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 | Kenyon College | 2228 | 31.03 | 1,380 – 1,490 | 44470 | 46627 |
#1
Kenyon College
|
| 2 | Case Western Reserve University | 6528 | 37.78 | 1,440 – 1,550 | 41351 | 75613 |
#2
Case Western Reserve University
|
| 3 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | 46815 | 60.57 | 1,250 – 1,440 | 19575 | 51438 |
Ohio State University-Main Campus
|
| 4 | Oberlin College | 2950 | 32.98 | 1,370 – 1,500 | 50484 | 38871 |
Oberlin College
|
| 5 | Denison University | 2406 | 16.93 | 1,320 – 1,450 | 42177 | 51352 |
#5
Denison University
|
| 6 | Miami University-Oxford | 16816 | 75.4 | 1,220 – 1,380 | 27928 | 49773 |
#6
Miami University-Oxford
|
| 7 | University of Dayton | 7737 | 65.66 | 1,180 – 1,400 | 31551 | 62477 |
#7
University of Dayton
|
| 8 | John Carroll University | 2339 | 80.9 | 1,200 – 1,390 | 30790 | 53187 |
John Carroll University
|
| 9 | The College of Wooster | 1738 | 59.53 | 1,250 – 1,460 | 29529 | 43895 |
The College of Wooster
|
| 10 | Ohio Northern University | 2592 | 73.35 | 1,210 – 1,370 | 26396 | 62686 |
Ohio Northern University
|
| 11 | Xavier University | 4239 | 86.69 | 1,110 – 1,330 | 31542 | 54758 |
Xavier University
|
| 12 | Mount Carmel College of Nursing | 575 | 57.39 | 930 – 1,080 | 11686 | 60785 |
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
|
| 13 | Franciscan University of Steubenville | 2978 | 72.23 | 1,110 – 1,340 | 24490 | 42037 |
Franciscan University of Steubenville
|
| 14 | Cedarville University | 4916 | 64.88 | 1,140 – 1,360 | 27047 | 47937 |
Cedarville University
|
| 15 | Ohio Wesleyan University | 1525 | 55.6 | 1,130 – 1,360 | 23826 | 42495 |
Ohio Wesleyan University
|
| 16 | Otterbein University | 2211 | 84.52 | 990 – 1,240 | 22242 | 44539 |
Otterbein University
|
| 17 | Baldwin Wallace University | 2862 | 75.7 | 1,090 – 1,300 | 28190 | 44972 |
Baldwin Wallace University
|
| 18 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus | 33572 | 85.29 | 1,180 – 1,350 | 21511 | 48310 |
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
|
| 19 | Ohio University-Main Campus | 19888 | 85.17 | 1,110 – 1,310 | 20550 | 48991 |
Ohio University-Main Campus
|
| 20 | University of Mount Union | 1927 | 80.13 | 1,000 – 1,210 | 22835 | 45919 |
University of Mount Union
|
| 21 | Cleveland Institute of Art | 566 | 56.28 | 1,090 – 1,280 | 33527 | 33148 |
Cleveland Institute of Art
|
| 22 | Wittenberg University | 1288 | 91.04 | 1,050 – 1,240 | 21457 | 42437 |
Wittenberg University
|
| 23 | Kent State University at Kent | 20841 | 86.34 | 990 – 1,220 | 20333 | 40179 |
Kent State University at Kent
|
| 24 | Capital University | 1609 | 70.22 | 960 – 1,210 | 22480 | 45767 |
Capital University
|
| 25 | Ashland University | 5180 | 80.53 | 1,040 – 1,250 | 21971 | 47722 | |
| 26 | Cleveland Institute of Music | 194 | 38.53 | -- | 36001 | 60883 |
Cleveland Institute of Music
|
| 27 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus | 14783 | 80.96 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 20987 | 41281 | |
| 28 | Walsh University | 1423 | 78.15 | 1,040 – 1,260 | 21009 | 50090 |
Walsh University
|
| 29 | Heidelberg University | 933 | 67.73 | 1,020 – 1,180 | 19620 | 41440 | |
| 30 | Columbus College of Art & Design | 893 | 71.74 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 30900 | 30590 |
Columbus College of Art & Design
|
| 31 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | 1631 | 84.3 | 1,010 – 1,280 | 23293 | 43046 |
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
|
| 32 | The University of Findlay | 3954 | 86.15 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 26215 | 49757 |
The University of Findlay
|
| 33 | Gods Bible School and College | 417 | 64.03 | 960 – 1,170 | 7233 | 29555 |
Gods Bible School and College
|
| 34 | Malone University | 992 | 75.86 | 970 – 1,180 | 23362 | 43056 |
#34
Malone University
|
| 35 | Kettering College | 639 | 82.86 | 1,040 – 1,180 | 4048 | 60692 |
Kettering College
|
| 36 | Mount St. Joseph University | 1545 | 59.15 | 1,010 – 1,260 | 15887 | 43595 |
Mount St. Joseph University
|
| 37 | University of Toledo | 11013 | 92.02 | 1,040 – 1,280 | 17927 | 44162 |
University of Toledo
|
| 38 | Shawnee State University | 2994 | 81.47 | 980 – 1,190 | 14815 | 35080 |
Shawnee State University
|
| 39 | Marietta College | 1023 | 79.29 | 960 – 1,190 | 21333 | 51252 |
Marietta College
|
| 40 | Wilmington College | 924 | 84.6 | 970 – 1,170 | 24915 | 41889 |
Wilmington College
|
| 41 | Bluffton University | 602 | 61.16 | 920 – 1,130 | 21299 | 41940 | |
| 42 | Hiram College | 1026 | 92.44 | 890 – 1,120 | 21362 | 40270 |
