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 | Columbia University in the City of New York | 9157 | 3.86 | 1,510 – 1,590 | 20869 | 88535 |
#1
Columbia University in the City of New York
|
| 2 | Cornell University | 16128 | 8.41 | 1,490 – 1,570 | 26455 | 87830 |
#2
Cornell University
|
| 3 | Barnard College | 3269 | 7.96 | 1,450 – 1,540 | 27738 | 60411 |
Barnard College
|
| 4 | Hamilton College | 2037 | 13.62 | 1,460 – 1,550 | 26021 | 60082 |
Hamilton College
|
| 5 | New York University | 29060 | 9.23 | 1,490 – 1,560 | 30730 | 64543 |
#5
New York University
|
| 6 | Vassar College | 2462 | 18.57 | 1,460 – 1,550 | 29733 | 49177 |
Vassar College
|
| 7 | Colgate University | 3193 | 13.88 | 1,450 – 1,530 | 26954 | 64949 |
Colgate University
|
| 8 | Jewish Theological Seminary of America | 172 | 45.07 | 1,370 – 1,490 | 54588 | 53468 |
#8
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
|
| 9 | University of Rochester | 6580 | 40.08 | 1,420 – 1,530 | 40900 | 68333 |
#9
University of Rochester
|
| 10 | United States Military Academy | 4473 | 12.45 | 1,230 – 1,440 | 0 | 63721 |
#10
United States Military Academy
|
| 11 | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | 901 | 19.05 | 1,410 – 1,520 | 28199 | 39707 |
#11
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
|
| 12 | Union College | 2065 | 43.92 | 1,320 – 1,480 | 42884 | 63219 |
#12
Union College
|
| 13 | Fordham University | 10307 | 56.28 | 1,350 – 1,490 | 45368 | 68008 |
Fordham University
|
| 14 | Skidmore College | 2704 | 21.05 | 1,360 – 1,490 | 32368 | 46923 |
#14
Skidmore College
|
| 15 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | 5743 | 63.43 | 1,380 – 1,510 | 35940 | 83054 |
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
|
| 16 | Yeshiva University | 2331 | 55.62 | 1,320 – 1,490 | 38118 | 60252 |
Yeshiva University
|
| 17 | Syracuse University | 15958 | 46.11 | 1,290 – 1,440 | 51520 | 60459 |
#17
Syracuse University
|
| 18 | Binghamton University | 14669 | 38.61 | 1,350 – 1,500 | 18860 | 61621 |
Binghamton University
|
| 19 | United States Merchant Marine Academy | 947 | 32.47 | 1,150 – 1,330 | 5173 | 96770 |
United States Merchant Marine Academy
|
| 20 | St Lawrence University | 1949 | 54.34 | 1,290 – 1,430 | 36175 | 55037 |
St Lawrence University
|
| 21 | Marist College | 5551 | 56.51 | 1,200 – 1,360 | 40106 | 62546 | |
| 22 | Stony Brook University | 18263 | 49.04 | 1,320 – 1,490 | 18601 | 59492 |
Stony Brook University
|
| 23 | School of Visual Arts | 3255 | 92.61 | 1,210 – 1,420 | 59211 | 31855 |
School of Visual Arts
|
| 24 | Hobart William Smith Colleges | 1794 | 63.99 | 1,230 – 1,400 | 33172 | 62416 |
Hobart William Smith Colleges
|
| 25 | Sarah Lawrence College | 1559 | 61.73 | 1,270 – 1,430 | 43571 | 57703 |
Sarah Lawrence College
|
| 26 | The Juilliard School | 619 | 8.96 | -- | 42468 | 22129 |
The Juilliard School
|
| 27 | Ithaca College | 4268 | 69.01 | 1,240 – 1,390 | 34297 | 46305 |
Ithaca College
|
| 28 | Siena College | 3469 | 77.64 | 1,150 – 1,380 | 32602 | 56526 |
Siena College
|
| 29 | Clarkson University | 2296 | 77.36 | 1,210 – 1,400 | 33192 | 76970 |
Clarkson University
|
| 30 | Pratt Institute-Main | 3967 | 73.25 | 1,150 – 1,400 | 51702 | 45060 |
