by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in Delaware, it can be hard to know where to start. We have ranked **2** institutions by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you make your decision, College Factual reviewed 2 colleges using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Learn more about these excellent colleges below:
University Of Delaware earned the #1 spot in this year's Best Colleges ranking in Delaware. This public school is set in Newark, DE. Roughly 82% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $16,810, compared with $41,400 for out-of-state students. University Of Delaware graduates report median early-career earnings of $54,155. Typical student debt is $24,861.
You'll be in good company at Delaware Technical Community College Terry, which ranked #2 this year. Set in Dover, DE, Delaware Technical Community College Terry is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $2,332, with out-of-state students paying around $5,763. Delaware Technical Community College Terry graduates report median early-career earnings of $43,322. Graduates carry a median of $11,154 in student loans.
You'll be in good company at Wilmington University, which ranked #3 this year. Located in New Castle, DE, Wilmington University is a private not-for-profit institution. Wilmington University graduates 22% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $12,630 in tuition and fees. Median early-career earnings reach $57,142. The median student debt is $26,054.
You'll be in good company at Goldey Beacom College, which ranked #4 this year. Based in Wilmington, DE, Goldey Beacom College is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 57% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $14,940. Early-career graduates earn a median of $57,634. Goldey Beacom College students take on a median of $20,743 in debt.
Out of the 2 colleges in Delaware in this year's ranking, Strayer University Delaware landed the #5 spot. Based in Wilmington, DE, Strayer University Delaware is a private for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,920. Strayer University Delaware graduates report median early-career earnings of $58,506. The median student debt is $47,631.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Colleges are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
See our data sources and methodologies.