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Top Universities in the US by State 2016/17
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Top Universities in the US by State 2016/17
By Sabrina Collier
Updated January 26, 2018 Updated January 26, 2018Discover the top universities in the US in 2018 here.
There are 154 top universities in the US featured in the QS World University Rankings® 2016-2017, far more than any other country in the world. Of these, 32 are in the global top 100, and five in the top 10. Read on to discover the top universities in the US by state this year, separated into tables for your viewing pleasure…
Top universities in Alabama
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Alabama
601-650 in the world
Joint 113th
University of Auburn
701+ in the world
Joint 129th
Top universities in Arizona
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Arizona
222nd
53rd
Arizona State University
223rd
54th
Top universities in Arkansas
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Arkansas
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in California
Interested in studying in California? Check out our state guide.
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Stanford University
2nd
2nd
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
5th
4th
University of California, Berkeley
28th
15th
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
31st
16th
University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
40th
17th
University of California, Davis (UCD)
Joint 85th
27th
University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
118th
34th
University of Southern California
136th
36th
University of California, Irvine (UCI)
156th
40th
University of California, Riverside (UCR)
271st
58th
University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)
296th
61st
San Diego State University
701+
Joint 129th
University of San Diego
701+
Joint 129th
University of San Francisco
701+
Joint 129th
University of the Pacific
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Colorado
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Colorado at Boulder
170th
44th
Colorado State University
Joint 386th
75th
University of Colorado, Denver
Joint 374th
72nd
University of Denver
651-700
Joint 120th
Top universities in Connecticut
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Yale University
15th
7th
University of Connecticut
421-430
Joint 84th
Top universities in Delaware
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Delaware
411-420
Joint 82nd
Top universities in Florida
Thinking of studying in the sunshine state? Read our state guide.
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Florida
Joint 185th .
46th
University of Miami
Joint 252nd
57th
Florida State University
431-440
Joint 86th
University of South Florida
491-500
Joint 96th
University of Central Florida
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Georgia
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
71st
25th
Emory University
Joint 149th
39th
University of Georgia
431-440
Joint 86th
Georgia State University
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Hawaii
Aloha! Want to study in Hawaii? Check out our state guide.
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Hawaii at Mā Noa
Joint 343rd
67th
Top universities in Illinois
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Chicago
10th
5th
Northwestern University
26th
14th
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
66th
23rd
University of Illinois, Chicago
Joint 187th
47th
Illinois Institute of Technology
401-410
79th
Loyola University Chicago
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Indiana
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Purdue University
92nd
31st
University of Notre Dame
Joint 203rd
Joint 50th
Indiana University Bloomington
Joint 291st
60th
Top universities in Iowa
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Iowa
Joint 393rd
77th
Iowa State University
421-430
Joint 84th
Top universities in Kansas
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Kansas
Joint 373rd
71st
Kansas State University
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Kentucky
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Kentucky
501-550
Joint 98th
Top universities in Louisiana
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Tulane University
501-550
Joint 98th
Louisiana State University
651-700
Joint 120th
Top universities in Maryland
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Johns Hopkins University
17th
9th
University of Maryland, College Park
Joint 131st
35th
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
441-450
88th
Top universities in Massachusetts
Find out more about studying in Massachusetts here.
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
1st
1st
Harvard University
3rd
3rd
Boston University
89th
29th
Tufts University
238th
55th
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
251st
56th
Boston College
Joint 299th
62nd
Northeastern University
Joint 361st
Joint 68th
Brandeis University
401-410
Joint 79th
Clark University
471-480
94th
University of Massachusetts, Boston
551-600
Joint 104th
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
601-650
Joint 113th
Smith College
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Michigan
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Michigan
23rd
12th
Michigan State University
Joint 160th
Joint 42nd
Wayne State University
461-470
Joint 90th
Michigan Technological University
501-550
Joint 98th
Top universities in Minnesota
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Minnesota
137th
37th
Top universities in Mississippi
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Mississippi
601-650
Joint 113th
Top universities in Missouri
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Washington University in St. Louis
Joint 106th
33rd
Missouri University of Science and Technology
501-550
Joint 98th
University of Missouri, Columbia (Mizzou)
551-600
Joint 104th
Top universities in Montana
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Montana, Missoula
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Nebraska
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Nebraska, Lincoln
491-500
Joint 96th
Top universities in New Hampshire
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Dartmouth College
158th
41st
University of New Hampshire
601-650
Joint 113th
Top universities in New Jersey
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Princeton University
11th
6th
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick
301st
63rd
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark
651-700
Joint 120th
Stevens Institute of Technology
651-700
Joint 120th
New Jersey Institute of Technology
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in New Mexico
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of New Mexico
461-470
Joint 90th
Top universities in New York
Want to study in the US state of New York? Read our state guide.
