The Top 50 Best Colleges in the US is College Raptor’s most prestigious rankings list. Updated annually, these schools are celebrated for their rich histories, stunning campuses, excellent academics, and vibrant student life. The institutions on this list are known for both academic excellence and impressive extracurricular opportunities, making them “dream schools” for students around the world. Use these rankings as a jumping-off point for you to create your own personalized rankings using our college match tool.
Each of these rankings is based on an analysis of data about the school’s selectivity, financial health, graduation rates, student success, and more. We’ve outlined our full methodology here.
| Rank | Institution | Undergraduates | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price | Median Starting Salary | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University | 8844 | 3.65 | 1,510 – 1,590 | 17525 | 99572 |
#1
Harvard University
|
| 2 | Yale University | 6814 | 3.87 | 1,470 – 1,570 | 22408 | 81765 |
Yale University
|
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 4535 | 4.55 | 1,520 – 1,590 | 20996 | 131633 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
|
| 4 | Brown University | 7910 | 5.39 | 1,510 – 1,570 | 26256 | 79131 |
Brown University
|
| 5 | Dartmouth College | 4637 | 5.4 | 1,490 – 1,570 | 20322 | 82541 |
Dartmouth College
|
| 6 | Williams College | 2115 | 8.25 | 1,500 – 1,560 | 15894 | 71754 |
#6
Williams College
|
| 7 | Amherst College | 1914 | 9.01 | 1,480 – 1,570 | 19049 | 62537 |
#7
Amherst College
|
| 8 | Bowdoin College | 1881 | 7.13 | 1,470 – 1,550 | 22228 | 61692 |
#8
Bowdoin College
|
| 9 | Wellesley College | 2407 | 14.05 | 1,460 – 1,560 | 22174 | 65961 |
#9
Wellesley College
|
| 10 | Franklin W Olin College of Engineering | 405 | 25.2 | 1,500 – 1,560 | 43184 | 105483 |
#10
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
|
| 11 | Tufts University | 7126 | 11.49 | 1,470 – 1,560 | 32367 | 68337 |
#11
Tufts University
|
| 12 | Babson College | 2793 | 17.09 | 1,400 – 1,530 | 32019 | 60556 |
Babson College
|
| 13 | Boston College | 10314 | 16.43 | 1,450 – 1,540 | 32519 | 85717 |
Boston College
|
| 14 | Smith College | 2549 | 21 | 1,430 – 1,540 | 27305 | 45731 |
Smith College
|
| 15 | Middlebury College | 2760 | 10.75 | 1,460 – 1,550 | 26233 | 57291 |
Middlebury College
|
| 16 | Boston University | 18805 | 11.11 | 1,430 – 1,530 | 24420 | 65655 |
Boston University
|
| 17 | Colby College | 2412 | 7.09 | 1,460 – 1,540 | 16219 | 60052 |
Colby College
|
| 18 | Wesleyan University | 3805 | 16.49 | 1,440 – 1,540 | 23025 | 60385 |
Wesleyan University
|
| 19 | College of the Holy Cross | 3126 | 17.61 | 1,260 – 1,420 | 36014 | 69984 |
#19
College of the Holy Cross
|
| 20 | Bates College | 1760 | 13.32 | 1,420 – 1,530 | 24723 | 59202 |
#20
Bates College
|
| 21 | Bentley University | 4526 | 45.05 | 1,290 – 1,430 | 45802 | 86679 |
Bentley University
|
| 22 | Northeastern University | 17432 | 5.22 | 1,450 – 1,540 | 34207 | 78413 |
Northeastern University
|
| 23 | Rhode Island School of Design | 2087 | 18.66 | 1,400 – 1,530 | 43492 | 45932 |
Rhode Island School of Design
|
| 24 | Brandeis University | 3632 | 40.5 | 1,400 – 1,520 | 43550 | 52967 |
Brandeis University
|
| 25 | Mount Holyoke College | 2178 | 36.03 | 1,390 – 1,540 | 32526 | 48590 |
#25
Mount Holyoke College
|
| 26 | Trinity College | 2204 | 29.25 | 1,320 – 1,480 | 36071 | 67628 |
Trinity College
|
| 27 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | 5558 | 60.16 | 1,200 – 1,390 | 47372 | 85038 |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
|
| 28 | Providence College | 4236 | 50.89 | 1,270 – 1,400 | 48618 | 69326 |
