Forbes America S Top Colleges List 2026 Best Us Universities Ranked

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 22, 2025, 2:03 PM

forbes america s top colleges list 2026 best us universities ranked

MIT Sloan School of Management. Massachusetts Institute of Technology reclaimed the No. 1 spot in Forbes’ 2025–2026 America’s Top Colleges ranking. After holding the top spot for two years, Princeton University fell to No. 3 on Forbes’ 2025–2026 America’s Top Colleges ranking released Tuesday (August 26). Massachusetts Institute of Technology reclaimed the crown, acing all of Forbes’ 14 metrics measuring student educational, financial and career outcomes.

Forbes’ annual ranking of 500 colleges across the U.S. has all the familiar names at the top of the list: Columbia University surged to No. 2 despite reputational challenges following last year’s campus protests and a controversial settlement with the Trump administration. After Princeton, Stanford University came in at No. 4 while the University of California–Berkeley was the highest-ranked public university at No. 5.

Private universities dominate the top of Forbes’ list, but two public University of California campuses broke the top 15. Williams College, the so-called “Little Ivy,” also landed in the top 10. More than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities are ranked, with most participating in the U.S. News statistical survey. Princeton University, Office of Communications, Denise Applewhite

Princeton University in New Jersey ranks as the top school among National Universities in the 2026 Best Colleges rankings. The annual U.S. News Best Colleges rankings were released today, with top-ranked schools staying mostly steady from last edition as the methodology was largely unchanged. The vast majority of schools U.S. News surveyed continued to report data: 79% of the more than 1,700 ranked institutions returned their statistical information in the spring and summer of 2025, compared to about 78.1% last year. This includes 99 of the top 100 ranked National Universities and 97 of the top 100 National Liberal Arts Colleges.

Aspublic universities brace for the impact of slashed research funding and future enrollment declines, they’re still doing the bulk of the work of educating America’s students, and doing it at a lower price than... Last spring, 5.3 million students were studying for their bachelor’s degrees at four-year public colleges, more than twice the 2.4 million studying for a bachelor’s at private, nonprofit colleges, the National Student Clearinghouse Research... During the 2024-25 academic year, state public universities charged an average sticker price of $11,610 in tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates and $30,780 for out-of-staters, compared with the $43,350 tuition and fees sticker... After grant aid, food, dorms and the rest are taken into account, in-state public college undergraduates had an average net cost of attendance of $20,780, compared to an average net cost of $36,150 at... (Keep in mind, however, that in some cases, depending on family income and the wealth and generosity of an institution, a private college can end up being cheaper. )

Ivy League and other elite private universities have grabbed the most headlines as the President Donald Trump’s Administration has frozen their research grants, launched myriad investigations and sought changes to policies his administration considers... While it may not get the attention Trump’s war on Harvard does, top state universities have themselves become Trump targets. For example, the Department of Education’s Office of General Counsel is investigating the University of California-Berkeley (at #5, it’s the highest-ranking public school on Forbes’ top 500 list) for its partnership with China’s Tsinghua... The Trump administration has also suspended $584 million in research grants at the University of California-Los Angeles (#15) over claims it failed to combat antisemitism and allowed transgender athletes to compete in sports and... Former University of Virginia (#34) President James Ryan stepped down in June amid intense political pressure over the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. George Mason University (#114) President Gregory Washington has faced similar scrutiny, but remains in office (and just had his contract renewed by the university’s Board of Visitors).

Indeed, public universities are navigating a complex set of challenges, from federal and state political pressure and funding cutbacks to the coming demographic cliff, as the number of high school graduates declines steadily over... Financial pressures from shifts in higher education enrollment have already led multiple states to merge or shut down campuses in their public university systems. For example, Penn State University (whose main campus ranked #338) announced plans in May to close seven branch campuses after the 2026-27 academic year, and the University System of Georgia approved a plan in... Public college systems must also navigate cuts in federal loans for graduate students that were passed by the Republican Congress in July and kick in next year. Through it all, state universities continue to have plenty of appeal. Beyond the low tuition, students flock to their state universities for their urban campuses, D1 sports programs and massive, loyal alumni networks, to name just a few public school draws.

MIT takes the #1 spot on Forbes’ annual list, which showcases 500 colleges that produce successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt. Despite President Trump’s political assault, the eight Ivies all placed in the top 20, as did three University of California campuses. Tocreate our new ranking of America’s Top Colleges, we began with a list of thousands of U.S. colleges that educate undergraduates according to their Carnegie Classification—a higher education framework that categorizes institutions based on the types of degrees they offer, their research output and specialty focus. We chose doctoral research universities, master’s universities and colleges and baccalaureate colleges, as well as colleges that offered specialized programs in engineering, business and the arts. We then evaluated the schools using data from two federal education databases—the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and College Scorecard.

One important note: this year, the U.S. Department of Education did not update its College Scorecard in time for our ranking with new information on graduates’ salary and student debt. As a result, the 2026 Forbes Top Colleges ranking uses last year’s numbers, the most recently available, for those metrics. We also use data from the Seattle-based software and data company Payscale; the Washington, D.C.-based public policy think tank Third Way; the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics; and some Forbes lists. Schools that have announced plans to close and those with fewer than 300 undergraduates are excluded from consideration. We also excluded from the final 500 any school missing more than three of our metrics, as well as the five federal military academies—while they routinely perform well according to our measures, they operate...

We ranked the remaining colleges using the following metrics. We used earnings data from Payscale and College Scorecard to determine which colleges produced the highest-paid graduates. From Payscale, we looked at graduates’ median earnings three years and 20 years after graduation. From the College Scorecard, we pulled median earnings data for graduates six years and ten years after they first enrolled at an institution. Neither data source is perfect. Payscale relies on self-reported survey data, which can result in skewed information—graduates that are employed and happy with their earnings may be more likely to respond.

College Scorecard collects information only for those with federal student loans—not all graduates. We weighted each of the four income variables at 5%. Discover the best colleges in the US according to the Times Higher Education’s trusted World University Rankings. This list highlights the which universities in the US excel in teaching, research, and global influence. The Times Higher Education US college rankings are based on a trusted methodology that evaluates universities across key performance indicators, including academic reputation, teaching quality and international outlook. This table provides valuable insights to help students, academics, and policymakers navigate the US university ranking landscape

The US is a very popular choice for international students. There are more than 4,000 universities in the country for students to choose from including the prestigious Ivy League universities. For students wishing to study in the US, you can check our our guides on applying to university in the US and on applying for a student visa to study in the US.

Forbes America S Top Colleges List 2026 Best Us Universities Ranked

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