US News & World Report Releases 2026 Best National Universities Rankings
The publication evaluated 434 schools using up to 17 measures of academic quality. Princeton University received the top national ranking.
US News & World Report released its 2026 Best National Universities ranking, which evaluated 434 schools using up to 17 measures of academic quality. The ranking drew on data reported by schools and third-party sources, including graduation and retention rates, graduates' debt loads and earnings, faculty and financial resources, and admissions selectivity.
Princeton University was ranked as the best college in the United States. MIT and Harvard followed as the second- and third-ranked schools.
The list focused on national universities and did not include liberal arts colleges or regional universities with limited doctoral programs. US News & World Report executive chairman and CEO Eric Gertler defended the rankings in a 2023 Wall Street Journal op-ed, stating that the data help students and families compare institutions.
The publication identified the highest-ranking school in each state on the 2026 list. In California, Stanford University ranked #4 (tie) with a score of 95 out of 100.
