College Raptor's 2020 Best Colleges Rankings

College Raptor’s Top 50 Best Colleges in the US list is the most prestigious and selective rankings list we have. Schools featured here are the best of the best. With vibrant histories, beautiful campuses, and amazing academic programs, these schools are truly iconic places of higher learning.  After thoroughly analyzing thousands of colleges, we selected …

Public colleges and universities have rich histories, age-old campus traditions, and a sense of camaraderie among their students. Some of the finest colleges in the country are public institutions. These schools are government funded, tend to have larger and more diverse student bodies, and are rife with opportunities—both for campus life and future careers! We …

Many of the private colleges in America are well-known household names, with long and fascinating histories–some of which date back before the founding of the United States itself. Private colleges tend to be nonprofit institutions that are funded internally through endowments and donations. Because of this, private colleges offer some of the highest financial aid …

Liberal arts colleges aim to produce well-rounded students who are prepared for everything and anything after graduation. That means encouraging students to explore subjects outside of their major and have a truly holistic education. Liberal arts colleges also typically have smaller student bodies, which means students will find a tight-knit community and unique campus culture.  …

Like their name suggests, research colleges put a large emphasis on research from both students and faculty. Students interested in doing some type of research will find themselves at home among their fellow researcher peers. A large portion of America’s best universities and colleges fall under the research category, and make impressive advancements in the …

A small college means a tight-knit community and plenty of chances for your voice to be heard. Just because a college is small, doesn’t mean it isn’t an educational powerhouse. In fact, some of the nation’s best schools are considered small! For the purpose of this ranking list, we counted any college with fewer than …

Colleges with large or small student bodies get a lot of attention—but what about the schools that fall in the middle? If you want to the upsides to both small and large colleges, consider medium-sized schools! These schools offer a diverse range of students to meet and plenty of opportunities to take advantage of, but …

The following 25 colleges absolutely large and in charge. Large colleges are some of the most well-known names. With so many students, you’re bound to find a spirited community and tons of opportunities both academically and socially.  For the purposes of the list, we count large colleges as having over 10,000 students enrolled—and we’re including …

The Northwest region has a beautifully diverse geography filled with national parks and hiking trails. A place known for innovation, nature, unique culture, and hard work, it also has a multitude of great colleges.  For the purposes of this list, we’ve included the following states as part of the Northwest region: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, …

Not only does the Northeast have a long and rich history, there are some colleges in the region that existed before the US was officially founded! Today, the Northeast is known for its prestigious and state-of-the-art colleges. We’re considering the following states as part of the Northeast: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode …

The Midwest is called the heartland of America, and for good reason. Known for friendly people, sprawling farmland, growing industries, and wonderful cities, the Midwest is also home to some amazing colleges.  We’ve included the following states as part of the Midwest: Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Indiana, …

The Southeast region of the US is known for its vibrant culture and rich history, as well as the diverse range of colleges that can be found all over the region. The colleges listed here are of all sizes, public and private institutions alike.  In this list, we include the following states in the Southeast …

When students think of the Southwest, they probably picture flat desert land. However, that’s far from the truth. The Southwest has some of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes, from canyons to snowy mountains. The Southwest is also home to a large range of colleges and universities.   For the purposes of this list, we’ve included …

High school students typically spend their junior and senior years taking the SAT or ACT, studying long hours in hopes for a high score to boost their admission chances. While there’s no doubt that standardized testing has played a large role in college acceptance over the years, it’s certainly not the only factor at play. …

Students applying to colleges know all too well how quickly application fees add up, especially when applying to multiple schools. Prices can range from $20 to upwards of $60! It can get quite expensive, especially on top of other fees like ACT and SAT tests. But did you know that some colleges don’t charge application …

There’s a common misconception that a college having a high acceptance rate automatically makes it “less good.” Or that a low acceptance rate equates directly to quality. Neither is necessarily the case. There are plenty of schools with high acceptance rates that offer a fantastic, high quality education.  And that’s exactly why we’ve made this …

There’s no doubt that a lot of colleges have high price tags, but those prices are sometimes misleading. Many schools offer generous financial aid which makes the actual cost much, much less. For example, the sticker price for Soka University of America is just above $52,000. But the average institutional grant that Soka awards covers …