Ranked: The Top 100 US Universities

The university or college you choose to go to can have a major impact on the rest of your life, so it's probably a good idea to do some research first. To help with the process, we've compiled a ranking of the best 100 US universities and colleges, according to the recently released QS World University Rankings: USA 2020.

We've also broken down the complete list of top US universities by state, so you can find a leading study destination that's close to home (and probably more affordable than expensive out-of-state options).

Top 100 US universities
Rank	University
1	Harvard University
2	Stanford University
3	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
4	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
5	Columbia University
6=	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
6=	Yale University
8	University of Pennsylvania
9	Princeton University
10	Cornell University
11	New York University (NYU)
12	University of Chicago
13	Duke University
14	Johns Hopkins University
15	University of Southern California
16	Northwestern University
17	Carnegie Mellon University
18	University of Michigan
19	California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
20	Brown University
21=	Boston University
21=	Rice University
23	Georgetown University
24	University of Washington
25	University of Texas at Austin
26	University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
27	Emory University
28=	University of California, Davis (UCD)
28=	Washington University in St. Louis
30=	University of Rochester
30=	Vanderbilt University
32	Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
33	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
34	George Washington University
35=	Tufts University
35=	University of Florida
37	Dartmouth College
38	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
39	University of Miami
40	University of Notre Dame
41=	Rutgers University - New Brunswick
41=	University of California, Irvine (UCI)
43=	Case Western Reserve University
43=	University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC)
45	Stony Brook University, State University of New York
46	University at Buffalo SUNY
47	Pennsylvania State University
48=	Boston College
48=	University of Maryland, College Park
50	University of Virginia
51	Syracuse University
52	University of Wisconsin-Madison
53	Purdue University
54	Northeastern University
55	University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
56	Michigan State University
57	Brandeis University
58	The Ohio State University
59	Drexel University
60	University of Massachusetts Amherst
61	Temple University
62=	North Carolina State University
62=	University of Colorado at Boulder
64=	Lehigh University
64=	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
66	University of Hawaii at Manoa
67	Tulane University
68=	Howard University
68=	University of Arizona
68=	University of Maryland, Baltimore County
71=	Binghamton University SUNY
71=	Illinois Institute of Technology
73	University of Pittsburgh
74	New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
75	University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
76	University of the Pacific
77	Texas A&M University
78	University of Denver
79	University of Massachusetts, Boston
80=	College of William & Mary
80=	Florida State University
82=	San Diego State University
82=	University of Connecticut
82=	Virginia Commonwealth University
85=	Indiana University Bloomington
85=	Worcester Polytechnic Institute
87	University of Houston
88	University of San Francisco
89=	The University of Georgia
89=	University of Oklahoma, Norman
91	Arizona State University, Tempe
92	Wake Forest University
93	Southern Methodist University
94=	Andrews University
94=	University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)
94=	University of Oregon
97	University of Texas Dallas
98=	Santa Clara University
98=	University of Louisville
100=	George Mason University
100=	Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey, Newark
100=	Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech)

Top US universities by state

Alabama - 3 (University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of Alabama Birmingham)

Alaska – 2 (University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Anchorage)

Arizona - 3 (Arizona State University (above), The University of Arizona, Arizona State University Tempe)

Arkansas - 1 (University of Arkansas)

California - 37 (Stanford University (below), Caltech, UCB, UCLA, UCSD, University of California Davis, University of Southern California, UCSB, University of California Irvine, University of California Santa Cruz, University of California Riverside, San Diego State University, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, University of the Pacific, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Santa Clara University, Loyola Marymount University, University of San Diego, California Lutheran University, Pepperdine University, California State University – Fullerton, San Jose State University, University of Redlands, Chapman University, Dominican University of California, San Francisco State University, Saint Marys College of California, California State University Northridge, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California State University - East Bay, California State University - Los Angeles, California State University Dominguez Hills, California State University San Bernardino, California State Polytechnic University – Pomona, California State University Monterey Bay, Sonoma State University, University of La Verne, Woodbury University

Colorado - 5 (University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Denver, Colorado State University, University of Denver, Regis University)

Connecticut - 5 (Yale University, University of Connecticut, Fairfield University, University of Bridgeport, University of Hartford, Quinnipiac University, University of New Haven)

Delaware - 1 (University of Delaware)

Florida - 12 (University of Florida (below), University of Miami, Florida State University, University of South Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University, Rollins College, Stetson University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, University of North Florida, University of Tampa)

Georgia - 5 (Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Clark Atlanta University)

Hawaii - 4 (University of Hawai'i at Mañoa, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii Pacific University)

Idaho - 2 (University of Idaho, Boise State University)

