by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Colleges ranking.
After analyzing 2,152 schools in the United States, we came up with our list of those that offered the highest quality education. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as graduation rate, post graduate earnings, and a school's average expenditure per student - to make this determination.
Learn more about our ranking methodology.
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2025 rankings named Massachusetts Institute of Technology the best school in the United States in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from MIT go into careers with an average salary of $143,372 during the early years of their career.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Pennsylvania helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the United States.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UPenn is $111,371 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #3 on our 2025 Best Colleges in the United States list.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 91%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UChicago is $91,885 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges in the United States list means Harvard University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 86%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Harvard make an average of $101,817 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #5 in the United States on this year’s overall quality ranking.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 85%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern go into careers with an average salary of $89,363 during the early years of their career.
Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking, coming in at #6.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from Johns Hopkins make an average of $87,555 a year.
Duke University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Duke is $97,800 during the early years of their career.
Carnegie Mellon University landed the #8 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 80%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon go into careers with an average salary of $114,862 during the early years of their career.
Cornell University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in the United States list.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Cornell make an average of $104,043 per year during the early years of their career.
Stanford University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
The student-to-faculty rate of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Stanford is $124,080 during the early years of their career.
Georgetown University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 90%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown is $103,494 during the early years of their career.
Dartmouth College landed the #12 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 7 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth go into careers with an average salary of $97,434 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #13, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States list.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 79%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from USC make an average of $92,498 per year during the early years of their career.
University of California - Berkeley landed the #14 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 76%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from UC Berkeley make an average of $92,446 a year.
Columbia University in the City of New York came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia make an average of $102,491 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Columbia University in the City of New York
With a ranking of #16, New York University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States list.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from NYU make an average of $82,509 a year.
Boston College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 89%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Boston College make an average of $103,937 a year.
With a ranking of #18, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States list.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 7 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt is $91,565 during the early years of their career.
Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #19 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. During the early years of their career, graduates from Georgia Tech make an average of $102,772 a year.
Yale University landed the #20 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
The student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. During the early years of their career, graduates from Yale make an average of $100,533 a year.
Washington University in St Louis ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges in the United States list.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 88%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from WUSTL make an average of $86,182 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from U-M is $83,648 during the early years of their career.
Boston University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking, coming in at #23.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from Boston U make an average of $83,238 a year.
Bentley University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the United States ranking, coming in at #24.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 84%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Bentley make an average of $120,959 a year.
George Washington University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges in the United States list.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from GWU is $90,873 during the early years of their career.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 20% of this year’s ranking:
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA |
| 52 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester, MA |
| 53 | Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, CA |
| 54 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI |
| 55 | University of California - Davis | Davis, CA |
| 56 | University of Florida | Gainesville, FL |
| 57 | University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT |
| 58 | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA |
| 59 | College of the Holy Cross | Worcester, MA |
| 60 | University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA |
| 61 | American University | Washington, DC |
| 62 | Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY |
| 63 | Pepperdine University | Malibu, CA |
