Our Top 50 Best College award is the most-selective honor in our 2016 Best Colleges rankings.
We analyzed data on each school from thousands across the country and selected the 50 best of the four-year colleges throughout the nation. This list includes schools of all sizes, with varying majors and both public and private institutions.
In our rankings, we looked at factors such as graduation rates, student loan default rates, selectivity, and campus diversity to evaluate the quality of each college and award those schools that were the 50 best based on a combination of all criteria.
Here are the best colleges and universities in the U.S.:
50. Brandeis University
![Brandeis University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/brandeis-university-castle-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user khargrav.
Waltham, MA
Undergraduate enrollment: 3,614
Learn more about Brandeis University
![](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ELFI-Logo-300x92.png)
49. Grinnell College
![Grinnell College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/6056677938_5cf94c58d5_b.jpg)
Source: Flickr user silversprite.
Grinnell, IA
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,721
48. Boston College
![Boston College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/boston-college-library-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user masstransit.
Chestnut Hill, MA
Undergraduate enrollment: 9,698
Learn more about Boston College
47. Hamilton College
![Hamilton College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/hamilton-college-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user chuckthewriter.
Clinton, NY
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,926
Learn more about Hamilton College
46. Colgate University
![Colgate University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Colgate_University_Across_Taylor_Lake.jpg)
“Colgate University Across Taylor Lake” by Balon Greyjoy – Own work. Licensed under CC0 via Commons.
Hamilton, NY
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,890
Learn more about Colgate University
45. University of California-Los Angeles
![University of California-Los Angles - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Royce_Hall_post_rain-UCLA-wiki.jpg)
“Royce Hall post rain” by Alton – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.
Los Angeles, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 28,674
44. Davidson College
![Davidson College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/davidson-college-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user melystu.
Davidson, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,788
Learn more about Davidson College
43. Emory University
![Emory University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-CandlerLibrary.jpg)
By Revesq (Own work (Revesq)) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Atlanta, GA
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,836
42. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
![University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-UNC_South_Building-wiki.jpg)
“UNC South Building” by Yeungb – Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Commons.
Chapel Hill, NC
Undergraduate enrollment: 18,370
Learn more about UNC Chapel Hill
41. Harvey Mudd College
![Harvey Mudd College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Hmc-dartmouth_entrance.jpg)
By The original uploader was Imagine at English Wikipedia (Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.) [CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons
Claremont, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 807
40. Barnard College
![Lehman Hall at Barnard College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-2014_Barnard_College_Lehman_Hall-wiki.jpg)
“2014 Barnard College Lehman Hall” by Beyond My Ken – Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Commons.
New York, NY
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,489
Learn more about Barnard College
39. Wesleyan University
![Wesleyan University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Wesleyan-University-wiki.jpg)
“Wesolin” by Original uploader was Ychennay at en.wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons.
Middletown, CT
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,906
Learn more about Wesleyan University
38. Soka University of America
![Soka University of America - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Soka_University_Founders_Hall.jpg)
By Beyond My Ken (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Aliso Viejo, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 412
Learn more about Soka University of America
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37. Middlebury College
![Middlebury College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/mead-chapel-middlebury-college-wiki.jpg)
“Midd wiki 2“. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia.
Middlebury, VT
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,495
Learn more about Middlebury College
36. Johns Hopkins University
![Johns Hopkins University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-View_from_Levering_Plaza-Johns-Hopkins-University-wiki.jpg)
“View from Levering Plaza” by Iracaz – iPhone photo. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia.
Baltimore, MD
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,117
Learn more about Johns Hopkins University
35. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
![University of Michigan-Ann Arbor - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/8132495550_a930ba5a33_z.jpg)
Source: Flickr user beckstei.
Ann Arbor, MI
Undergraduate enrollment: 28,283
34. University of California-Berkeley
![University of California-Berkeley - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-UCBerkeleyCampus-wiki.jpg)
“UCBerkeleyCampus” by brainchildvn on Flickr – Flickr. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons.
Berkeley, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 25,951
Learn more about UC – Berkeley
33. Tufts University
![The Tisch library entrance at Tufts University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Tufts_Tisch_library_entrance-wiki.jpg)
“Tufts Tisch library entrance” by HereToHelp – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.
Medford, MA
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,180
32. Vassar College
![Thompson Library at Vassar College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Thompson_Library_Vassar_College-wiki.jpg)
“Thompson Library (Vassar College)” by Noteremote. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.
Poughkeepsie, NY
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,477
Learn more about Vassar College
31. Carleton College
![Carleton College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Carleton_College_Aerial.jpg)
By Dogs1337 (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
Northfield, MN
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,045
Learn more about Carleton College
30. Haverford College
Haverford, PA
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,187
Learn more about Haverford College
29. College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, VA
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,271
Learn more about the College of William and Mary
28. Georgetown University
![Georgetown University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Georgetown_Riverview-wiki.jpg)
“Georgetown Riverview” by Patrickneil – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.
Washington, DC
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,636
27. Claremont McKenna College
![Claremont McKenna College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/5840844688_5617de318b_z.jpg)
Source: Flickr user campusgrotto.
Claremont, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,316
Learn more about Claremont McKenna College
26. Cornell University
![Cornell University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cornell-university-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user 30416747@N00.
