College Rankings 2026

Compare 1,219 colleges by academics, earnings, cost, and campus life.

1
Gold

Stanford University

Stanford, CA · Private Nonprofit

Index

100.0

Academics

98

Why this rank? Stanford University

Academics (97.7/100, weighted at 25%) and Earnings (79.5/100, weighted at 20%) contribute the most to its weighted total.

Its lowest reported component is value at 34.1/100. These are relative signals and may use proxies.

How the score is calculated
2
Silver

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ · Private Nonprofit

Index

99.0

Academics

99

Why this rank? Princeton University

Academics (98.9/100, weighted at 25%) and Earnings (67.1/100, weighted at 20%) contribute the most to its weighted total.

Its lowest reported component is social life at 29.5/100. These are relative signals and may use proxies.

How the score is calculated
3
Bronze

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA · Private Nonprofit

Index

96.4

Academics

99

Why this rank? Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Academics (99.2/100, weighted at 25%) and Earnings (100.0/100, weighted at 20%) contribute the most to its weighted total.

Its lowest reported component is athletics at 21.2/100. These are relative signals and may use proxies.

How the score is calculated
🏆 Overall💰 Salaries📊 Value🏷️ Affordable🎓 Academics🏈 Athletics🎉 Social Life🌍 Diversity🔥 Buzz🛡️ Safety☀️ Weather⛪ Religious🎓 Graduation💳 Low Debt🔄 Retention🚀 First-Gen✊ HBCUs🏙️ Urban🌾 Rural🏫 Public🏛️ Private🎯 Higher-Admit Value
How this ranking is calculated

The overall ranking combines ten academic, financial, and campus-life components. The choice of weights reflects College Index’s editorial priorities; students may prefer different priorities.

Source measurement years vary and may precede the ranking edition. The update date records the published dataset, not when every outcome was measured.

See exact overall weights and a worked example

What drives the score

  • Academics: 25%
  • Earnings: 20%
  • Social life: 15%
  • Value: 15%
  • Affordability: 5%
  • Safety: 5%
  • Athletics: 5%
  • Diversity: 5%
  • Weather: 3%
  • Public interest: 2%

Data sources

  • U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
  • Campus safety disclosures, athletics records, climate, and public-interest inputs; see the source status record for coverage and dates.

At least 5 of 10 components are required. Available weights are re-proportioned, then the score is multiplied by the fraction of components available. The displayed ranking index rescales the leader to 100.

Top 100 colleges for 2026

Sorted by College Index's overall score. The displayed list index rescales the leading score to 100; equal rounded scores may have different sequential ranks.

Top 100 colleges: overall rank, cost, completion, and earnings. Scroll horizontally on smaller screens.
RankCollegeIndex / 100Annual net priceCompletion rateAnnual earnings¹Federal debt²Admission rateSave
1Stanford University

Stanford, CA · Private Nonprofit

100.0$13,80792.4%$124,080$12,0003.6%
2Princeton University

Princeton, NJ · Private Nonprofit

99.0$6,12897.4%$110,066$10,3204.6%
3Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA · Private Nonprofit

96.4$20,11196.2%$143,372$14,7684.5%
4University of Florida

Gainesville, FL · Public

90.8$6,54191.3%$71,588$15,00024.2%
5Harvard University

Cambridge, MA · Private Nonprofit

88.8$19,06697.5%$101,817$14,0003.6%
6University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private Nonprofit

88.0$32,74091.9%$92,498$18,0009.8%
7Duke University

Durham, NC · Private Nonprofit

87.2$29,61296.3%$97,800$13,0005.7%
8CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

New York, NY · Public

87.0$3,03372.1%$75,971$11,51247.5%
9University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

86.8$13,48192.9%$92,446$13,00011.0%
10University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

86.8$13,13893.2%$83,648$19,50015.6%
11Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN · Private Nonprofit

86.6$15,84693.1%$91,565$14,0005.9%
12Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA · Public

86.5$12,11693.2%$102,772$21,67214.1%
13University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA · Private Nonprofit

86.5$28,69996.7%$111,371$15,7155.4%
14University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

85.5$12,54892.6%$82,511$14,0009.0%
15Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY · Private Nonprofit

85.4$21,59095.5%$102,491$21,5004.0%
16Rice University

Houston, TX · Private Nonprofit

84.6$13,37095.2%$89,718$11,0008.0%
17University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · Public