| 64 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY |
| 65 | Purdue University - Main Campus | West Lafayette, IN |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 316 | Rasmussen University - Wisconsin | Green Bay, WI |
| 317 | University of New Haven | West Haven, CT |
| 318 | Grinnell College | Grinnell, IA |
| 319 | Maryville University of Saint Louis | Saint Louis, MO |
| 320 | Tallahassee Community College | Tallahassee, FL |
| 321 | Sacred Heart University | Fairfield, CT |
| 322 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI |
| 323 | Rider University | Lawrenceville, NJ |
All Majors and Fields of Study >
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 324 | D’Youville College | Buffalo, NY |
| 325 | Mitchell Community College | Statesville, NC |
| 326 | Alamance Community College | Graham, NC |
| 327 | Suffolk County Community College | Selden, NY |
| 328 | Augusta Technical College | Augusta, GA |
| 329 | Columbia International University | Columbia, SC |
| 330 | Winona State University | Winona, MN |
| 331 | Muhlenberg College | Allentown, PA |
| 332 | Saddleback College | Mission Viejo, CA |
| 333 | Kenyon College | Gambier, OH |
| 334 | Franklin and Marshall College | Lancaster, PA |
| 335 | University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, ND |
| 336 | Macalester College | Saint Paul, MN |
| 337 | Shenandoah University | Winchester, VA |
| 338 | Chippewa Valley Technical College | Eau Claire, WI |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 339 | Central Washington University | Ellensburg, WA |
| 340 | Drake University | Des Moines, IA |
| 341 | William Paterson University of New Jersey | Wayne, NJ |
| 342 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
| 343 | Pace University - New York | New York, NY |
| 344 | Widener University | Chester, PA |
| 345 | Rowan University | Glassboro, NJ |
| 346 | Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant, MI |
| 347 | Johnson County Community College | Overland Park, KS |
| 348 | Aurora University | Aurora, IL |
| 349 | Academy of Art University | San Francisco, CA |
| 350 | California State University - Northridge | Northridge, CA |
| 351 | Marymount Manhattan College | New York, NY |
| 352 | Hilbert College | Hamburg, NY |
| 353 | Lancaster Bible College | Lancaster, PA |
| 354 | Santiago Canyon College | Orange, CA |
| 355 | Miami Dade College | Miami, FL |
| 356 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | Boston, MA |
| 357 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Baton Rouge, LA |
| 358 | SUNY Oneonta | Oneonta, NY |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 359 | Denison University | Granville, OH |
| 360 | Florida State College at Jacksonville | Jacksonville, FL |
| 361 | Bennington College | Bennington, VT |
| 362 | St Catherine University | Saint Paul, MN |
| 363 | Rio Hondo College | Whittier, CA |
| 364 | Dickinson College | Carlisle, PA |
| 365 | Vincennes University | Vincennes, IN |
| 366 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus | Stillwater, OK |
| 367 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte, NC |
| 368 | Vassar College | Poughkeepsie, NY |
| 369 | University of Houston | Houston, TX |
| 370 | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Kirkland, WA |
| 371 | University of Nevada - Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV |
| 372 | University of California - Merced | Merced, CA |
| 373 | Golden West College | Huntington Beach, CA |
| 374 | University of Redlands | Redlands, CA |
| 375 | Essex County College | Newark, NJ |
| 376 | Wallace Community College, Dothan | Dothan, AL |
| 377 | Butler University | Indianapolis, IN |
| 378 | Central Georgia Technical College | Warner Robins, GA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 379 | Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA |
| 380 | University of Wisconsin - La Crosse | La Crosse, WI |
| 381 | Portland Community College | Portland, OR |
| 382 | North Dakota State University - Main Campus | Fargo, ND |
| 383 | The Master’s University and Seminary | Santa Clarita, CA |
| 384 | Columbus Technical College | Columbus, GA |
| 385 | National Louis University | Chicago, IL |
| 386 | Collin County Community College District | McKinney, TX |
| 387 | Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton, WI |
| 388 | Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY |
| 389 | Weber State University | Ogden, UT |
| 390 | Bellevue University | Bellevue, NE |
| 391 | St Lawrence University | Canton, NY |
| 392 | Monmouth University | West Long Branch, NJ |
| 393 | The University of Arizona Global Campus | San Diego, CA |
| 394 | Russell Sage College | Troy, NY |
| 395 | Springfield College | Springfield, MA |
| 396 | Texas State University | San Marcos, TX |
| 397 | Smith College | Northampton, MA |
| 398 | Endicott College | Beverly, MA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 399 | Portland State University | Portland, OR |
| 400 | University of Wisconsin - Whitewater | Whitewater, WI |
| 401 | Appalachian State University | Boone, NC |
| 402 | Central Lakes College - Brainerd | Brainerd, MN |
| 403 | Arizona State University - Skysong | Scottsdale, AZ |
| 404 | Hobart and William Smith Colleges | Geneva, NY |
| 405 | Clark University | Worcester, MA |
| 406 | University of Vermont | Burlington, VT |
| 407 | Wheaton College Illinois | Wheaton, IL |
| 408 | Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny, IA |
| 409 | Brandman University | Irvine, CA |
| 410 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Charleston, SC |
| 411 | Pacific University | Forest Grove, OR |
| 412 | Minnesota State University - Mankato | Mankato, MN |
| 413 | University of Detroit Mercy | Detroit, MI |
| 414 | Community College of Baltimore County | Baltimore, MD |
| 415 | University of North Carolina at Wilmington | Wilmington, NC |
| 416 | Front Range Community College | Westminster, CO |
| 417 | Kettering University | Flint, MI |
| 418 | DePauw University | Greencastle, IN |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 419 | Benedictine University | Lisle, IL |
| 420 | Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA |
| 421 | University of Louisville | Louisville, KY |
| 422 | City University of Seattle | Seattle, WA |
| 423 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott | Prescott, AZ |
| 424 | Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology | Lancaster, PA |
| 425 | South Dakota State University | Brookings, SD |
| 426 | Nassau Community College | Garden City, NY |
| 427 | University of Nevada - Reno | Reno, NV |
| 428 | Florida SouthWestern State College | Fort Myers, FL |
| 429 | Mount Mary University | Milwaukee, WI |
| 430 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay, WI |
| 431 | Georgia State University-Perimeter College | Atlanta, GA |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.