Hiram College
|
| 43 | Lourdes University | 827 | 74.1 | 930 – 1,140 | 22614 | 40158 |
Lourdes University
|
| 44 | Ursuline College | 637 | 84.01 | 980 – 1,190 | 17678 | 45646 |
Ursuline College
|
| 45 | Wright State University-Lake Campus | 1398 | 95.15 | 930 – 1,180 | 12039 | 42229 |
Wright State University-Lake Campus
|
| 46 | Muskingum University | 1524 | 81.84 | 930 – 1,110 | 20269 | 40536 |
Muskingum University
|
| 47 | Cleveland State University | 9418 | 91.3 | 880 – 1,130 | 16307 | 44625 |
Cleveland State University
|
| 48 | Ohio Dominican University | 843 | 94.23 | 1,040 – 1,310 | 21006 | 43933 |
Ohio Dominican University
|
| 49 | Youngstown State University | 8436 | 80.66 | 950 – 1,180 | 11740 | 37590 |
Youngstown State University
|
| 50 | University of Akron Main Campus | 11160 | 59.67 | 930 – 1,210 | 15292 | 42269 |
University of Akron Main Campus
|
| 51 | Lake Erie College | 744 | 64.12 | 970 – 1,160 | 22322 | 43959 |
Lake Erie College
|
| 52 | Defiance College | 464 | 42.43 | 970 – 1,110 | 24098 | 39303 |
#52
Defiance College
|
| 53 | The Christ College of Nursing and Health Sciences | 765 | 50.18 | 880 – 1,020 | 18995 | 64942 | |
| 54 | Wright State University-Main Campus | 7505 | 96.33 | 930 – 1,190 | 15400 | 42229 |
Wright State University-Main Campus
|
| 55 | Antioch College | 124 | 89.21 | 1,010 – 1,240 | 10979 | 32114 |
Antioch College
|
| 56 | Tiffin University | 2666 | 79.77 | 860 – 1,120 | 24516 | 42475 |
Tiffin University
|
| 57 | Art Academy of Cincinnati | 255 | 33.14 | 740 – 1,170 | 28899 | 27483 |
Art Academy of Cincinnati
|
| 58 | Ohio Christian University | 1340 | 39.9 | 850 – 930 | 21092 | 34457 |
Ohio Christian University
|
| 59 | University of Northwestern Ohio | 2572 | 80.35 | -- | 18794 | 45639 |
University of Northwestern Ohio
|
| 60 | Mercy College of Ohio | 999 | 42.76 | 930 – 1,120 | 15705 | 61877 |
Mercy College of Ohio
|
| 61 | Wilberforce University | 602 | 52.73 | 840 – 940 | 8222 | 35146 |
Wilberforce University
|
| 62 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | 729 | 86.01 | -- | 5715 | 48991 |
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus
|
| 63 | University of Rio Grande | 2030 | 72.98 | -- | 26581 | 34323 |
University of Rio Grande
|
| 64 | Central State University | 2676 | 98.61 | 800 – 970 | 14821 | 27173 |
Central State University
|
| 65 | Ohio University-Southern Campus | 618 | 87.89 | -- | 4682 | 48991 |
Ohio University-Southern Campus
|
| 66 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | 1208 | 83.3 | -- | 5304 | 48991 |
#66
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus
|
| 67 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | 402 | 45.12 | -- | 3897 | 48991 |
Ohio University-Eastern Campus
|
| 68 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campus | 901 | 54.67 | -- | 4935 | 48991 |
#68
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus
|
| 69 | Miami University-Middletown | 1213 | 100 | -- | 13457 | 49773 |
Miami University-Middletown
|
| 70 | Franklin University | 5815 | 86.33 | -- | 22252 | 49189 | |
| 71 | Miami University-Hamilton | 2345 | 100 | -- | 12407 | 49773 |
#71
Miami University-Hamilton
|
| 72 | Ohio State University-Lima Campus | 720 | 99.35 | 1,040 – 1,220 | 12727 | 51438 |
Ohio State University-Lima Campus
|
| 73 | Ohio State University-Marion Campus | 849 | 98.81 | 1,000 – 1,210 | 14514 | 51438 |
Ohio State University-Marion Campus
|
| 74 | Kent State University at Tuscarawas | 2833 | 88.54 | -- | 11448 | 40179 |
Kent State University at Tuscarawas
|
| 75 | Kent State University at Salem | 1633 | 86.86 | 850 – 1,020 | 10796 | 40179 |
Kent State University at Salem
|
| 76 | Kent State University at Stark | 3526 | 93.15 | 860 – 1,120 | 10977 | 40179 |
Kent State University at Stark
|
| 77 | Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus | 849 | 99.47 | 980 – 1,200 | 15920 | 51438 |
Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus
|
| 78 | Kent State University at Trumbull | 2147 | 81.97 | 880 – 1,070 | 10075 | 40179 |
Kent State University at Trumbull
|
| 79 | Kent State University at Ashtabula | 1738 | 86.57 | 830 – 1,100 | 10502 | 40179 |
Kent State University at Ashtabula
|
| 80 | Ohio State University-Newark Campus | 2543 | 99.37 | 980 – 1,190 | 13843 | 51438 |
Ohio State University-Newark Campus
|
| 81 | Kent State University at Geauga | 2204 | 96.12 | 820 – 1,080 | 10524 | 40179 |
Kent State University at Geauga
|
| 82 | Herzing University-Akron | 381 | 94.03 | -- | 20429 | 35295 |
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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