2026 College Rankings
College Raptor’s college rankings are based on a huge database of publicly-available data collected from a variety of sources. We aim to have our rankings cover the many aspects of what makes for a great college experience.
As we rank each college, we weigh a variety of factors that include the first-year retention rate, four-year graduation rate, and student-to-faculty ratio (among others). For more information on methodology behind our college rankings, check out our ranking methodology breakdown.
Not only do we sort schools based on academic quality, diversity, overall best colleges, affordability, and many other rankings, but you can also drill down for college rankings by State, Region, Athletic Conference, or type of school (public or private).
2026 Best Colleges
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2026 Hidden Gems
View Hidden Gems RankingsMiddle Class Affordability
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Financial Health
Hidden Gem Colleges
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