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 | 1,520 – 1,560 | 23422 | 85792 |
#1
Duke University
|
| 2 | Emory University | 7407 | 10.29 | 1,460 – 1,550 | 27986 | 74980 |
#2
Emory University
|
| 3 | Southern Methodist University | 7285 | 63.35 | 1,360 – 1,500 | 45792 | 65556 |
#3
Southern Methodist University
|
| 4 | American University | 7476 | 61.87 | 1,300 – 1,450 | 40189 | 61328 |
#4
American University
|
| 5 | Wofford College | 1817 | 51.94 | 1,240 – 1,370 | 31061 | 52076 |
#5
Wofford College
|
| 6 | Drew University | 1611 | 67.83 | 1,110 – 1,350 | 28193 | 47562 |
Drew University
|
| 7 | Allegheny College | 1171 | 54.52 | 1,180 – 1,360 | 27929 | 45603 |
Allegheny College
|
| 8 | Southwestern University | 1440 | 43.05 | 1,160 – 1,320 | 30687 | 49249 |
#8
Southwestern University
|
| 9 | Hendrix College | 1101 | 55.63 | 1,240 – 1,400 | 24236 | 39913 |
Hendrix College
|
| 10 | Randolph-Macon College | 1643 | 86.61 | 1,050 – 1,230 | 29058 | 48067 |
Randolph-Macon College
|
| 11 | Simpson College | 1140 | 88.88 | 1,400 – 1,460 | 23637 | 49946 |
Simpson College
|
| 12 | Lebanon Valley College | 1720 | 83.77 | 1,140 – 1,310 | 28640 | 54021 |
Lebanon Valley College
|
| 13 | University of Evansville | 1742 | 78.13 | 1,090 – 1,330 | 21611 | 46734 |
#13
University of Evansville
|
| 14 | Ohio Northern University | 2592 | 73.35 | 1,210 – 1,370 | 26396 | 62686 |
Ohio Northern University
|
| 15 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 1525 | 55.6 | 1,130 – 1,360 | 23826 | 42495 |
Ohio Wesleyan University
|
| 16 | Florida Southern College | 2626 | 59.09 | 1,120 – 1,320 | 30462 | 47749 |
Florida Southern College
|
| 17 | High Point University | 5006 | 76.83 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 43578 | 50955 |
High Point University
|
| 18 | Otterbein University | 2211 | 84.52 | 990 – 1,240 | 22242 | 44539 |
Otterbein University
|
| 19 | Oklahoma City University | 1447 | 70.39 | 1,140 – 1,240 | 23143 | 42312 |
Oklahoma City University
|
| 20 | Lycoming College | 807 | 74.07 | 1,080 – 1,300 | 20733 | 43713 |
Lycoming College
|
| 21 | Cornell College | 1085 | 80.66 | 1,140 – 1,350 | 25850 | 39299 |
Cornell College
|
| 22 | Shenandoah University | 2641 | 76.95 | 990 – 1,270 | 26400 | 48167 |
Shenandoah University
|
| 23 | Nebraska Wesleyan University | 1463 | 79.82 | 1,110 – 1,280 | 24863 | 47667 |
Nebraska Wesleyan University
|
| 24 | Hamline University | 1716 | 89.83 | 1,040 – 1,250 | 22759 | 47139 |
Hamline University
|
| 25 | Centenary University | 951 | 96.75 | 850 – 1,080 | 22838 | 46049 |
Centenary University
|
| 26 | North Central College | 2454 | 77.33 | 1,090 – 1,320 | 24190 | 51762 |
North Central College
|
| 27 | Millsaps College | 547 | 43.12 | 1,080 – 1,300 | 26739 | 46137 |
#27
Millsaps College
|
| 28 | Centenary College of Louisiana | 693 | 55.74 | 1,050 – 1,210 | 25427 | 42821 |
Centenary College of Louisiana
|
| 29 | University of Indianapolis | 3603 | 66.48 | 970 – 1,190 | 19903 | 46452 |
University of Indianapolis
|
| 30 | Union College | 2065 | 43.74 | 1,320 – 1,480 | 19223 | 36529 |
#30
Union College
|
| 31 | Wesleyan College | 595 | 62.07 | 1,060 – 1,210 | 15621 | 35630 |
#31
Wesleyan College
|
| 32 | Tennessee Wesleyan University | 857 | 59.41 | 970 – 1,180 | 16414 | 45987 |
Tennessee Wesleyan University
|
| 33 | Morningside University | 1177 | 70.57 | 1,040 – 1,210 | 23482 | 47687 |
Morningside University
|
| 34 | Baker University | 1264 | 94.18 | 970 – 1,110 | 23410 | 54747 |
Baker University
|
| 35 | McKendree University | 1605 | 63.88 | 920 – 1,300 | 25200 | 49439 |
McKendree University
|