84.1$11,65591.6%$72,200$14,00015.3%
18Yale University

New Haven, CT · Private Nonprofit

83.9$23,77796.0%$100,533$12,9753.9%
19University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN · Private Nonprofit

83.4$26,78096.0%$99,980$19,00011.3%
20Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private Nonprofit

83.4$28,69095.3%$104,043$14,0008.8%
21Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA · Private Nonprofit

83.3$31,94493.3%$114,862$21,75011.7%
22University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

82.8$15,67888.6%$82,860$19,00044.8%
23Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD · Private Nonprofit

82.6$18,80994.2%$87,555$10,2506.4%
24University of Georgia

Athens, GA · Public

82.3$13,93688.9%$68,726$18,50037.7%
25University of Chicago

Chicago, IL · Private Nonprofit

82.1$14,86095.4%$91,885$15,0004.5%
26Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA · Private Nonprofit

81.9$28,84993.3%$104,736$13,5009.6%
27Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private Nonprofit

81.9$29,16795.5%$89,363$15,0007.7%
28Brown University

Providence, RI · Private Nonprofit

81.9$25,18495.7%$93,487$11,4285.4%
29Georgetown University

Washington, DC · Private Nonprofit

81.7$40,81594.5%$103,494$15,50012.9%
30Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA · Private Nonprofit

80.6$41,70490.9%$103,937$19,00016.4%
31Washington University in St Louis

St. Louis, MO · Private Nonprofit

80.0$21,78694.3%$86,182$17,50012.1%
32University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI · Public

80.0$17,35489.4%$73,792$20,48445.2%
33Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL · Public

79.7$11,29784.3%$61,675$18,00024.2%
34University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

79.7$21,56595.5%$86,863$17,50016.8%
35Emory University

Atlanta, GA · Private Nonprofit

79.6$22,58591.4%$80,137$18,25010.7%
36Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH · Private Nonprofit

79.6$29,51995.8%$97,434$17,5005.4%
37Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private Nonprofit

78.8$30,91590.5%$92,538$24,2505.2%
38University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

78.2$16,10984.3%$74,915$13,99333.0%
39University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public

77.8$12,47086.8%$84,943$15,50026.7%
40CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY · Public

77.5$2,98458.8%$63,163$11,00053.8%
41Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA · Private Nonprofit

77.4$50,06288.2%$109,183$19,16248.0%
42New York University

New York, NY · Private Nonprofit

77.1$37,05088.0%$82,509$20,5009.2%
43Babson College

Wellesley, MA · Private Nonprofit

77.0$40,51492.7%$123,938$20,00017.1%
44University of Florida-Online

Gainesville, FL · Public

77.0$4,81581.2%$71,588$15,00061.3%
45Boston University

Boston, MA · Private Nonprofit

76.7$24,40289.3%$83,238$23,25011.1%
46Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA · Private Nonprofit

76.7$36,93188.5%$105,584$21,96025.9%
47Williams College

Williamstown, MA · Private Nonprofit

76.6$17,71695.1%$88,665$12,7618.3%
48University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public

76.6$14,09184.5%$78,466$14,61539.1%
49University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL · Private Nonprofit

76.1$37,24484.0%$75,328$17,50018.9%
50University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Public

76.0$14,25186.4%$80,735$15,00028.6%
51California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

75.7$16,66585.7%$90,768$18,50031.3%
52University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public

75.7$14,35585.0%$81,054$19,50042.4%
53Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX · Public

75.7$21,31583.9%$72,097$17,80457.4%
54Villanova University

Villanova, PA · Private Nonprofit

75.3$43,75692.1%$100,423$25,87427.0%
55Pomona College

Claremont, CA · Private Nonprofit

75.2$19,28593.2%$77,779$11,7827.1%
56Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH · Public

74.9$17,33987.7%$60,409$19,97660.6%
57Washington and Lee University

Lexington, VA · Private Nonprofit

74.2$23,78194.4%$94,810$19,50014.0%
58Tufts University

Medford, MA · Private Nonprofit

74.1$39,99893.4%$83,214$16,25011.5%
59Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · Public

74.1$24,40684.3%$74,479$21,50058.1%
60University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

