Best District of Columbia Colleges
District of Columbia has 5 ranked four-year colleges, part of our national best colleges ranking. Rankings weigh admission scores, graduation rates, and selectivity using statistical data, not editorial picks.
Leading our 2027 rankings is Georgetown University in Washington, District Of Columbia, topping our list in District of Columbia. Also highly ranked: George Washington University, American University and Howard University.
Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the colleges below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Sort by tuition, acceptance rate, or enrollment to find the school that fits you.
Georgetown University
- Private 4 Year
- Washington, DC
-
4.6 | 5 reviews
Georgetown is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate international relations, government, and business. Students attend a Jesuit campus in a historic hillside neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
- SAT Range 1390-1550
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.89
- Acceptance Rate 13%
- Net Price $39,083
George Washington University
- Private 4 Year
- Washington, DC
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 5 application deadline
George Washington is a private university known for undergraduate international affairs, political science, and public policy. The urban Foggy Bottom campus sits near the White House and major federal agencies.
- SAT Range 1350-1500
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.81
- Acceptance Rate 47%
- Net Price $46,485
American University
- Private 4 Year
- Washington, DC
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
American University is a private university known for undergraduate international relations, political science, and communications. The residential campus sits in northwest Washington, D.C., near the city's diplomatic quarter.
- SAT Range 1280-1460
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $39,676
Howard University
- Private 4 Year
- Washington, DC
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Howard is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate communications, political science, and business. The urban campus sits in Washington's Shaw neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1090-1320
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 41%
- Net Price $33,368
Gallaudet University
- Private 4 Year
- Washington, DC
-
| 0 reviews
Gallaudet is a private university designed for deaf and hard of hearing students, known for undergraduate deaf education, American Sign Language, and interpreting. Students communicate primarily in ASL on the urban Washington, D.C. campus.
- SAT Range 780-1022
- Avg GPA 3.3
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $15,944