by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in District of Columbia, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **1** college by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you make your decision, College Factual analyzed 1 colleges on more than 20 objective measures 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:
No school ranked higher than George Washington University this year in District of Columbia. Based in Washington, DC, George Washington University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 84% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $67,710. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $73,749. The median student debt is $22,910.
A rank of #2 makes Trinity Washington University one of the top colleges in District of Columbia. Based in Washington, DC, Trinity Washington University is a private not-for-profit institution. Trinity Washington University graduates 49% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $26,610 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $56,796. Students borrow a median of $31,194 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #3 makes Strayer University Global Region one of the top colleges in District of Columbia. Based in Washington, DC, Strayer University Global Region is a private for-profit institution. Roughly 8% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $13,920 in tuition and fees. Early-career graduates earn a median of $59,916. Typical student debt is $45,932.
A rank of #4 makes University Of The District Of Columbia one of the top colleges in District of Columbia. Based in Washington, DC, University Of The District Of Columbia is a public institution. University Of The District Of Columbia graduates 44% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $5,662, with out-of-state students paying around $12,514. Graduates go on to earn a median of $57,060 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $32,304 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #5 makes Strayer University District Of Columbia one of the top colleges in District of Columbia. Located in Washington, DC, Strayer University District Of Columbia is a private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $13,920. Median early-career earnings reach $59,916. Students borrow a median of $45,932 to complete a degree here.
Saint Michael College Of Allied Health landed the #6 spot in District of Columbia this year. Based in Washington, DC, Saint Michael College Of Allied Health is a private for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $19,405. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $74,782. Saint Michael College Of Allied Health students take on a median of $20,486 in debt.
Career Technical Institute landed the #7 spot in District of Columbia this year. Career Technical Institute is a private for-profit school based in Washington, DC. Early-career graduates earn a median of $23,242. The median student debt is $9,620.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs 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
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.