In the year 2024, the USA saw a 5.3 percent increase in international students, which totals around 15 lakh candidates, primarily driven by Indians. With access to top-tier programs and world-class facilities, students are still dreaming of getting into top universities in USA, and the number of learners is increasing annually. There are reasons why everyone wants to get fit in universities in the country, such as the quality of education and affordability. If you are worried about getting admission to a top US univ, this guide can help you explore better options. Read on!
Table of Contents
1. How Often Do University Rankings Change?
2. What Criteria Are Used to Rank the Top 100 Universities in the USA?
3. How Do I Determine the Best University for My Career Goals?
4. Do Universities in the USA Provide Internship Opportunities?
5. How Expensive Is Studying in Universities in the USA for International Students?
This is a major question for all students: why study in top colleges in the US? The univ or college you choose to study abroad can have a major impact on the rest of your life, so you should choose it wisely. Universities in this country provide a mix of world-class academic excellence, globally recognized degrees, and advanced technological resources, which is why learners want to study in USA. Let’s read about it in detail.
Finally, you know well the top reasons why to study in the top US universities. Now, it is your turn to make a decision on which institution is the right fit for your career goal. In the next section, you can explore the top 100 universities along with essential details. Read further!
You will find tier 1 universities in USA which are also ranked in top three worldwide, including Stanford, MIT, and Harvard. Apart from this, there are over 100 institutions that provide you with quality education in top programs like engineering, hospitality, computer science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, etc. In the following table, we have provided you with the list of 100 best universities in USA in 2025 along with their type, ranking, and acceptance rate.
| US Universities | Types | THE - Global University Rankings 2025 | QS - Global University Rankings 2025 | Acceptance Rate |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Private | 5 | 1 | 4–5% |
| Harvard University | Private | 3 | 4 | 3–4% |
| Stanford University | Private | 2 | 6 | 3–4% |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | Private | 6 | 10 | 2–4% |
| University of Pennsylvania | Private | 13 | 11 | 5–8% |
| University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | Public | 14 | 12 | 10–15% |
| Cornell University | Private | 7 | 16 | 8–11% |
| University of Chicago | Private | 9 | 21 | 4–7% |
| Princeton University | Private | 20 | 22 | 4–5% |
| Yale University | Private | 11 | 23 | 4–6% |
| Johns Hopkins University | Private | 15 | 32 | 6–8% |
| Columbia University | Private | 23 | 34 | 4–5% |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | Public | 8 | 42 | 8–12% |
| New York University (NYU) | Private | 26 | 43 | 6–8% |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | Public | 24 | 44 | 15–25% |
| Northwestern University | Private | 21 | 50 | 6–8% |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Private | 25 | 58 | 8–12% |
| Duke University | Private | 28 | 61 | 4–6% |
| University of Texas at Austin | Public | 32 | 66 | 20–35% |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Public | 61 | 69 | 40–60% |
| University of California, San Diego (UCSD) | Public | 50 | 72 | 30–40% |
| University of Washington | Public | 26 | 76 | 40–55% |
| Brown University | Private | 81 | 79 | 5–7% |
| Pennsylvania State University | Public | 48 | 89 | 50–60% |
| Purdue University | Public | 38 | 89 | 50–60% |
| Boston University | Private | 151 | 108 | 20–30% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Public | 147 | 114 | 15–25% |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | Public | 63 | 116 | 50–60% |
| University of Southern California | Private | 69 | 125 | 10–12% |
| University of California, Davis | Public | 71 | 130 | 35–45% |
| Rice University | Private | 57 | 141 | 8–12% |
| Michigan State University | Public | 127 | 152 | 50–60% |
| Texas A&M University | Public | 65 | 154 | 50–60% |
| University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill | Public | 112 | 155 | 20–30% |
| Washington University in St. Louis | Private | 154 | 176 | 15–20% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) | Public | 64 | 178 | 30–40% |
| Emory University | Private | 82 | 196 | 15–20% |
| Arizona State University | Public | 106 | 200 | 80–85% |
| University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Public | 181 | 203 | 40–50% |
| The Ohio State University | Public | 104 | 208 | 65–70% |
| University of Florida | Public | 134 | 215 | 35–45% |
| University of Maryland, College Park | Public | 144 | 218 | 40–50% |
| University of Rochester | Private | 101 | 236 | 40–50% |
| Dartmouth College | Private | 151 | 243 | 6–8% |
| Vanderbilt University | Private | 98 | 248 | 10–12% |
| Case Western Reserve University | Private | 123 | 259 | 25–30% |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Public | 156 | 275 | 65–70% |
| University of Pittsburgh | Public | 95 | 275 | 50–60% |
| The University of Arizona | Public | 201-250 | 293 | 85–90% |
| University of Virginia | Public | 163 | 297 | 25–30% |
| Georgetown University | Private | 191 | 301 | 15–20% |
| University of California, Irvine | Public | 156 | 307 | 30–40% |
| North Carolina State University | Public | 180 | 311 | 45–50% |
| University of Notre Dame | Private | 201-250 | 316 | 15–20% |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Public | 136 | 320 | 80–85% |
| University of Miami | Private | 194 | 324 | 30–40% |
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Public | 351-400 | 328 | 60–65% |
| Tufts University | Private | 151 | 344 | 15–20% |
| Indiana University Bloomington | Public | 148 | 355 | 75–80% |