#28
Providence College
|
| 29 | Fairfield University | 5391 | 33.29 | 1,290 – 1,410 | 49958 | 73693 |
#29
Fairfield University
|
| 30 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 23920 | 59.73 | 1,320 – 1,500 | 22948 | 60347 |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
|
| 31 | Bryant University | 3200 | 65.46 | 1,200 – 1,330 | 42139 | 66488 |
Bryant University
|
| 32 | University of Connecticut | 20056 | 52.39 | 1,230 – 1,450 | 25310 | 63322 |
University of Connecticut
|
| 33 | Connecticut College | 1990 | 37.04 | 1,360 – 1,490 | 45700 | 49165 |
Connecticut College
|
| 34 | Quinnipiac University | 6557 | 72.15 | 1,160 – 1,330 | 40632 | 65744 |
Quinnipiac University
|
| 35 | Emerson College | 3908 | 51.31 | 1,290 – 1,430 | 53432 | 42799 |
Emerson College
|
| 36 | Stonehill College | 2568 | 66.28 | 1,050 – 1,250 | 33385 | 63285 |
Stonehill College
|
| 37 | University of Vermont | 12276 | 65.3 | 1,320 – 1,440 | 20084 | 48164 |
University of Vermont
|
| 38 | Endicott College | 3194 | 71.21 | 1,200 – 1,350 | 41394 | 57286 |
Endicott College
|
| 39 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | 11355 | 88.16 | 1,110 – 1,340 | 24999 | 53671 |
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
|
| 40 | Saint Anselm College | 2094 | 78.05 | 1,120 – 1,290 | 35551 | 63347 |
Saint Anselm College
|
| 41 | Saint Michael's College | 1120 | 84.51 | 1,160 – 1,320 | 27982 | 46898 |
Saint Michael's College
|
| 42 | Maine Maritime Academy | 945 | 54.14 | 1,100 – 1,260 | 23618 | 93944 |
#42
Maine Maritime Academy
|
| 43 | Salve Regina University | 2135 | 68.17 | 1,170 – 1,340 | 38307 | 55027 |
#43
Salve Regina University
|
| 44 | Massachusetts Maritime Academy | 1402 | 94.7 | 1,040 – 1,200 | 13546 | 80424 |
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
|
| 45 | Simmons University | 1675 | 69.98 | 1,230 – 1,410 | 28691 | 61420 |
Simmons University
|
| 46 | Sacred Heart University | 7204 | 65.36 | 860 – 1,040 | 47848 | 63925 |
Sacred Heart University
|
| 47 | Roger Williams University | 4038 | 87.71 | 1,150 – 1,320 | 38779 | 53845 |
Roger Williams University
|
| 48 | Gordon College | 1314 | 69.23 | 1,150 – 1,370 | 25299 | 45839 |
Gordon College
|
| 49 | Wheaton College (Massachusetts) | 1785 | 67.73 | 1,240 – 1,400 | 30701 | 51607 |
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
|
| 50 | Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 1871 | 76.27 | 990 – 1,180 | 24864 | 27090 |
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
|
| 51 | Springfield College | 1763 | 71.89 | 1,150 – 1,340 | 30039 | 43692 |
Springfield College
|
| 52 | Bennington College | 797 | 44.53 | 1,320 – 1,420 | 34220 | 24711 |
Bennington College
|
| 53 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | 3965 | 91.21 | 1,130 – 1,330 | 35604 | 71868 |
Wentworth Institute of Technology
|
| 54 | Assumption University | 1713 | 82.98 | 990 – 1,180 | 29748 | 46029 |
Assumption University
|
| 55 | Montserrat College of Art | 227 | 85.02 | 810 – 1,230 | 34166 | 24780 |
Montserrat College of Art
|
| 56 | Champlain College | 2778 | 82.92 | 1,230 – 1,380 | 38173 | 48844 |
Champlain College
|
| 57 | College of the Atlantic | 353 | 70.17 | 1,240 – 1,430 | 21829 | 53774 |
College of the Atlantic
|
| 58 | Emmanuel College | 1909 | 75.65 | 1,170 – 1,340 | 31121 | 50180 |
Emmanuel College
|
| 59 | Merrimack College | 4102 | 70.02 | 1,050 – 1,180 | 38504 | 54316 |
Merrimack College
|
| 60 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 12122 | 83.04 | 1,190 – 1,380 | 16530 | 61467 |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
|
| 61 | University of Rhode Island | 14376 | 72.16 | 1,020 – 1,280 | 24118 | 57446 |