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Cornell University
16th
8th
Columbia University
20th
11th
New York University (NYU)
Joint 46th
18th
University of Rochester
194th
48th
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Joint 310th
64th
Yeshiva University
Joint 330th
65th
University at Buffalo SUNY
342nd
66th
Stony Brook University
Joint 390th
76th
City University of New York
501-550
Joint 98th
Syracuse University
551-600
Joint 104th
New School University
601-650
Joint 113th
Clarkson University
601-650
Joint 113th
University at Albany SUNY
651-700
Joint 120th
Binghamton University SUNY
701+
Joint 129th
Fordham University
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in North Carolina
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Duke University
Joint 24th
13th
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
78th
26th
North Carolina State University
277th
59th
Wake Forest University
401-410
Joint 79th
Top universities in Ohio
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Ohio State University
88th
28th
Case Western Reserve University
202nd
49th
University of Cincinnati
551-600
Joint 104th
Kent State University
701+
Joint 129th
Miami University
701+
Joint 129th
Ohio University
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Oklahoma
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Oklahoma
461-470
Joint 90th
Oklahoma State University
701+
Joint 129th
University of Tulsa
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Oregon
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Oregon State University
451-460
89th
University of Oregon
551-600
Joint 104th
Top universities in Pennsylvania
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Pennsylvania
18th
10th
Carnegie Mellon University
58th
21st
Pennsylvania State University
Joint 95th
32nd
University of Pittsburgh
145th
38th
Lehigh University
481-490
95th
Drexel University
501-550
Joint 98th
Temple University
651-700
Joint 120th
Top universities in Rhode Island
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Brown University
Joint 49th
19th
Top universities in South Carolina
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of South Carolina
551-600
Joint 104th
Clemson University
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Tennessee
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Vanderbilt University
Joint 203rd
Joint 50th
University of Tennessee
461-470
Joint 90th
Top universities in Texas
Find out more about studying in Texas with our state guide.
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Texas at Austin
67th
24th
Rice University
90th .
30th
Texas A&M University
Joint 160th
73rd
University of Texas at Dallas
Joint 380th
Joint 129th
University of Houston
601-650
Joint 113th
Baylor University
701+
Joint 129th
Southern Methodist University
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Utah
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Utah
411-420
Joint 82nd
Brigham Young University
651-700
Joint 120th
Utah State University
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Vermont
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Vermont
551-600
Joint 104th
Top universities in Virginia
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Virginia
172nd
45th
Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech)
Joint 361st
Joint 68th
College of William & Mary
551-600
Joint 104th
George Mason University
651-700
Joint 120th
Virginia Commonwealth University
651-700
Joint 120th
Top universities in Washington
Not to be confused with Washington DC, below!
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Washington
59th
22nd
Washington State University
Joint 395th
78th
Top universities in Washington DC
Although a federal district rather than a state, Washington DC is home to a number of the top universities in the US. Click here for more information.
University
International rank
Rank within the US
Georgetown University
Joint 214th
52nd
George Washington University
Joint 363rd
70th
American University
384th
74th
Howard University
551-600
Joint 104th
Top universities in Wisconsin
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Joint 53rd
20th
Marquette University
701+
Joint 129th
Top universities in Wyoming
University
International rank
Rank within the US
University of Wyoming
701+
Joint 129th
For more detailed comparisons of the top US universities, explore the full interactive ranking table. You can sort the results by the six indicators assessed, and registered site members (join for free!) can access direct comparisons of up to four universities, covering criteria such as size, fees and ranking history.
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This article was originally published in September 2016 . It was last updated in January 2018
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The former Assistant Editor of TopUniversities.com, Sabrina wrote and edited articles to guide students from around the world on a wide range of topics. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Aberystwyth University and grew up in Staffordshire, UK.
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