73.9$14,74185.4%$80,838$13,00041.8%
61Stevens Institute of Technology

Hoboken, NJ · Private Nonprofit

73.8$41,34688.2%$108,772$27,00047.6%
62Clemson University

Clemson, SC · Public

73.8$22,25387.2%$71,513$21,50038.3%
63The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

73.8$19,85788.3%$75,121$20,50026.6%
64Bowdoin College

Brunswick, ME · Private Nonprofit

73.7$14,39895.4%$82,735$18,5007.1%
65Bentley University

Waltham, MA · Private Nonprofit

73.7$37,93087.5%$120,959$25,02345.1%
66Barnard College

New York, NY · Private Nonprofit

73.7$28,80093.0%$80,516$18,0008.8%
67CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, NY · Public

73.4$3,10355.2%$60,752$11,00058.4%
68Amherst College

Amherst, MA · Private Nonprofit

73.2$23,36793.7%$77,644$13,7409.0%
69Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC · Private Nonprofit

73.2$28,71990.0%$78,158$21,50021.7%
70Wellesley College

Wellesley, MA · Private Nonprofit

73.1$25,49691.4%$84,803$10,00014.1%
71CUNY City College

New York, NY · Public

73.0$3,77655.8%$66,039$11,99060.0%
72Davidson College

Davidson, NC · Private Nonprofit

73.0$17,37991.5%$81,400$18,68813.4%
73University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT · Public

72.6$25,09783.5%$73,997$21,50052.4%
74Indiana University-Bloomington

Bloomington, IN · Public

72.6$16,26480.7%$63,742$19,50978.2%
75Auburn University

Auburn, AL · Public

71.9$24,32380.6%$65,337$21,00045.9%
76Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX · Private Nonprofit

71.9$40,89283.8%$78,354$19,50063.3%
77George Washington University

Washington, DC · Private Nonprofit

71.7$36,58684.5%$90,873$20,44947.1%
78University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN · Public

71.6$16,77885.0%$69,020$19,50079.8%
79University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Norman, OK · Public

71.6$15,30075.3%$63,126$20,65476.6%
80Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA · Private Nonprofit

71.4$23,14993.2%$80,257$17,5007.5%
81Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY · Private Nonprofit

71.2$36,22883.4%$102,051$23,75063.5%
82University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO · Public

71.0$25,34674.6%$69,738$19,50078.1%
83William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA · Public

71.0$19,09690.2%$73,490$18,50034.1%
84Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Public

70.9$24,95386.3%$81,698$21,50054.8%
85Colorado School of Mines

Golden, CO · Public

70.8$28,69080.9%$97,335$23,00060.7%
86Colby College

Waterville, ME · Private Nonprofit

70.5$17,18089.5%$80,490$19,1577.1%
87Wesleyan University

Middletown, CT · Private Nonprofit

70.2$30,17792.1%$73,897$17,00016.5%
88University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ · Public

70.1$16,67466.7%$59,979$19,62086.1%
89New Jersey Institute of Technology

Newark, NJ · Public

70.1$16,50472.9%$84,276$21,00065.1%
90University of Rochester

Rochester, NY · Private Nonprofit

70.1$29,27885.0%$79,042$21,00040.1%
91CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

New York, NY · Public

69.9$3,20355.7%$56,195$11,00057.1%
92Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX · Private Nonprofit

69.9$36,66085.6%$68,424$21,50044.5%
93Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN · Public

69.9$14,60083.1%$72,424$19,50049.9%
94Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY · Public

69.8$18,78476.7%$74,502$18,22849.0%
95Brigham Young University

Provo, UT · Private Nonprofit

69.8$15,56481.6%$75,790$11,06967.8%
96Lafayette College

Easton, PA · Private Nonprofit

69.7$34,43387.8%$91,410$16,00031.4%
97University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL · Public

69.4$10,41176.6%$58,308$18,19040.1%
98Binghamton University

Vestal, NY · Public

69.4$21,62082.6%$80,596$18,50038.6%
99North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC · Public

69.4$17,30384.7%$68,758$20,12141.7%
100Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH · Private Nonprofit

69.2$41,19087.1%$87,989$24,00036.5%

¹ School-wide median annual earnings 10 years after enrollment, not after graduation. ² Median federal debt among completers. Net price is an annual average after grants and scholarships for the reported cohort, not a personal price quote. N/A means unavailable. Source cohorts and reporting years differ by measure.

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