#30
Pratt Institute-Main
|
| 31 | University at Buffalo | 20360 | 74.18 | 1,220 – 1,390 | 20511 | 53742 |
#31
University at Buffalo
|
| 32 | SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | 1984 | 63.28 | 1,310 – 1,430 | 19644 | 48327 |
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
|
| 33 | Bard College | 2037 | 52.12 | 1,320 – 1,440 | 25218 | 31072 |
Bard College
|
| 34 | Le Moyne College | 2563 | 75.29 | 1,160 – 1,320 | 22139 | 53493 |
Le Moyne College
|
| 35 | SUNY College at Geneseo | 3902 | 66.63 | 1,200 – 1,360 | 18698 | 51097 |
SUNY College at Geneseo
|
| 36 | Hofstra University | 6581 | 68.08 | 1,240 – 1,410 | 35687 | 52131 |
Hofstra University
|
| 37 | Webb Institute | 106 | 14.04 | 1,430 – 1,530 | 21488 | 68416 |
Webb Institute
|
| 38 | Adelphi University | 5325 | 65.91 | 1,110 – 1,330 | 28671 | 63688 |
Adelphi University
|
| 39 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 16086 | 51.17 | 1,190 – 1,410 | 3989 | 61542 |
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
|
| 40 | Touro University | 5098 | 61.96 | 1,290 – 1,450 | 25934 | 43510 |
Touro University
|
| 41 | St. John Fisher University | 2583 | 66.4 | 1,120 – 1,300 | 28969 | 61198 |
St. John Fisher University
|
| 42 | Manhattan University | 2928 | 78.5 | 1,150 – 1,350 | 28349 | 64472 |
Manhattan University
|
| 43 | State University of New York at New Paltz | 6197 | 61.61 | 1,180 – 1,340 | 17848 | 45555 | |
| 44 | Nazareth University | 1882 | 74.72 | 1,080 – 1,340 | 31321 | 47717 |
#44
Nazareth University
|
| 45 | The New School | 1449 | 83.33 | 1,170 – 1,370 | 62226 | 38210 |
The New School
|
| 46 | University at Albany | 12666 | 69.09 | 1,160 – 1,330 | 19165 | 51380 |
University at Albany
|
| 47 | Canisius University | 1724 | 72.24 | 1,010 – 1,250 | 19321 | 46089 |
Canisius University
|
| 48 | Wagner College | 1590 | 83.46 | 1,150 – 1,310 | 28109 | 63439 |
Wagner College
|
| 49 | Niagara University | 2692 | 39.72 | 650 – 1,250 | 17495 | 48289 |
Niagara University
|
| 50 | St Bonaventure University | 2048 | 81.65 | 1,090 – 1,300 | 27659 | 48559 |
#50
St Bonaventure University
|
| 51 | St. Joseph's University-New York | 857 | 69.51 | 1,140 – 1,360 | 18324 | 50759 |
St. Joseph's University-New York
|
| 52 | St. John's University-New York | 15640 | 83.43 | 1,160 – 1,340 | 28206 | 54189 |
St. John's University-New York
|
| 53 | SUNY Oneonta | 4681 | 69.59 | 1,110 – 1,270 | 17918 | 49723 |
SUNY Oneonta
|
| 54 | SUNY at Purchase College | 3283 | 74.05 | 1,210 – 1,380 | 18651 | 31229 |
SUNY at Purchase College
|
| 55 | Rochester Institute of Technology | 14267 | 66.93 | 1,280 – 1,460 | 39753 | 65457 |
Rochester Institute of Technology
|
| 56 | Molloy University | 3240 | 81.74 | 1,100 – 1,300 | 25938 | 78372 |
Molloy University
|
| 57 | SUNY Maritime College | 1286 | 72.42 | 1,130 – 1,300 | 20398 | 83439 |
SUNY Maritime College
|
| 58 | Iona University | 3382 | 86.94 | 1,120 – 1,310 | 28557 | 51218 |
Iona University
|
| 59 | Houghton University | 939 | 88.66 | 1,180 – 1,380 | 22358 | 36376 |
Houghton University
|
| 60 | Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences | 533 | 52.69 | 1,180 – 1,360 | 26804 | 112685 |