University of Rhode Island
|
| 62 | University of Hartford | 4223 | 95.75 | 1,130 – 1,320 | 31261 | 42581 |
University of Hartford
|
| 63 | University of New England | 3884 | 91.63 | 1,050 – 1,240 | 40003 | 48957 |
University of New England
|
| 64 | MCPHS University | 3469 | 85.21 | 1,170 – 1,410 | 41506 | 77171 |
MCPHS University
|
| 65 | College of Our Lady of the Elms | 1002 | 85.26 | 1,150 – 1,320 | 19870 | 54087 |
College of Our Lady of the Elms
|
| 66 | Hampshire College | 844 | 75.28 | 1,160 – 1,350 | 27895 | 22195 |
Hampshire College
|
| 67 | Saint Joseph's College of Maine | 1097 | 83.51 | 960 – 1,150 | 28217 | 52884 |
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
|
| 68 | University of New Haven | 4903 | 60.38 | 1,060 – 1,270 | 34557 | 49829 |
#68
University of New Haven
|
| 69 | Western New England University | 2616 | 83.48 | 1,090 – 1,310 | 27056 | 51771 |
Western New England University
|
| 70 | Lasell University | 1293 | 81.22 | 1,030 – 1,160 | 27773 | 45468 |
Lasell University
|
| 71 | Suffolk University | 4326 | 82.33 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 33832 | 55856 |
Suffolk University
|
| 72 | Eastern Connecticut State University | 4174 | 82.98 | 1,070 – 1,260 | 21512 | 47289 |
Eastern Connecticut State University
|
| 73 | Colby-Sawyer College | 858 | 80.08 | 890 – 1,090 | 27496 | 37935 |
Colby-Sawyer College
|
| 74 | Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 3908 | 88.41 | 920 – 1,180 | 32057 | 35802 |
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
|
| 75 | Lesley University | 1229 | 96.87 | 1,010 – 1,220 | 32587 | 40150 |
Lesley University
|
| 76 | Regis College | 987 | 69.78 | 860 – 1,070 | 28575 | 56223 |
Regis College
|
| 77 | University of Maine | 9601 | 96.64 | 1,080 – 1,340 | 18061 | 43124 |
University of Maine
|
| 78 | Worcester State University | 4868 | 87.99 | 1,030 – 1,290 | 12778 | 50233 |
Worcester State University
|
| 79 | University of Saint Joseph | 993 | 78.59 | 850 – 1,170 | 29300 | 52053 |
University of Saint Joseph
|
| 80 | Norwich University | 2626 | 74.44 | 1,060 – 1,320 | 24496 | 59743 |
Norwich University
|
| 81 | University of New Hampshire at Manchester | 451 | 80.87 | 980 – 1,240 | 9760 | 53671 |
University of New Hampshire at Manchester
|
| 82 | Westfield State University | 3868 | 81.41 | 980 – 1,190 | 17406 | 46861 |
Westfield State University
|
| 83 | Nichols College | 1163 | 80.84 | 1,030 – 1,240 | 32337 | 47830 |
#83
Nichols College
|
| 84 | Rivier University | 1252 | 82.59 | 1,060 – 1,180 | 28584 | 54599 |
Rivier University
|
| 85 | Husson University | 2763 | 80.95 | 1,070 – 1,280 | 21005 | 41554 |
Husson University
|
| 86 | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | 794 | 89.74 | 960 – 1,180 | 16544 | 36803 |
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
|
| 87 | Salem State University | 4867 | 95.88 | 990 – 1,160 | 17541 | 48209 |
Salem State University
|
| 88 | Berklee College of Music | 7549 | 43.53 | -- | 49797 | 26462 |
Berklee College of Music
|
| 89 | Curry College | 1808 | 87.65 | 1,050 – 1,230 | 29917 | 46746 |
Curry College
|
| 90 | Bay Path University | 1177 | 85.2 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 15463 | 51548 |
Bay Path University
|
| 91 | University of Maine at Farmington | 1677 | 96.72 | 1,000 – 1,250 | 17451 | 31513 |
University of Maine at Farmington
|
| 92 | Fitchburg State University | 3027 | 86.93 | 1,060 – 1,230 | 15340 | 41999 |
Fitchburg State University
|
| 93 | Bridgewater State University | 8270 | 87.81 | 1,080 – 1,280 | 15646 | 46673 |
#93
Bridgewater State University
|
| 94 | Framingham State University | 2782 | 83.61 | 1,100 – 1,280 | 16114 | 46611 |
