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 | Duke University | 6523 | 5.71 | 1,500 – 1,560 | 21981 | 85792 |
#1
Duke University
|
| 2 | Emory University | 7407 | 10.65 | 1,460 – 1,550 | 27303 | 74980 |
#2
Emory University
|
| 3 | Southern Methodist University | 7285 | 63.35 | 1,360 – 1,500 | 48179 | 65556 |
#3
Southern Methodist University
|
| 4 | Wofford College | 1817 | 51.94 | 1,240 – 1,370 | 30481 | 52076 |
Wofford College
|
| 5 | American University | 7476 | 61.96 | 1,300 – 1,460 | 39676 | 61328 |
American University
|
| 6 | Drew University | 1626 | 67.83 | 1,110 – 1,350 | 28425 | 47562 |
Drew University
|
| 7 | Randolph-Macon College | 1643 | 86.61 | 990 – 1,230 | 28912 | 48067 |
Randolph-Macon College
|
| 8 | Southwestern University | 1440 | 43.05 | 1,160 – 1,320 | 32228 | 49249 |
#8
Southwestern University
|
| 9 | Hendrix College | 1100 | 55.65 | 1,140 – 1,400 | 24699 | 39913 |
Hendrix College
|
| 10 | Simpson College | 1235 | 86.22 | 1,400 – 1,460 | 23282 | 49946 |
Simpson College
|
| 11 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 1525 | 55.6 | 1,180 – 1,390 | 23006 | 42495 |
Ohio Wesleyan University
|
| 12 | High Point University | 5135 | 75.31 | 1,150 – 1,390 | 43086 | 50955 |
#12
High Point University
|
| 13 | Lebanon Valley College | 1720 | 83.77 | 1,140 – 1,310 | 27995 | 54021 |
#13
Lebanon Valley College
|
| 14 | Allegheny College | 1171 | 54.57 | 1,190 – 1,370 | 26420 | 45603 |
Allegheny College
|
| 15 | Ohio Northern University | 2706 | 74.4 | 1,180 – 1,360 | 25941 | 62686 |
Ohio Northern University
|
| 16 | Oklahoma City University | 1514 | 77.02 | 1,070 – 1,280 | 24051 | 42312 |
Oklahoma City University
|
| 17 | Florida Southern College | 2682 | 64.42 | 1,180 – 1,350 | 29384 | 47749 |
#17
Florida Southern College
|
| 18 | Otterbein University | 2211 | 84.53 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 20457 | 44539 |
Otterbein University
|
| 19 | University of Evansville | 1742 | 77.6 | 1,070 – 1,280 | 18773 | 46734 |
University of Evansville
|
| 20 | Hamline University | 1806 | 87.63 | 1,020 – 1,320 | 22390 | 47139 |
Hamline University
|
| 21 | Cornell College | 1094 | 79.9 | 1,140 – 1,350 | 25220 | 39299 |
Cornell College
|
| 22 | Shenandoah University | 2641 | 76.95 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 27181 | 48167 |
Shenandoah University
|
| 23 | North Central College | 2454 | 77.33 | 1,090 – 1,320 | 23276 | 51762 |
North Central College
|
| 24 | Lycoming College | 1012 | 74.07 | 1,080 – 1,300 | 20492 | 43713 |
Lycoming College
|
| 25 | Centenary University | 936 | 83.08 | 970 – 1,170 | 22640 | 46049 |
Centenary University
|
| 26 | Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health | 781 | 73.41 | 1,080 – 1,210 | 21634 | 61249 |
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health
|
| 27 | Nebraska Wesleyan University | 1463 | 79.82 | 1,110 – 1,290 | 21122 | 47667 |
Nebraska Wesleyan University
|
| 28 | Centenary College of Louisiana | 693 | 55.74 | 1,050 – 1,210 | 25953 | 42821 |
#28
Centenary College of Louisiana
|
| 29 | University of Indianapolis | 3603 | 66.5 | 970 – 1,190 | 22662 | 46452 |
University of Indianapolis
|
| 30 | Millsaps College | 549 | 43.12 | 1,080 – 1,300 | 27737 | 46137 |
Millsaps College
|
| 31 | Emory & Henry University | 1083 | 83.65 | 1,050 – 1,240 | 21446 | 39448 |
Emory & Henry University
|
| 32 | Morningside University | 1172 | 71.04 | 710 – 1,110 | 24437 | 47687 |
Morningside University
|
| 33 | Wesleyan College | 496 | 59.1 | 990 – 1,140 | 12837 | 35630 |
Wesleyan College
|
| 34 | Virginia Wesleyan University | 1749 | 72.87 | 1,190 – 1,350 | 21267 | 39200 |
Virginia Wesleyan University
|
| 35 | Claflin University | 1731 | 64.93 | 870 – 1,010 | 17272 | 29227 |
