Country ranking — 2026 edition
Best Universities in the United States
The United States hosts the deepest research base in the world and an unusually wide spread between its private endowed universities and its flagship state systems. Both are scored here on the global composite.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is ranked first in the 2026 best universities in the united states, with an overall score of 99.1 out of 100. Harvard University is second and Stanford University third. 100 institutions are ranked in this edition.
Published
Outcomes 30%Salary 20%Faculty 15%Selectivity 15%Employers 10%Network 10%
RankInstitution & programmeOverall
- 1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
Outcomes98Salary99Faculty99Selectivity99Employers99Network9699.1Score - 2
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
Outcomes97Salary98Faculty99Selectivity99Employers99Network9698.0Score - 3
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Outcomes98Salary99Faculty99Selectivity99Employers99Network9597.6Score - 4
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
Outcomes95Salary96Faculty99Selectivity99Employers94Network8493.7Score - 5
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Outcomes93Salary94Faculty96Selectivity96Employers93Network8692.9Score - 6
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
Outcomes94Salary95Faculty97Selectivity93Employers95Network9292.1Score - 7
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
Outcomes96Salary96Faculty98Selectivity99Employers95Network8691.8Score - 8
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
Outcomes91Salary91Faculty92Selectivity92Employers91Network9091.5Score - 9
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Outcomes95Salary94Faculty96Selectivity98Employers95Network8791.1Score - 10
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Outcomes90Salary89Faculty96Selectivity92Employers91Network8690.2Score - 11
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Outcomes93Salary95Faculty93Selectivity95Employers92Network8989.6Score - 12
Columbia University
New York, NY
Outcomes92Salary94Faculty95Selectivity95Employers93Network9089.1Score - 13
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Outcomes89Salary87Faculty91Selectivity88Employers90Network8887.9Score - 14
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Outcomes89Salary87Faculty92Selectivity85Employers90Network9187.4Score - 15
New York University
New York, NY
Outcomes87Salary88Faculty88Selectivity86Employers88Network9085.9Score - 16
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
Outcomes86Salary89Faculty84Selectivity85Employers82Network8185.3Score - 17
Duke University
Durham, NC
Outcomes83Salary87Faculty82Selectivity82Employers89Network8584.9Score - 18
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
Outcomes82Salary82Faculty85Selectivity88Employers82Network8884.3Score - 19
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, CA
Outcomes83Salary85Faculty87Selectivity86Employers86Network8183.8Score - 20
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Outcomes86Salary88Faculty80Selectivity87Employers80Network8183.4Score - 21
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA
Outcomes88Salary82Faculty84Selectivity87Employers85Network8283.1Score - 22
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
Outcomes86Salary83Faculty87Selectivity78Employers81Network8082.5Score - 23
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
Outcomes86Salary78Faculty85Selectivity84Employers85Network7981.8Score - 24
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Madison, WI
Outcomes84Salary81Faculty78Selectivity85Employers84Network8181.2Score - 25
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL
Outcomes83Salary83Faculty84Selectivity84Employers82Network8080.6Score - 26
Brown University
Providence, RI
Outcomes83Salary81Faculty84Selectivity77Employers82Network8280.0Score - 27
Rice University
Houston, TX
Outcomes79Salary78Faculty78Selectivity80Employers82Network8379.3Score - 28
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Outcomes80Salary75Faculty77Selectivity76Employers78Network7878.9Score - 29
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
Outcomes79Salary74Faculty80Selectivity82Employers81Network7578.1Score - 30
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Outcomes73Salary82Faculty74Selectivity81Employers74Network7677.7Score - 31
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Outcomes74Salary81Faculty80Selectivity73Employers79Network7877.1Score - 32
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
Outcomes75Salary76Faculty74Selectivity73Employers77Network7876.8Score - 33
Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Outcomes77Salary75Faculty73Selectivity75Employers76Network7976.3Score - 34
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA
