Top Rated U.S. Private Colleges

These are the top ranked private four-year colleges in the United States. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the highest ranked private college in America is Princeton University. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.

601 Results
Sort:
Private 4 Year
Saint Leo University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Saint Leo, FL
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Saint Leo is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate criminal justice, business, and education. The campus adjoins a Benedictine abbey in a small central Florida town north of Tampa.

#16 Best Private Colleges in Florida 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $22,599
Details Calculate my Chances
California Baptist University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Riverside, CA
  • | 0 reviews

California Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The suburban Riverside campus lies in Southern California's Inland Empire.

#30 Best Private Colleges in California 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 85%
  • Net Price $27,862
Details Calculate my Chances
Adrian College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Adrian, MI
  • 4.0 | 2 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Adrian is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, education, and exercise science. The residential campus sits in the small city of Adrian in southeast Michigan.

#13 Best Private Colleges in Michigan 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 873-1140
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $25,922
Details Calculate my Chances
Cleary University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Howell, MI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 15 application deadline

Cleary is a private university known for undergraduate business and management programs. The campus is in Howell, a smaller city in southeastern Michigan.

#14 Best Private Colleges in Michigan
  • SAT Range 950-1170
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.17
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $23,705
Details Calculate my Chances
Fairleigh Dickinson University Metropolitan Campus Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Teaneck, NJ
  • | 0 reviews

FDU is a private university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and international studies. The suburban Metropolitan Campus in Teaneck sits close to New York City.

#12 Best Private Colleges in New Jersey 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 908-1180
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $16,920
Details Calculate my Chances
Johnson & Wales University Charlotte Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Charlotte, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Johnson & Wales Charlotte is a private university known for undergraduate culinary arts, hospitality management, and business. The urban campus is located in uptown Charlotte.

#12 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1130
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $28,084
Details Calculate my Chances
Wingate University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Wingate, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Wingate is a private university known for undergraduate programs in the health sciences, business, and education. The residential campus sits in a small town east of Charlotte.

#13 Best Private Colleges in North Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.33
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $21,282
Details Calculate my Chances
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 Calculate my Chances
Chestnut Hill College Campus

credit : source / license

  • 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 Calculate my Chances
Texas Wesleyan University Campus

credit : source / license

  • 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 Calculate my Chances
Lasell University Campus

credit : source / license

  • 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 Calculate my Chances
Brigham Young University Idaho Campus

credit : Ken Lund / license

  • 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 Calculate my Chances
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 Calculate my Chances
Carson Newman University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Jefferson City, TN
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews

Carson-Newman is a private Baptist university with undergraduate strengths in nursing, education, and the liberal arts. Students live on a residential campus in the small East Tennessee town of Jefferson City.

#16 Best Private Colleges in Tennessee 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 955-1215
  • Avg GPA 3.6
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $20,895
Details Calculate my Chances
Rockford University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Rockford, IL
  • | 0 reviews

Rockford is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the liberal arts. The residential campus sits in the mid-sized city of Rockford in northern Illinois.

#29 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 850-1070
  • Avg GPA 3.25
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $23,642
Details Calculate my Chances
Cairn University Langhorne Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Langhorne, PA
  • | 0 reviews

Cairn is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, ministry, and education. The suburban campus sits in Langhorne near Philadelphia.

#56 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.31
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $23,273
Details Calculate my Chances
Houston Christian University Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Houston, TX
  • 1.0 | 1 reviews

Houston Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus is in southwest Houston.

#22 Best Private Colleges in Texas 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.46
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $21,282
Details Calculate my Chances
Columbia International University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Columbia, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

CIU is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and intercultural studies. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Columbia.

#7 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1195
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $26,056
Details Calculate my Chances