Ithaca, NY
Undergraduate enrollment: 14,393
Learn more about Cornell University
25. Washington and Lee University
![Washington and Lee University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/1024px-2008-0831-WashingtonandLeeUniversity-Wiki-1024x434.jpg)
Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Lexington, VA
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,855
Learn more about Washington and Lee
24. Bowdoin College
![Hubbard Hall at Bowdoin College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Hubbardhallb-Bowdoin-College-Flickr.jpg)
Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Brunswick, ME
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,795
23. Wellesley College
![Wellesley College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Wellesley_College_Tower_Court-wiki.jpg)
“Wellesley College Tower Court” by Jared and Corin – Tower Court. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons.
Wellesley, MA
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,474
Learn more about Wellesley College
22. Rice University
![Lovett Hall at Rice University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Lovett_Hall-Rice-university-wiki.jpg)
“Lovett Hall” by The original uploader was AniRaptor2001 at English Wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.
Houston, TX
Undergraduate enrollment: 3,965
Learn more about Rice University
21. University of Virginia-Main Campus
![University of Virginia-Main Campus - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3312897794_ede2f79249_z.jpg)
Source: Flickr user marc_buehler.
Charlottesville, VA
Undergraduate enrollment: 16,087
Learn more about the University of Virginia
20. Vanderbilt University
![Benson Tower at Vanderbilt University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Bensontower-Vanderbilt-wiki.jpg)
“Bensontower” by Dansan4444 – Own work. Licensed under CC0 via Commons.
Nashville, TN
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,835
19. Washington University in St Louis
St Louis, MO
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,336
Learn more about Washington University in St Louis
18. Brown University
![Robinson Hall at Brown University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Brown_university_robinson_hall_2009a-wiki.jpg)
“Brown university robinson hall 2009a” by chensiyuan – chensiyuan. Licensed under GFDL via Commons.
Providence, RI
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,455
17. University of Notre Dame
![University of Notre Dame - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Main_Building_at_the_University_of_Notre_Dame.jpg)
“Main Building at the University of Notre Dame” by Matthew Rice – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Commons.
Notre Dame, IN
Undergraduate enrollment: 8,477
16. Duke University
![Duke University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/duke-university-flickr2-e1444257086601.jpg)
Source: Flickr user OHinOZ.
Durham, NC
Undergraduate enrollment: 6,646
15. Northwestern University
![Northwestern University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Northwestern_Arch.jpg)
By Rdsmith4 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons
Evanston, IL
Undergraduate enrollment: 9,283
Learn more about Northwestern University
14. Amherst College
![Amherst College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/amherst-college-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user David Brooks.
Amherst, MA
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,785
Learn more about Amherst College
13. Dartmouth College
![Dartmouth College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Dartmouth_College_campus_2007-10-20_09-wiki.jpg)
“Dartmouth College campus 2007-10-20 09” by Kane5187 – Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons.
Hanover, NH
Undergraduate enrollment: 4,276
12. Swarthmore College
![Swarthmore College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/800px-Swarthmore_Parrish_Sunset_2008-Wikimedia.jpg)
Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Swarthmore, PA
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,534
11. Williams College
![Williams College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/770px-Ephtowers-williams-college-wiki.jpg)
“Ephtowers” by SERSeanCrane – Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Commons.
Williamstown, MA
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,096
Learn more about Williams College
10. California Institute of Technology
![California Institute of Technology - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/cal-tech-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user joebehr.
Pasadena, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 977
9. Pomona College
![Pomona College - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/pomona-college-flickr-2.jpg)
Source: Flickr user wlcarchitectsphotography.
Claremont, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,610
Learn more about Pomona College
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
![Columbia University in the City of New York - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Walking_Through_Columbia_University.jpg)
“Walking Through Columbia University (5892973734)” by Alex Proimos from Sydney, Australia – Walking Through Columbia UniversityUploaded by russavia. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons.
New York, NY
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,970
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Undergraduate enrollment: 11,525
Learn more about the University of Pennsylvania
6. University of Chicago
![Winter at the University of Chicago - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Harper_Library_from_the_Midway_Plaisance-University-of-chicago.jpg)
“Harper Library from the Midway Plaisance” by IceUnshattered – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Commons.
Chicago, IL
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,703
Learn more about the University of Chicago
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
![Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/MIT_Campus_Sculpture.jpg)
Source: Flickr user infanticida.
Cambridge, MA
Undergraduate enrollment: 4,528
4. Stanford University
![Stanford University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/stanford-main-quad-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user naotakem.
Stanford, CA
Undergraduate enrollment: 7,274
3. Yale University
![Yale University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/yale-university-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user 29457092@N07.
New Haven, CT
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,430
2. Harvard University
![Harvard University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/harvard-university-flickr.jpg)
Source: Flickr user 127687091@N07.
Cambridge, MA
Undergraduate enrollment: 10,534
1. Princeton University
![Princeton University - Top 50 Best Colleges](https://www.collegeraptor.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/640px-Princeton_6035183309.jpg)
“Princeton (6035183309)” by popejon2 from Paddington, Australia – PrincetonUploaded by russavia. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons.
Princeton, NJ
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,323
About our methodology
Colleges are ranked based on a combination of factors, including graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other data as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently-available enrollment year. Some colleges may have been excluded from rankings based on certain criteria, including specialization and classification. Learn about our full methodology
View all of the 2016 Best Colleges rankings from College Raptor