#35
Claflin University
|
| 36 | Dakota Wesleyan University | 771 | 73.38 | 970 – 1,200 | 22990 | 49432 |
Dakota Wesleyan University
|
| 37 | Dillard University | 1068 | 41.86 | 970 – 1,140 | 21842 | 28507 |
Dillard University
|
| 38 | McKendree University | 1757 | 71.72 | 920 – 1,300 | 22444 | 49439 |
McKendree University
|
| 39 | LaGrange College | 651 | 62.09 | 1,000 – 1,150 | 21139 | 46599 |
LaGrange College
|
| 40 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | 971 | 93.34 | 900 – 1,160 | 19218 | 42672 |
#40
West Virginia Wesleyan College
|
| 41 | Huntingdon College | 880 | 69.49 | 1,040 – 1,220 | 23055 | 42147 |
Huntingdon College
|
| 42 | Young Harris College | 1451 | 62.64 | 930 – 1,190 | 21969 | 36389 |
Young Harris College
|
| 43 | Adrian College | 1673 | 72.53 | 920 – 1,170 | 25922 | 42805 |
Adrian College
|
| 44 | Albright College | 1230 | 76.33 | 950 – 1,150 | 20587 | 45391 |
Albright College
|
| 45 | Tennessee Wesleyan University | 918 | 68.85 | 1,010 – 1,140 | 15125 | 45987 |
Tennessee Wesleyan University
|
| 46 | Columbia College | 1391 | 93.93 | 830 – 1,070 | 18790 | 45863 |
Columbia College
|
| 47 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | 1041 | 56.87 | 940 – 1,140 | 22929 | 43860 |
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
|
| 48 | Clark Atlanta University | 3618 | 64.22 | 890 – 1,090 | 31223 | 28097 |
Clark Atlanta University
|
| 49 | Baker University | 1530 | 94.19 | 760 – 1,080 | 26211 | 54747 |
Baker University
|
| 50 | Methodist University | 1467 | 75.14 | 1,100 – 1,270 | 26334 | 40540 |
Methodist University
|
| 51 | Pfeiffer University | 696 | 96.03 | 800 – 1,080 | 19660 | 44621 |
Pfeiffer University
|
| 52 | Rust College | 467 | 48.67 | 860 – 1,030 | 12037 | 25641 |
Rust College
|
| 53 | Greensboro College | 899 | 70.14 | 900 – 1,110 | 18730 | 36462 |
Greensboro College
|
| 54 | Reinhardt University | 1129 | 61.54 | 970 – 1,170 | 24550 | 40411 |
Reinhardt University
|
| 55 | Kentucky Wesleyan College | 887 | 71.6 | 890 – 1,140 | 20999 | 35895 |
Kentucky Wesleyan College
|
| 56 | Bennett College | 180 | 50.66 | 820 – 1,060 | 26990 | 23153 |
Bennett College
|
| 57 | McMurry University | 3167 | 57.04 | 960 – 1,170 | 20723 | 38647 |
McMurry University
|
| 58 | Brevard College | 821 | 42.16 | 890 – 1,240 | 26930 | 34401 |
Brevard College
|
| 59 | Texas Wesleyan University | 1796 | 69.16 | 1,020 – 1,100 | 26416 | 44773 |
Texas Wesleyan University
|
| 60 | Philander Smith University | 755 | 68 | 870 – 1,040 | 14082 | 25254 |
Philander Smith University
|
| 61 | Southwestern College | 938 | 75.55 | 930 – 1,120 | 29488 | 48034 |
Southwestern College
|
| 62 | Kansas Wesleyan University | 962 | 71.9 | 1,010 – 1,170 | 22930 | 44811 |
Kansas Wesleyan University
|
| 63 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 1262 | 80.23 | 860 – 1,100 | 18472 | 38939 |
North Carolina Wesleyan University
|
| 64 | Ferrum College | 724 | 88.98 | 880 – 1,100 | 20082 | 36418 |
Ferrum College
|
| 65 | Union Commonwealth University | 775 | 63.15 | 850 – 1,110 | 17124 | 36529 |
Union Commonwealth University
|
| 66 | Bethune-Cookman University | 2738 | 88.24 | 830 – 990 | 12476 | 28282 |
#66
Bethune-Cookman University
|
| 67 | Lindsey Wilson College | 1722 | 0 | -- | 16374 | 34861 | |
| 68 | Alaska Pacific University | 479 | 96.45 | 870 – 1,160 | 21960 | 47803 |
Alaska Pacific University
|
| 69 | Paine College | 390 | 95.43 | 820 – 1,000 | 15935 | 25240 |
#69
Paine College
|
| 70 | Wiley University | 712 | 0 | -- | 7149 | 28078 |
#70
Wiley University
|
School data is from 2023–2024 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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