Outcomes76Salary78Faculty79Selectivity77Employers74Network7676.0Score - 35
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA
Outcomes80Salary72Faculty77Selectivity78Employers73Network7675.6Score - 36
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
Outcomes74Salary73Faculty75Selectivity73Employers72Network7375.3Score - 37
Ohio State University
Columbus, OH
Outcomes71Salary75Faculty72Selectivity72Employers70Network7674.9Score - 38
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA
Outcomes79Salary73Faculty70Selectivity79Employers71Network7374.4Score - 39
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
Outcomes71Salary74Faculty78Selectivity70Employers77Network7673.8Score - 40
University of Maryland, College Park
College Park, MD
Outcomes75Salary74Faculty70Selectivity69Employers74Network7673.1Score - 41
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN
Outcomes73Salary77Faculty72Selectivity68Employers75Network7372.3Score - 42
Boston University
Boston, MA
Outcomes70Salary74Faculty71Selectivity69Employers68Network7271.5Score - 43
Tufts University
Medford, MA
Outcomes75Salary74Faculty73Selectivity74Employers74Network6971.0Score - 44
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH
Outcomes71Salary68Faculty75Selectivity73Employers66Network6970.6Score - 45
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY
Outcomes72Salary70Faculty69Selectivity72Employers66Network6870.0Score - 46
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Outcomes73Salary72Faculty68Selectivity71Employers71Network7169.3Score - 47
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Outcomes71Salary66Faculty67Selectivity66Employers66Network7168.7Score - 48
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
Outcomes71Salary71Faculty68Selectivity65Employers72Network6968.1Score - 49
College of William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA
Outcomes64Salary66Faculty72Selectivity65Employers67Network6967.4Score - 50
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ
Outcomes62Salary62Faculty64Selectivity69Employers64Network6866.7Score - 51
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
Outcomes63Salary66Faculty64Selectivity64Employers70Network6266.3Score - 52
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO
Outcomes66Salary67Faculty67Selectivity61Employers62Network6365.7Score - 53
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
Outcomes68Salary61Faculty68Selectivity64Employers61Network7065.3Score - 54
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ
Outcomes62Salary65Faculty68Selectivity65Employers64Network6965.0Score - 55
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Outcomes61Salary62Faculty66Selectivity64Employers60Network6664.2Score - 56
Indiana University Bloomington
Bloomington, IN
Outcomes63Salary62Faculty63Selectivity66Employers64Network6163.9Score - 57
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
Outcomes65Salary59Faculty62Selectivity61Employers65Network6663.5Score - 58
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
Outcomes62Salary63Faculty60Selectivity65Employers59Network6662.9Score - 59
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
Outcomes67Salary62Faculty58Selectivity63Employers63Network6262.5Score - 60
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL
Outcomes63Salary66Faculty62Selectivity65Employers63Network6662.0Score - 61
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX
Outcomes59Salary63Faculty58Selectivity59Employers63Network6461.5Score - 62
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
Outcomes63Salary63Faculty64Selectivity64Employers56Network6060.8Score - 63
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA
Outcomes60Salary59Faculty60Selectivity63Employers63Network6360.4Score - 64
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA
Outcomes58Salary61Faculty61Selectivity59Employers56Network5659.9Score - 65
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY
Outcomes62Salary55Faculty63Selectivity62Employers59Network6459.6Score - 66
Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ
Outcomes61Salary63Faculty62Selectivity57Employers61Network6259.1Score - 67
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
Outcomes57Salary54Faculty58Selectivity62Employers62Network6358.5Score - 68
Fordham University
New York, NY
Outcomes62Salary55Faculty56Selectivity58Employers58Network6257.8Score - 69
George Washington University
Washington, DC
Outcomes53Salary54Faculty54Selectivity60Employers53Network5857.0Score - 70
American University
Washington, DC
Outcomes55Salary57Faculty56Selectivity58Employers60Network6156.7Score - 71
Baylor University
Waco, TX
Outcomes54Salary57Faculty60Selectivity54Employers52Network5756.2Score - 72
Clemson University
Clemson, SC
Outcomes54Salary57Faculty56Selectivity54Employers60Network5955.6Score - 73
Auburn University
Auburn, AL
Outcomes52Salary57Faculty52Selectivity54Employers51Network5355.1Score - 74