Illinois - 12 (University of Chicago (below), Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, UIC, Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola University Chicago, University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC), DePaul University, Dominican University, Northern Illinois University, University of Illinois, Springfield (UIS), Bradley University, Roosevelt University

Indiana - 8 (Purdue University, University of Notre Dame, Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianopolis, Ball State University, Butler University, University of Evansville, Valparaiso University)

Iowa - 3 (University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Drake University)

Kansas - 2 (University of Kansas, Kansas State University)

Kentucky - 2 (University of Kentucky, University of Louisville)

Louisiana - 2 (Tulane University (above))

Maine - 0

Maryland - 3 (Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland College Park, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Loyola University Maryland, Notre Dame of Maryland University)

Massachusetts - 16 (MIT, Harvard University, Boston University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Northeastern University, Boston College, Brandeis University, Clark University, University of Massachusetts Boston, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Bentley University, Suffolk University, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Simmons University, Endicott College)

Michigan - 7 (University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Michigan Technological University, Andrews University, Western Michigan University, Calvin College)

Minnesota - 2 (University of Minnesota Twin Cities (above), University of Saint Thomas)

Mississippi - 2 (University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University)

Missouri - 6 (Washington University in St. Louis, University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri University of Science and Technology, St. Louis University, University of Missouri Kansas City, Truman State University)

Montana - 2 (University of Montana Missoula, Montana State University - Bozeman)

Nebraska - 2 (University of Nebraska, Creighton University)

Nevada – 2 (University of Nevada - Las Vegas, University of Nevada – Reno)

New Hampshire - 2 (Dartmouth College, University of New Hampshire)

New Jersey – 12 (Princeton University (above), Rutgers University - New Brunswick, Rutgers University - Newark, Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Camden, Rowan University, Seton Hall University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey, William Paterson University of New Jersey

New Mexico - 2 (University of New Mexico, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology) 

New York - 36 (Cornell University, Columbia University, NYU, University of Rochester, Stony Brook University, University at Buffalo SUNY, Syracuse University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Binghamton University SUNY, University at Albany SUNY, Clarkson University, Pace University - New York, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), St. Johns University, Fordham University, CUNY Queens College, New York Institute of Technology, Yeshiva University, Baruch College, Hofstra University, Adelphi University, CUNY Lehman College, CUNY Hunter College, Ithaca College, State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego), SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Oneonta, CUNY City College, Iona College, Marist College, Nazareth College, Siena College, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Cortland, Wagner College)

North Carolina - 8 (Duke University, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Wake Forest University, East Carolina University, Elon University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro)

North Dakota - 0

Ohio - 5 (Ohio State University (above), Case Western Reserve University, University of Cincinnati, Ohio University, University of Dayton, University of Toledo, Cleveland State University, Miami University)

Oklahoma - 4 (University of Oklahoma, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City University)

Oregon - 4 (Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Portland State University, University of Portland)

Pennsylvania - 15 (University of Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania State University, Lehigh University, Drexel University, Temple University, Villanova University, Duquesne University, La Salle University, Cedar Crest College, Chatham University, Immaculata University, Chestnut Hill College, Gwynedd Mercy University)

Rhode Island - 3 (Brown University, University of Rhode Island, Bryant University)

South Carolina - 2 (University of South Carolina at Columbia, Clemson University)

South Dakota – 1 (Augustana University)

Tennessee - 3 (Vanderbilt University (above), The University of Tennessee, University of Memphis) 

Texas - 18 (University of Texas at Austin, Rice University, Texas A&M University, University of Texas Dallas, University of Houston, Southern Methodist University, Baylor University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas Arlington, University of North Texas, Texas Christian University, St. Edward's University, University of St Thomas – Houston, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Texas El Paso, Abilene Christian University, Texas State University, Trinity University)

Utah - 2 (University of Utah, Brigham Young University)

Vermont - 1 (University of Vermont)

Virginia - 10 (University of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, College of William & Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, Marymount University, Old Dominion University, Hampton University, James Madison University, University of Mary Washington)

Washington - 6 (University of Washington, Washington State University, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, Gonzaga University, Western Washington University) 

Washington D.C. - 6 (Georgetown University, George Washington University, Howard University, American University, Catholic University of America, University of the District of Columbia)

West Virginia – 1 (West Virginia University)

Wisconsin - 4 (University of Wisconsin-Madison (above), Marquette University, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire)

Wyoming - 1 (University of Wyoming)

Hopefully, this ranking will be able to help you make a decision about where to study. For more information about US universities, sign up to our site (it's free and takes less than two minutes) and enjoy exclusive member benefits, including access to helpful tips and guides.

This article was originally published in April 2017 and was updated in May 2020 to reflect the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings: USA 2020.