| 36 | West Virginia Wesleyan College | 938 | 95.1 | 980 – 1,200 | 20093 | 42672 |
West Virginia Wesleyan College
|
| 37 | Dakota Wesleyan University | 767 | 72.77 | 970 – 1,250 | 21901 | 49432 |
Dakota Wesleyan University
|
| 38 | Dillard University | 1117 | 40.51 | 1,010 – 1,150 | 18551 | 28507 |
Dillard University
|
| 39 | Virginia Wesleyan University | 1749 | 72.87 | 1,190 – 1,370 | 21862 | 39200 |
Virginia Wesleyan University
|
| 40 | Adrian College | 1678 | 68.43 | 950 – 1,170 | 22053 | 42805 |
Adrian College
|
| 41 | Emory & Henry University | 1107 | 96.33 | 970 – 1,170 | 21714 | 39448 |
Emory & Henry University
|
| 42 | Kentucky Wesleyan College | 834 | 67.05 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 20867 | 35895 |
Kentucky Wesleyan College
|
| 43 | LaGrange College | 582 | 58.05 | 1,000 – 1,150 | 24564 | 46599 |
LaGrange College
|
| 44 | Columbia College | 1268 | 96.14 | 830 – 1,070 | 23920 | 45863 |
Columbia College
|
| 45 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | 1041 | 56.86 | 940 – 1,140 | 25050 | 43860 |
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
|
| 46 | Huntingdon College | 880 | 67.93 | 1,010 – 1,200 | 22642 | 42147 |
Huntingdon College
|
| 47 | Albright College | 1328 | 86.15 | 950 – 1,150 | 22116 | 45391 |
Albright College
|
| 48 | Young Harris College | 1403 | 64.02 | 970 – 1,140 | 20509 | 36389 |
Young Harris College
|
| 49 | Methodist University | 1436 | 75.2 | 1,100 – 1,250 | 25786 | 40540 |
Methodist University
|
| 50 | Claflin University | 1754 | 72.55 | 850 – 1,040 | 21232 | 29227 |
Claflin University
|
| 51 | Ferrum College | 747 | 100 | 930 – 1,140 | 22521 | 36418 |
Ferrum College
|
| 52 | Clark Atlanta University | 3495 | 64.63 | 880 – 1,120 | 29736 | 28097 |
Clark Atlanta University
|
| 53 | Kansas Wesleyan University | 900 | 67.02 | 930 – 1,140 | 23419 | 44811 |
Kansas Wesleyan University
|
| 54 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | 1215 | 77.95 | 860 – 1,100 | 19111 | 38939 |
North Carolina Wesleyan University
|
| 55 | Southwestern College | 938 | 74.43 | 900 – 1,110 | 27337 | 48034 |
Southwestern College
|
| 56 | Lindsey Wilson College | 1738 | 0 | 930 – 1,140 | 14422 | 34861 | |
| 57 | Greensboro College | 899 | 70.14 | 900 – 1,110 | 19783 | 36462 |
Greensboro College
|
| 58 | Pfeiffer University | 654 | 91.26 | 800 – 1,080 | 21402 | 44621 |
Pfeiffer University
|
| 59 | Brevard College | 764 | 39.46 | 940 – 1,130 | 26938 | 34401 |
Brevard College
|
| 60 | Philander Smith University | 848 | 100 | 800 – 1,010 | 14986 | 25254 |
Philander Smith University
|
| 61 | McMurry University | 3167 | 57.04 | 960 – 1,170 | 20817 | 38647 |
McMurry University
|
| 62 | Reinhardt University | 1082 | 60.17 | 970 – 1,170 | 27507 | 40411 |
Reinhardt University
|
| 63 | Wiley University | 636 | 97.35 | -- | 10290 | 28078 |
Wiley University
|
| 64 | Alaska Pacific University | 437 | 85.97 | 870 – 1,160 | 23667 | 47803 |
Alaska Pacific University
|
| 65 | Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health | 781 | 73.41 | 1,010 – 1,110 | 20650 | 61249 | |
| 66 | Paine College | 344 | 86.2 | 820 – 1,000 | 17048 | 25240 |
Paine College
|
| 67 | Texas Wesleyan University | 1910 | 62.39 | 970 – 1,120 | 21169 | 44773 |
Texas Wesleyan University
|
| 68 | Rust College | 429 | 34.69 | 710 – 1,000 | 8234 | 25641 |
Rust College
|
| 69 | Bennett College | 195 | 33.61 | 800 – 1,040 | 20928 | 23153 |
Bennett College
|
| 70 | Bethune-Cookman University | 2739 | 88.24 | 830 – 990 | 14705 | 28282 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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