University of Georgia
Athens, GA
Outcomes56Salary55Faculty58Selectivity53Employers56Network5254.7Score - 75
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN
Outcomes58Salary53Faculty58Selectivity58Employers58Network5654.0Score - 76
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Outcomes53Salary50Faculty54Selectivity51Employers51Network5253.4Score - 77
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
Outcomes54Salary51Faculty54Selectivity50Employers51Network5653.0Score - 78
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
Outcomes48Salary50Faculty53Selectivity51Employers50Network5252.4Score - 79
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO
Outcomes51Salary56Faculty55Selectivity54Employers54Network5251.8Score - 80
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
Outcomes49Salary54Faculty48Selectivity51Employers52Network5151.5Score - 81
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
Outcomes55Salary48Faculty48Selectivity53Employers50Network5151.2Score - 82
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR
Outcomes48Salary48Faculty50Selectivity52Employers46Network4750.4Score - 83
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
Outcomes49Salary46Faculty53Selectivity50Employers52Network4749.7Score - 84
Washington State University
Pullman, WA
Outcomes49Salary46Faculty45Selectivity47Employers51Network4549.0Score - 85
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO
Outcomes45Salary44Faculty45Selectivity49Employers46Network4948.4Score - 86
University of Delaware
Newark, DE
Outcomes46Salary50Faculty49Selectivity51Employers45Network5147.6Score - 87
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT
Outcomes46Salary49Faculty44Selectivity49Employers45Network4746.9Score - 88
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA
Outcomes49Salary43Faculty44Selectivity49Employers48Network4346.5Score - 89
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH
Outcomes50Salary42Faculty44Selectivity45Employers48Network4945.8Score - 90
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT
Outcomes45Salary43Faculty49Selectivity46Employers43Network4545.0Score - 91
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
Outcomes44Salary45Faculty43Selectivity41Employers41Network4044.6Score - 92
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
Outcomes41Salary47Faculty43Selectivity48Employers45Network4344.0Score - 93
Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY
Outcomes43Salary44Faculty42Selectivity45Employers42Network4443.7Score - 94
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL
Outcomes48Salary46Faculty44Selectivity46Employers47Network4343.3Score - 95
University of Houston
Houston, TX
Outcomes45Salary42Faculty43Selectivity40Employers39Network4042.6Score - 96
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK
Outcomes40Salary45Faculty43Selectivity41Employers45Network4041.8Score - 97
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY
Outcomes38Salary38Faculty44Selectivity45Employers45Network4041.2Score - 98
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
Outcomes39Salary40Faculty38Selectivity38Employers44Network4341.2Score - 99
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC
Outcomes40Salary42Faculty45Selectivity40Employers43Network4041.2Score - 100
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
Outcomes38Salary46Faculty44Selectivity38Employers41Network4041.2Score
United States 2026: frequently asked questions
- Which institution is number one in the 2026 united states ranking?
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, based in Cambridge, MA, ranks first with an overall score of 99.1 out of 100.
- How is this ranking calculated?
- Every entry is scored on the same six weighted indicators — Graduate outcomes (30%), Salary uplift (20%), Faculty & research strength (15%), Selectivity (15%), Employer reputation (10%), Cohort & network reach (10%) — each normalised across the table and combined into an overall score out of 100. Nothing is reweighted table by table.
- How many institutions are ranked, and how often is the table updated?
- 100 institutions appear in the 2026 edition. A new edition is published every year on 30 September, with all six indicators re-collected for that edition.
- Can an institution pay to appear or move up?
- No. No institution pays to be assessed, to appear in a table, or to change its position, and no score is shown to an institution before publication.
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- Best Universities in the United Kingdom 2026
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- Best Universities in Germany 2026
- Best Universities in Australia 2026
- Best Universities in France 2026
- World University Rankings 2026
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Scored on the composite set out in our methodology. See also all rankings.