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
|
| 61 | State University of New York at Cortland | 5911 | 59.79 | 1,100 – 1,250 | 18474 | 46535 |
#61
State University of New York at Cortland
|
| 62 | Pace University | 8038 | 75.92 | 1,190 – 1,360 | 34299 | 52767 |
Pace University
|
| 63 | Elmira College | 745 | 76.96 | 1,140 – 1,370 | 24551 | 49057 |
Elmira College
|
| 64 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | 1919 | 78.44 | 1,160 – 1,330 | 14646 | 58662 |
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
|
| 65 | New York Institute of Technology | 3355 | 78.08 | 1,120 – 1,360 | 23074 | 52559 |
New York Institute of Technology
|
| 66 | Roberts Wesleyan University | 1045 | 70.58 | 1,020 – 1,330 | 24202 | 56275 | |
| 67 | Bryant & Stratton College-Albany | 224 | 77.51 | -- | 11447 | 27873 |
#67
Bryant & Stratton College-Albany
|
| 68 | SUNY at Fredonia | 2876 | 79.2 | 1,080 – 1,310 | 15830 | 40580 |
SUNY at Fredonia
|
| 69 | Alfred University | 1474 | 73.84 | 1,110 – 1,320 | 26127 | 41703 |
Alfred University
|
| 70 | Manhattanville University | 1466 | 87.34 | 1,060 – 1,230 | 25017 | 45056 |
Manhattanville University
|
| 71 | Manhattan School of Music | 543 | 39.94 | -- | 51879 | 18815 |
Manhattan School of Music
|
| 72 | CUNY Hunter College | 17027 | 54.22 | 1,110 – 1,400 | 4127 | 50414 |
CUNY Hunter College
|
| 73 | Mount Saint Mary College | 2141 | 88.88 | 1,010 – 1,170 | 24588 | 59588 |
Mount Saint Mary College
|
| 74 | State University of New York at Oswego | 5517 | 80.57 | 1,070 – 1,280 | 16923 | 46358 |
State University of New York at Oswego
|
| 75 | SUNY College at Plattsburgh | 3856 | 75.18 | 1,060 – 1,280 | 15982 | 48089 |
SUNY College at Plattsburgh
|
| 76 | Hartwick College | 1112 | 69.5 | 960 – 1,290 | 26818 | 50452 |
Hartwick College
|
| 77 | CUNY Brooklyn College | 11562 | 58.36 | 1,030 – 1,190 | 4105 | 45035 |
CUNY Brooklyn College
|
| 78 | SUNY Brockport | 5816 | 70.68 | 1,110 – 1,280 | 15343 | 47164 |
SUNY Brockport
|
| 79 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice | 11554 | 55.16 | 1,030 – 1,170 | 4141 | 50293 |
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
|
| 80 | Russell Sage College | 1255 | 53.26 | 1,020 – 1,250 | 23588 | 51139 |
Russell Sage College
|
| 81 | CUNY City College | 12982 | 59.97 | 1,060 – 1,280 | 4599 | 46435 |
CUNY City College
|
| 82 | Daemen University | 1656 | 73.75 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 18944 | 59912 |
Daemen University
|
| 83 | St. Thomas Aquinas College | 1889 | 93.05 | 880 – 1,090 | 21257 | 44908 |
St. Thomas Aquinas College
|
| 84 | Marymount Manhattan College | 1601 | 82.61 | 1,130 – 1,320 | 38426 | 34052 |
Marymount Manhattan College
|
| 85 | Long Island University | 11753 | 89.77 | 1,110 – 1,340 | 22620 | 47543 |
Long Island University
|
| 86 | Utica University | 2333 | 86.79 | 1,030 – 1,210 | 22510 | 57422 |
Utica University
|
| 87 | CUNY Queens College | 13464 | 64.34 | 1,010 – 1,290 | 5339 | 48548 |
CUNY Queens College
|
| 88 | Farmingdale State College | 10007 | 63.29 | 1,040 – 1,250 | 8224 | 55901 |
Farmingdale State College
|
| 89 | Davis College | 137 | 33.33 | 850 – 1,110 | 14320 | 50193 |
Davis College
|