| University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) | Public | 251-300 | 365 | 65–70% |
| George Washington University | Private | 170 | 371 | 40–50% |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Public | 401-500 | 389 | 70–75% |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | Public | 201-250 | 393 | 60–65% |
| Northeastern University | Private | 251-300 | 396 | 20–25% |
| Yeshiva University | Private | 401-500 | 413 | 60–65% |
| Colorado State University | Public | 192 | 442 | 75–80% |
| University of Kansas | Public | 251-300 | 452 | 90–95% |
| Stony Brook University, State University of New York | Public | 168 | 460 | 55–60% |
| University at Buffalo SUNY | Public | 251-300 | 466 | 50–55% |
| Washington State University | Public | 401-500 | 466 | 75–80% |
| Iowa State University | Public | 301-350 | 470 | 85–90% |
| The University of Tennessee, Knoxville | Public | 301-350 | 481 | 75–80% |
| University of Hawai?i at M?noa | Public | 301-350 | 488 | 65–70% |
| University of California, Riverside | Public | 351-400 | 497 | 70–75% |
| Colorado School of Mines | Public | 401-500 | 501 | 55–60% |
| University of Delaware | Public | 351-400 | 506 | 65–70% |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Public | 251-300 | 527 | 70–75% |
| University of Utah | Public | 201–250 | 531 | 65–70% |
| University of Connecticut | Public | 401-500 | 565 | 70–75% |
| Florida State University | Public | 301-350 | 573 | 55–60% |
| Florida International University | Public | 351-400 | 574 | 35–45% |
| The University of Georgia | Public | 401-500 | 587 | 55–60% |
| University of Iowa | Public | 301-350 | 596 | 45–55% |
| University of Texas Dallas | Public | 401-500 | 596 | 70–75% |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Private | 351-400 | 601-610 | 60–65% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Private | 401-500 | 601-610 | 55–60% |
| University of South Carolina | Public | 301-350 | 601-610 | 60–65% |
| University of South Florida | Public | 601-800 | 621-630 | 50–55% |
| Boston College | Private | 801-1000 | 631-640 | 25–30% |
| Tulane University | Private | 351-400 | 631-640 | 65–70% |
| Lehigh University | Private | 251-300 | 641-650 | 25–30% |
| Oregon State University | Public | 351-400 | 641-650 | 80–85% |
| University of Missouri, Columbia | Public | 191 | 641-650 | 70–75% |
| University of Houston | Public | 601-800 | 651-660 | 65–70% |
| City University of New York | Public | - | 661-670 | 85–90% |
| Temple University | Public | 301-400 | 681-690 | 65–70% |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | Private | 601-800 | 701-710 | 55–60% |
| University of Nebraska - Lincoln | Public | 301-350 | 701-710 | 75–80% |
| University of Oklahoma | Public | 201-250 | 701-710 | 75–80% |
| American University | Private | 501-600 | 711-720 | 35–40% |
In the table above, you have explored the list of the top 100 universities in USA for 2025 session, where some consistently rank in the highest 10. Not just in academics, these institutions are also known for extracurricular activities and hold top positions because of different factors. To understand this in detail, you need to move ahead to the next section.
Numerous factors affect the rankings of any college, including the best US universities. There are separate organizations that use different methodologies and update their annual ranking on various criteria. Authorities like the U.S. News & World Report, Times Higher Education, and QS World University are some of the best resources that provide reliable rankings. The criteria they use to decide top universities in USA are explained below. Let’s have a look!
Studying abroad isn’t just about getting a degree; it’s about transforming you into what you want to be in your career. The institution you choose for your goals really matters in your professional life, and this country has potential through its best institutions. Among the top universities in USA, now you have to choose the perfect one and be ready for further procedures. But if you want to know more about these institutions, you can use our college predictor tool and go through for a detailed overview.
University rankings often change annually, as various organizations and publications release updated rankings each year to reflect changes in a university’s performance. However, the extent and frequency of these changes can vary significantly depending on the specific ranking system and its methodology, with some universities showing only minor shifts in their positions year-to-year, while others may experience more substantial movement.
Organizations like the QS World, U.S. News & World Report, and Times Higher Education often consider a combination of factors to provide a ranking of the top 100 universities in USA. They use criteria such as academic reputation, research output and quality, faculty qualifications, student-faculty ratios, and graduation rates, though the exact factors and their weighting vary by ranking organization.
Make sure the university you are choosing provides you with the course that helps you fulfill your career goals. Besides this, some other factors are necessary to consider while choosing the uni, such as location, ranking, environment, and cost of living & studying.
Many universities in the USA support and help students in securing internship opportunities and offer co-op programs. While a few institutions have their dedicated career centers, they also provide specialized academic credit for internships. Through these uni resources, students develop their professional skills and get good positions in their careers.
If you want to get admission in any of the list of top universities in USA, your annual cost of studying will be around $35,000 to $80,000, where the particular price depends on the uni’s course structure and program. In this country, public universities provide affordable prices than private ones.
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