Best U.S. Colleges

CollegeSimply ranks 1045 four-year colleges across the U.S. using a data-driven methodology focused on academics, graduation rates, and selectivity. Only nonprofit schools that offer bachelor's degrees and admit students selectively are included.

Leading our 2027 rankings is Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, ranked #1 nationally. The top rated public university is University of Michigan Ann Arbor. Also highly ranked: Duke University, Stanford University and Harvard University.

Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the full list below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Filter by state or sort by cost and selectivity to build your shortlist.

1,045 Results
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Public Private 4 Year

  • Public 4 Year
  • Jersey City, NJ
  • | 0 reviews

NJCU is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. The urban campus sits in Jersey City across the Hudson River from Manhattan.

#12 Best Public Universities in New Jersey 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $16,724
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Cobleskill, NY
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews

SUNY Cobleskill is a public college of agriculture and technology known for undergraduate animal science, agriculture, and culinary arts. The rural campus in upstate New York includes working farms and agricultural facilities.

#34 Best Public Universities in New York 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $18,140
Details
St. Thomas Aquinas College Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Sparkill, NY
  • | 0 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

St. Thomas Aquinas is a private Catholic college known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The suburban campus sits in Sparkill just north of New York City.

#56 Best Private Colleges in New York 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1085
  • Avg GPA 3.0
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $21,187
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Chicago, IL
  • | 0 reviews

Chicago State is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing. The urban campus is located on Chicago's South Side.

#11 Best Public Universities in Illinois 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 750-963
  • Avg GPA 3.18
  • Acceptance Rate 43%
  • Net Price $10,441
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Corpus Christi, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is a public university known for undergraduate marine science, coastal biology, and environmental science. The campus sits on Ward Island along Corpus Christi Bay.

#12 Best Public Universities in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1193
  • Avg GPA 3.41
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $15,233
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Chestnut Hill is a private Catholic liberal arts college known for undergraduate education, psychology, and business. The wooded campus is set in Philadelphia's historic Chestnut Hill neighborhood.

#55 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1090
  • Avg GPA 3.12
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $28,588
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Fort Worth, TX
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews

Texas Wesleyan is a private Methodist university known for undergraduate teacher education and business. The historic campus sits in Fort Worth's Polytechnic Heights neighborhood.

#21 Best Private Colleges in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.35
  • Acceptance Rate 69%
  • Net Price $26,416
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Baltimore, MD
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Coppin State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing and teacher education. The urban campus sits in west Baltimore.

#7 Best Public Universities in Maryland 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1020
  • Avg GPA 2.62
  • Acceptance Rate 46%
  • Net Price $9,831
Details
University of South Carolina Aiken Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Aiken, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

USC Aiken is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus is located in the smaller city of Aiken near the South Carolina-Georgia border.

#8 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1220
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.19
  • Acceptance Rate 79%
  • Net Price $12,236
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Newton, MA
  • 4.8 | 18 reviews

Lasell is a private university known for undergraduate fashion design, merchandising, and business. The suburban Newton campus sits just outside Boston.

#32 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1158
  • Avg GPA 3.12
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $27,773
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Media, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Penn State Brandywine is a public university campus known for undergraduate business, information sciences and technology, and biology. The suburban campus is located near Philadelphia in Media.

#16 Best Public Universities in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1310
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 98%
  • Net Price $22,710
Details

  • Private 4 Year
  • Rexburg, ID
  • 4.8 | 4 reviews
  • Feb 15 application deadline

BYU-Idaho is a private university affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known for undergraduate business, education, and nursing. The campus is in Rexburg, a small college town in eastern Idaho.

#3 Best Private Colleges in Idaho 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1200
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.34
  • Acceptance Rate 96%
  • Net Price $8,528
Details
Rivier University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Nashua, NH
  • | 0 reviews
  • Oct 16 application deadline

Rivier is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus is in Nashua in southern New Hampshire.

#4 Best Private Colleges in New Hampshire 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1055-1175
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $28,584
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Tallahassee, FL
  • 5.0 | 3 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

FAMU is a public HBCU known for undergraduate pharmacy, business, and engineering. The campus is located in Florida's capital city of Tallahassee.

#10 Best Public Universities in Florida 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.65
  • Acceptance Rate 21%
  • Net Price $13,819
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Beckley, WV
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

WVU Tech is a public college known for undergraduate engineering and technology. The campus sits in Beckley in the mountains of southern West Virginia.

#3 Best Colleges in West Virginia 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.51
  • Acceptance Rate 37%
  • Net Price $11,281
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Conway, AR
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews

UCA is a public university known for undergraduate education and nursing programs. The campus sits in Conway, a college town north of Little Rock.

#3 Best Public Universities in Arkansas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1170
  • Avg GPA 3.7
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $16,546
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Akron, OH
  • 3.5 | 4 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

University of Akron is a large public university known for undergraduate polymer science and engineering. The urban campus sits near downtown Akron.

#9 Best Public Universities in Ohio
  • SAT Range 900-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.47
  • Acceptance Rate 60%
  • Net Price $14,693
Details

  • Public 4 Year
  • Milwaukee, WI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Sep 1 application deadline

UWM is a large public university known for undergraduate architecture, nursing, and freshwater sciences. The urban East Side campus sits near Lake Michigan in Milwaukee.

#8 Best Public Universities in Wisconsin 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $16,263
Details