| 90 | College of Staten Island CUNY | 10049 | 92.34 | 910 – 1,100 | 6355 | 36931 |
College of Staten Island CUNY
|
| 91 | LIM College | 1142 | 98.75 | 970 – 1,170 | 39389 | 45359 |
LIM College
|
| 92 | New York School of Interior Design | 440 | 60.34 | 1,050 – 1,280 | 39155 | 49907 |
New York School of Interior Design
|
| 93 | Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science | 582 | 90.73 | 920 – 1,100 | 26370 | 38325 | |
| 94 | American Musical and Dramatic Academy | 1502 | 24.71 | -- | 46130 | 21168 | |
| 95 | Keuka College | 966 | 68.08 | 940 – 1,140 | 26153 | 50940 |
Keuka College
|
| 96 | SUNY College at Potsdam | 1831 | 77.7 | 970 – 1,150 | 14574 | 39440 |
SUNY College at Potsdam
|
| 97 | Mercy University | 6775 | 85.84 | 940 – 1,210 | 16776 | 44969 |
Mercy University
|
| 98 | D'Youville University | 1523 | 82.35 | 910 – 1,200 | 20268 | 63804 | |
| 99 | Monroe College | 6206 | 67.51 | -- | 11476 | 36973 |
Monroe College
|
| 100 | SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill | 1764 | 83.25 | 950 – 1,160 | 18122 | 37901 |
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill
|
| 101 | Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology | 1392 | 85.05 | 900 – 1,300 | 37171 | 48890 |
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
|
| 102 | University of Mount Saint Vincent | 2398 | 84.64 | 950 – 1,220 | 21844 | 53755 |
University of Mount Saint Vincent
|
| 103 | CUNY Lehman College | 11217 | 46.01 | 960 – 1,080 | 4076 | 51067 |
CUNY Lehman College
|
| 104 | Hilbert College | 939 | 98 | 970 – 1,240 | 22224 | 45369 |
Hilbert College
|
| 105 | SUNY Old Westbury | 4260 | 83.52 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 10495 | 43671 |
SUNY Old Westbury
|
| 106 | Five Towns College | 662 | 73.89 | 800 – 1,020 | 23005 | 25305 |
Five Towns College
|
| 107 | SUNY College of Technology at Delhi | 2634 | 88.41 | 940 – 1,120 | 16923 | 42826 |
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
|
| 108 | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | 3525 | 81.75 | 970 – 1,170 | 14877 | 45460 |
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
|
| 109 | St. Francis College | 1934 | 81.53 | 930 – 1,140 | 22766 | 43378 |
St. Francis College
|
| 110 | Wells College | 357 | 69.65 | 960 – 1,210 | 23956 | 35648 |
Wells College
|
| 111 | SUNY College of Technology at Canton | 3469 | 92.15 | 1,000 – 1,160 | 14451 | 42079 |
SUNY College of Technology at Canton
|
| 112 | Rabbinical College Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion | 436 | 0 | -- | 8586 | 63721 | |
| 113 | Be'er Yaakov Talmudic Seminary | 679 | 94.8 | -- | 5047 | 51407 | |
| 114 | Dominican University New York | 1115 | 97.71 | 1,100 – 1,240 | 23907 | 50865 |
Dominican University New York
|
| 115 | Boricua College | 401 | 75.86 | -- | 14102 | 30398 |
Boricua College
|
| 116 | Maria College of Albany | 718 | 49.84 | 950 – 1,140 | 17290 | 53357 |
Maria College of Albany
|
| 117 | Yeshivath Viznitz | 921 | 93.73 | -- | 7172 | 51021 | |
| 118 | Uta Mesivta of Kiryas Joel | 2729 | 0 | -- | 5987 | 51415 | |
| 119 | SUNY Buffalo State University | 5205 | 74.4 | 990 – 1,250 | 13735 | 40877 |
SUNY Buffalo State University
|
| 120 | Villa Maria College | 611 | 87.33 | 800 – 1,110 | 15687 | 33635 |
