Best Eastern Colleges
There are 284 ranked four-year colleges in the East, evaluated with the same methodology used for our national rankings. Only nonprofit, selective four-year schools are included.
Leading our 2027 rankings is Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, topping our list in the East. The top rated public university is University at Buffalo. Also highly ranked: Harvard University, Yale University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the colleges below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Explore the regional list below or browse individual states.
Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
- Private 4 Year
- Norton, MA
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5.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Wheaton is a private liberal arts college known for its interdisciplinary Connections curriculum and frequent dual majors. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the small town of Norton southeast of Boston.
- SAT Range 1220-1390
- Avg GPA 3.48
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Net Price $30,701
University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Public 4 Year
- Amherst, MA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
UMass Amherst is a large public university known for undergraduate computer science, business, and engineering. Students can cross-register at nearby colleges through the Five College Consortium in the Pioneer Valley.
- SAT Range 1310-1500
- Avg GPA 3.99
- Acceptance Rate 60%
- Net Price $22,948
Nazareth University
- Private 4 Year
- Rochester, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Nazareth is a private university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and music. The suburban campus sits in Pittsford just outside Rochester.
- SAT Range 1070-1320
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 75%
- Net Price $30,785
MCPHS University
- Private 4 Year
- Boston, MA
-
| 0 reviews
MCPHS is a private university known for undergraduate pharmacy, nursing, and health sciences. The urban campus sits in Boston's Longwood Medical Area.
- SAT Range 1160-1416
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 85%
- Net Price $41,506
Rutgers University Camden
- Public 4 Year
- Camden, NJ
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
Rutgers-Camden is a public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and biology. The urban campus sits across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.
- SAT Range 1050-1300
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $19,821
Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia
- Private 4 Year
- Philadelphia, PA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Saint Joseph's is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate business and food marketing. The residential campus sits in western Philadelphia's Overbrook neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1170-1350
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 89%
- Net Price $31,205
Rochester Institute of Technology
- Private 4 Year
- Rochester, NY
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
RIT is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, computing, and photography. The suburban campus near Rochester includes the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.
- SAT Range 1300-1460
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 67%
- Net Price $39,534
The College of New Jersey
- Public 4 Year
- Ewing, NJ
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
TCNJ is a public college known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The suburban Ewing campus is primarily residential.
- SAT Range 1140-1340
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.29
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $25,580
Marist University
- Private 4 Year
- Poughkeepsie, NY
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Marist is a private university known for undergraduate communications, media studies, and fashion. The campus sits along the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie.
- SAT Range 1190-1340
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 57%
- Net Price $42,508
Quinnipiac University
- Private 4 Year
- Hamden, CT
-
3.8 | 5 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Quinnipiac is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and communications. The suburban campus sits at the base of Sleeping Giant in Hamden.
- SAT Range 1150-1320
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 72%
- Net Price $40,632
Adelphi University
- Private 4 Year
- Garden City, NY
-
3.0 | 3 reviews
Adelphi is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, psychology, and the performing arts. The suburban Garden City campus sits on Long Island outside New York City.
- SAT Range 1120-1340
- Avg GPA 3.69
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $31,303
Bard College
- Private 4 Year
- Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jan 1 application deadline
Bard is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate arts, music, and literature. The campus overlooks the Hudson River in New York's Hudson Valley.
- SAT Range 1270-1450
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 52%
- Net Price $29,320
Penn State Main Campus
- Public 4 Year
- University Park, PA
-
4.2 | 12 reviews
Penn State is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and communications. The University Park campus anchors the college town of State College in central Pennsylvania.
- SAT Range 1240-1420
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 61%
- Net Price $27,889
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
- Public 4 Year
- New York, NY
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Baruch is a public CUNY college known for undergraduate business, finance, and accounting. The compact urban campus sits in Midtown Manhattan.
- SAT Range 1100-1400
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 48%
- Net Price $4,326
Rutgers University Newark
- Public 4 Year
- Newark, NJ
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
Rutgers-Newark is a public university known for undergraduate business and criminal justice. The urban campus is located in downtown Newark.
- SAT Range 1030-1270
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.23
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $18,276
Clarkson University
- Private 4 Year
- Potsdam, NY
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Clarkson is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, business, and the sciences. The residential campus is in the small college town of Potsdam in northern New York.
- SAT Range 1200-1390
- Avg GPA 3.8
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $32,406
Duquesne University
- Private 4 Year
- Pittsburgh, PA
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Duquesne is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate pharmacy, nursing, and business. The urban campus sits on a bluff overlooking downtown Pittsburgh.
- SAT Range 1180-1340
- Avg GPA 3.8
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $37,917
Allegheny College
- Private 4 Year
- Meadville, PA
-
| 0 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Allegheny is a private liberal arts college known for requiring a major and minor in different fields and a senior comprehensive project. The historic campus sits in the small college town of Meadville in northwestern Pennsylvania.
- SAT Range 1173-1358
- Avg GPA 3.53
- Acceptance Rate 55%
- Net Price $26,420