List of Top 100 Universities in USA (Rankings 2026)

Q: 1. Which university is ranked first in the USA?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is ranked first in the USA according to the QS World University Rankings 2026.

Q: 2. Does this list only include large universities?

No. The top 100 list includes many types of schools, from large research universities to smaller colleges.

Q: 3. Is the ranking the only factor I should consider?

No. The best university for you depends on your academic program, career goals, campus preferences, and financial situation, not just its rank.

Q: 4. Are these universities all in one part of the country?

No. They are located nationwide, from coast to coast, including cities, college towns, and various regions.

Q: 5. Where can I get help choosing from this list?

For personalized guidance, you can consult with Yocket Premium counselors who help with profile analysis, university shortlisting, and application support.

Yocket Editorial Team

Dec 28, 2025

3 mins

21 views

Summarise with AI

MIT ranks first, with Harvard 4th and Stanford 5th in the top 100 universities in the USA, a key list for students to explore. The top 100 universities in usa include many different types of schools, from large research universities to smaller colleges. Our guide explains the list and shows you how to find the best university for your goals.

Table of Content

The Top 100 Universities in The USA

The following table lists the top 100 US universities based on the QS World University Rankings 2026. Remember, the rank is a general indicator; the right university for you depends on your specific academic programme, career goals, and campus preferences.