Framingham State University
|
| 95 | Central Connecticut State University | 8170 | 73.33 | 960 – 1,190 | 17528 | 49016 |
Central Connecticut State University
|
| 96 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 5731 | 90.64 | 1,070 – 1,280 | 21094 | 51475 |
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth
|
| 97 | Plymouth State University | 3182 | 87.54 | 880 – 1,080 | 20183 | 46466 |
Plymouth State University
|
| 98 | Maine College of Art & Design | 417 | 76.06 | 870 – 1,190 | 39639 | 24333 |
Maine College of Art & Design
|
| 99 | Keene State College | 2725 | 90.33 | 990 – 1,180 | 19997 | 46649 |
Keene State College
|
| 100 | Southern Connecticut State University | 7252 | 91.47 | 910 – 1,100 | 19827 | 45422 |
Southern Connecticut State University
|
| 101 | Thomas College | 1526 | 96.3 | 800 – 1,010 | 19126 | 40495 |
Thomas College
|
| 102 | University of Massachusetts-Boston | 12138 | 83.78 | 1,080 – 1,300 | 17768 | 53521 |
University of Massachusetts-Boston
|
| 103 | University of Maine at Fort Kent | 1464 | 97.92 | 890 – 1,070 | 8601 | 61217 |
University of Maine at Fort Kent
|
| 104 | Western Connecticut State University | 3567 | 87.01 | 1,040 – 1,170 | 17185 | 45997 |
Western Connecticut State University
|
| 105 | Vermont State University | 4108 | 81.67 | 860 – 1,060 | 18442 | 41340 |
Vermont State University
|
| 106 | Albertus Magnus College | 1006 | 59.31 | 850 – 1,100 | 30732 | 47153 |
Albertus Magnus College
|
| 107 | University of Southern Maine | 5525 | 79.23 | 1,030 – 1,260 | 14028 | 47107 |
University of Southern Maine
|
| 108 | Dean College | 1092 | 73.71 | 920 – 1,110 | 32085 | 30046 |
Dean College
|
| 109 | Southern New Hampshire University | 164423 | 99.51 | 870 – 1,060 | 36501 | 41945 |
Southern New Hampshire University
|
| 110 | Anna Maria College | 916 | 50.3 | 780 – 990 | 29094 | 63110 |
Anna Maria College
|
| 111 | Clark University | 2266 | 39.54 | 1,310 – 1,460 | 33865 | 49022 |
Clark University
|
| 112 | American International College | 1207 | 99.57 | 940 – 1,110 | 23086 | 41451 |
American International College
|
| 113 | Rhode Island College | 5154 | 91.82 | 870 – 1,120 | 10346 | 46882 |
Rhode Island College
|
| 114 | University of Bridgeport | 1570 | 83.02 | 880 – 1,120 | 28498 | 38575 |
#114
University of Bridgeport
|
| 115 | Franklin Pierce University | 997 | 93.47 | 1,060 – 1,290 | 26152 | 45563 |
Franklin Pierce University
|
| 116 | Fisher College | 1536 | 70.68 | 820 – 1,100 | 28596 | 44366 |
Fisher College
|
| 117 | Mitchell College | 442 | 94.66 | 700 – 930 | 31536 | 35330 |
Mitchell College
|
| 118 | University of Maine at Presque Isle | 2758 | 99.87 | 810 – 1,040 | 8526 | 33793 |
University of Maine at Presque Isle
|
| 119 | Boston Architectural College | 320 | 0 | -- | 26590 | 58619 | |
| 120 | New England College | 1032 | 92.13 | 820 – 1,040 | 27398 | 31050 |
New England College
|
| 121 | Hult International Business School | 618 | 60.48 | -- | 53700 | 53519 |
#121
Hult International Business School
|
| 122 | Holy Apostles College and Seminary | 267 | 100 | -- | 10117 | 63721 |
#122
Holy Apostles College and Seminary
|
| 123 | The New England Conservatory of Music | 421 | 41.1 | 830 – 830 | 50367 | 18830 |
The New England Conservatory of Music
|
| 124 | Post University | 14116 | 96.54 | 800 – 1,030 | 21229 | 31401 |
Post University
|
| 125 | Unity Environmental University | 6507 | 81.8 | -- | 18454 | 31698 |
Unity Environmental University
|
| 126 | University of Maine at Augusta | 4313 | 0 | -- | 11077 | 36467 | |
| 127 | Goodwin University | 2855 | 0 | -- | 28062 | 40230 |
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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