although it is a private school.
Brigham Young University is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Utah Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Utah
- The school, which is located in Salt Lake City, has a 67 percent acceptance rate.
No. 3: Utah State University
- Established in 1888, the school has just under 28,000 students.
No. 4: Westminster College, Utah
- Founded in 1875, the school has less than 3,000 students. It’s located in Salt Lake City.
No. 5: Southern Utah University
- The school has a 79 percent acceptance rate.
Vermont: Middlebury College
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Location: Middlebury
Net price per year: $23,136
Acceptance rate: 17 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 38
Bottom Line: Middlebury College
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Founded in 1800, the school has an offshoot in Monterey, California: the Middlebury Institute for International Studies at Monterey, a four-year program where the only major is international relations. The program has 13 students.
Overall, the school has fewer than 3,000 undergraduate students.
Vermont Runners-Up
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No. 2: University of Vermont
- Founded in 1791, the school is one of the original "public Ivy” schools in the country.
No. 3: Bennington College
No. 4: Saint Michael’s College
- The private, Roman Catholic school in Colchester is home of the Purple Knights.
No. 5: Norwich University
- The school in Northfield ranks No. 66 in criminal justice for colleges in America.
Virginia: University of Virginia
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Location: Charlottesville
Net price per year: $17,845
Acceptance rate: 26 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 29
Bottom Line: University of Virginia
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The public four-year university has a 26 percent acceptance rate and nearly 16,000 undergraduate students.
This school was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson.
Virginia Runners-Up
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No. 2: Washington & Lee University
- Established in 1749, the school has less than 2,300 students and a 21 percent acceptance rate.
No. 3: College of William & Mary
- Founded in 1693, the public research university is the second-oldest university in the U.S.
No. 4: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Commonly known as Virginia Tech, the school in Blacksburg has over 33,000 students and was established in 1872. The school has a 65 percent acceptance rate.
No. 5: University of Richmond
- The private school in the city of Richmond has a little over 4,100 students and a 30 percent acceptance rate.
Washington: University of Washington
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Location: Seattle
Net price per year: $9,765
Acceptance rate: 49 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 93
Bottom Line: University of Washington
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UW is a top public university and has nearly 30,000 undergraduate students.
The university is one of the biggest West Coast universities and also one of the most diverse.
Washington Runners-Up
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No. 2: Whitman College
No. 3: Washington State University
- Located in Pullman, the school is one of the oldest land-grant universities in the western United States. It has approximately 30,000 students systemwide.
No. 4: Gonzaga University
- The private, Roman Catholic school in Spokane is named for the Jesuit Saint Aloysius Gonzaga.
No. 5: Whitworth University
- The private, Christian school is located in Country Homes and has an enrollment of about 2,300 students.
West Virginia: West Virginia University
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Location: Morgantown
Net price per year: $11,486
Acceptance rate: 72 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 273
Bottom Line: West Virginia University
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This public university has nearly 21,000 undergraduate students and ranks No. 9 in party schools in the U.S.
West Virginia Runners-Up
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No. 2: Wheeling Jesuit University
- The private, Catholic school is located in the city of Wheeling and has an 86 percent acceptance rate.
No. 3: University of Charleston
- Popular majors include business, nursing and accounting. University of Charleston has a starting salary of 32,500.
No. 4: Marshall University
- Founded in 1837, the school is named after the fourth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, John Marshall.
No. 5: West Virginia Wesleyan College
- This small school in Buckhannon was founded in 1890. It has less than 1,500 students.
Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin
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Location: Madison
Net price per year: $14,169
Acceptance rate: 52 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 61
Bottom Line: University of Wisconsin
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The home of the Badgers has an undergraduate population of almost 29,000, and they’re living their best lives while getting a good education.
UW ranks as the No. 1 party school and No. 3 for best student life among the nation’s universities.
Wisconsin Runners-Up
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No. 2: Milwaukee School of Engineering
- The small private school in Milwaukee has less than 3,000 students and offers degrees in engineering, business and nursing. It counts Larry Schotz — founder of the digital tuning radio and the car adapter for CD players — among its alumni.
No. 3: Lawrence University
- Lawrence is a liberal arts school and a music conservatory in the city of Appleton. The acceptance rate is 61 percent.
No. 4: Marquette University
No. 5: University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
- The public university is part of the University of Wisconsin system and is the home of the Eagles.
Wyoming: University of Wyoming
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Location: Laramie
Net price per year: $13,441
Acceptance rate: 97 percent
Overall U.S. rank: 225
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