Sr No	University	QS World Rankings 2026	Primary Location
1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	1	Cambridge, Massachusetts
2	Harvard University	4	Cambridge, Massachusetts
3	Stanford University	5	Stanford, California
4	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	10	Berkeley, California
5	University of Chicago	11	Chicago, Illinois
6	University of Pennsylvania	12	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7	Cornell University	13	Ithaca, New York
8	California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	15	Pasadena, California
9	Yale University	16	New Haven, Connecticut
10	Princeton University	17	Princeton, New Jersey
11	Columbia University	23	New York City, New York
12	Johns Hopkins University	24	Baltimore, Maryland
13	University of Michigan, Ann Arbor	33	Ann Arbor, Michigan
14	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	29	Los Angeles, California
15	New York University (NYU)	38	New York City, New York
16	Duke University	57	Durham, North Carolina
17	Carnegie Mellon University	52	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
18	Northwestern University	47	Evanston, Illinois
19	University of California, San Diego (UCSD)	62	San Diego, California
20	Brown University	73	Providence, Rhode Island
21	University of Texas at Austin	58	Austin, Texas
22	University of Washington	63	Seattle, Washington
23	University of Illinois Urbana Champaign	64	Champaign, Illinois
24	University of Wisconsin Madison	102	Madison, Wisconsin
25	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill	138	Chapel Hill, North Carolina
26	Boston University	93	Boston, Massachusetts
27	Rice University	145	Houston, Texas
28	Washington University in St Louis	154	St. Louis, Missouri
29	Purdue University	89	West Lafayette, Indiana
30	University of Southern California	116	Los Angeles, California
31	Ohio State University	151	Columbus, Ohio
32	University of California, Davis	135	Davis, California
33	University of California, Irvine	235	Irvine, California
34	Michigan State University	160	East Lansing, Michigan
35	Emory University	164	Atlanta, Georgia
36	University of Minnesota Twin Cities	153	Minneapolis, Minnesota
37	Georgetown University	197	Washington, District of Columbia
38	University of Florida	140	Gainesville, Florida
39	University of Rochester	257	Rochester, New York
40	University of California, Santa Barbara	143	Santa Barbara, California
41	Case Western Reserve University	194	Cleveland, Ohio
42	Texas A&M University	134	College Station, Texas
43	University of Virginia	186	Charlottesville, Virginia
44	Vanderbilt University	199	Nashville, Tennessee
45	University of Maryland, College Park	169	College Park, Maryland
46	University of Pittsburgh	222	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
47	University of Notre Dame	304	Notre Dame, Indiana
48	Northeastern University	195	Boston, Massachusetts
49	University of Massachusetts Amherst	245	Amherst, Massachusetts
50	University of Colorado Boulder	259	Boulder, Colorado
51	University of Georgia	371	Athens, Georgia
52	University of Iowa	380	Iowa City, Iowa
53	University of Arizona	242	Tucson, Arizona
54	Arizona State University	179	Tempe, Arizona
55	Indiana University Bloomington	338	Bloomington, Indiana
56	University of Utah	241	Salt Lake City, Utah
57	Rutgers University New Brunswick	188	New Brunswick, New Jersey
58	University of Connecticut	382	Storrs, Connecticut
59	University of California, Riverside	349	Riverside, California
60	University of California, Santa Cruz	322	Santa Cruz, California
61	Colorado School of Mines	551 560	Golden, Colorado
62	Brandeis University	611 620	Waltham, Massachusetts
63	Tufts University	379	Medford, Massachusetts
64	George Washington University	297	Washington, District of Columbia
65	University of Oregon	601 610	Eugene, Oregon
66	University of Tennessee Knoxville	422	Knoxville, Tennessee
67	Florida State University	361	Tallahassee, Florida
68	North Carolina State University	274	Raleigh, North Carolina
69	Saint Louis University	601 610	St. Louis, Missouri
70	University of Kansas	651 660	Lawrence, Kansas
71	University of Nebraska Lincoln	601 610	Lincoln, Nebraska
72	University of Oklahoma	651 660	Norman, Oklahoma
73	University of South Carolina	601 610	Columbia, South Carolina
74	Baylor University	741 750	Waco, Texas
75	Brigham Young University	621 630	Provo, Utah
76	Clemson University	671	Clemson, South Carolina
77	Dartmouth College	237	Hanover, New Hampshire
78	Drexel University	591	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
79	Fordham University	801 850	New York City, New York
80	Georgia Institute of Technology	97	Atlanta, Georgia
81	Iowa State University	431	Ames, Iowa
82	Lehigh University	851 900	Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
83	Loyola University Chicago	851 900	Chicago, Illinois
84	Miami University	1001 1200	Oxford, Ohio
85	Michigan Technological University	851 900	Houghton, Michigan
86	New Jersey Institute of Technology	851 900	Newark, New Jersey
87	Oregon State University	601 610	Corvallis, Oregon
88	Pennsylvania State University	219	State College, Pennsylvania
89	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	501 510	Troy, New York
90	Rochester Institute of Technology	901 950	Rochester, New York
91	San Diego State University	851 900	San Diego, California
92	Syracuse University	751 760	Syracuse, New York
93	Temple University	851 900	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
94	University at Buffalo	491	Buffalo, New York
95	University of Alabama	851 900	Tuscaloosa, Alabama
96	University of Cincinnati	641	Cincinnati, Ohio
97	University of Delaware	701 710	Newark, Delaware
98	University of Houston	751 760	Houston, Texas
99	University of Kentucky	651 660	Lexington, Kentucky
100	University of Miami	311	Coral Gables, Florida

From The Desk Of Yocket

Choosing from the top 100 universities in the USA is a big decision, and we hope this guide has given you a clearer starting point. Remember, the best university is the one that matches your unique academic goals, financial plan, and personal aspirations, not just the highest rank. If navigating these choices feels overwhelming, our Yocket Premium counsellors are here to help. With personalised guidance, we can analyse your profile, shortlist the best-fit universities for you, and support you through every step of your application journey to turn your study abroad dreams into reality.

List of Top 100 Universities in USA (Rankings 2026)

The Top 100 Universities in The USA

From The Desk Of Yocket

Frequently Asked Questions on Top 100 US Universities

1. Which university is ranked first in the USA?

2. Does this list only include large universities?

3. Is the ranking the only factor I should consider?

4. Are these universities all in one part of the country?

5. Where can I get help choosing from this list?

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