Villa Maria College
|
| 121 | SUNY Morrisville | 2042 | 90.78 | 780 – 1,300 | 16855 | 39759 |
#121
SUNY Morrisville
|
| 122 | Kehilath Yakov Rabbinical Seminary | 206 | 8.96 | -- | 4090 | 25819 | |
| 123 | Rabbinical College Ohr Yisroel | 116 | 3.56 | -- | 6147 | 51683 | |
| 124 | CUNY York College | 5917 | 64.1 | 870 – 1,050 | 5631 | 46148 |
CUNY York College
|
| 125 | Yeshiva Karlin Stolin | 136 | 78.95 | -- | 3745 | 53468 |
Yeshiva Karlin Stolin
|
| 126 | United Talmudical Seminary | 2006 | 43.79 | -- | 8237 | 51109 | |
| 127 | CUNY New York City College of Technology | 13767 | 80.74 | 850 – 1,030 | 5417 | 39982 |
CUNY New York City College of Technology
|
| 128 | The College of Westchester | 891 | 94.57 | -- | 11332 | 32951 |
The College of Westchester
|
| 129 | CUNY Medgar Evers College | 3846 | 83.36 | 750 – 930 | 6207 | 37538 | |
| 130 | Yeshiva of Machzikai Hadas | 461 | 66.15 | -- | 19630 | 51109 | |
| 131 | Bet Medrash Gadol Ateret Torah | 108 | 65.31 | -- | 4734 | 52844 | |
| 132 | Berkeley College-New York | 1756 | 96.71 | -- | 27509 | 37284 |
#132
Berkeley College-New York
|
| 133 | Yeshiva of Nitra Rabbinical College | 249 | 66.92 | -- | 7269 | 51725 | |
| 134 | Rabbinical College of Long Island | 161 | 100 | -- | 7838 | 63721 | |
| 135 | Yeshiva Sholom Shachna | 118 | 86.96 | -- | 7551 | 52982 | |
| 136 | Yeshiva Derech Chaim | 119 | 70.21 | -- | 10153 | 53468 | |
| 137 | Yeshiva Gedolah Imrei Yosef D'spinka | 232 | 0 | -- | 10079 | 46136 | |
| 138 | Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid | 183 | 70 | -- | 11171 | 63721 | |
| 139 | Beth Medrash Meor Yitzchok | 222 | 52.12 | -- | 12538 | 51395 | |
| 140 | Talmudical Seminary of Bobov | 515 | 98.07 | -- | 2841 | 51227 |
#140
Talmudical Seminary of Bobov
|
| 141 | Mesivta Torah Vodaath Rabbinical Seminary | 337 | 89.74 | -- | 9775 | 16553 | |
| 142 | Yeshiva Shaar Ephraim | 138 | 73.42 | -- | 4568 | 56432 | |
| 143 | Machzikei Hadath Rabbinical College | 129 | 95 | -- | 9182 | 63721 |
Machzikei Hadath Rabbinical College
|
| 144 | Rabbinical Seminary of America | 379 | 97.54 | -- | 9049 | 50472 |
Rabbinical Seminary of America
|
| 145 | Empire State University | 7789 | 75.18 | -- | 11065 | 50167 | |
| 146 | Rabbinical Academy Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin | 160 | 100 | -- | 6209 | 53468 | |
| 147 | Yeshivas Novominsk | 163 | 90.2 | -- | 9267 | 63721 | |
| 148 | Central Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitz | 810 | 88.46 | -- | 19471 | 21104 | |
| 149 | Mirrer Yeshiva Cent Institute | 102 | 77.78 | -- | 11993 | 63721 | |
| 150 | Metropolitan College of New York | 430 | 76.54 | -- | 27481 | 45086 |
Metropolitan College of New York
|
| 151 | Yeshiva Kollel Tifereth Elizer | 373 | 75 | -- | 11349 | 56285 | |
| 152 | Rabbinical College of Ohr Shimon Yisroel | 233 | 100 | -- | 13791 | 47074 |
Rabbinical College of Ohr Shimon Yisroel
|
| 153 | Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah | 353 | 78.08 | -- | 10728 | 53848 | |
| 154 | Yeshivath Zichron Moshe | 176 | 52.17 | -- | 12517 | 53468 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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