Curious to know what universities make up the ten best in the USA? We’ve compiled the results and provided a brief overview on each so you can get to know about the country’s most prestigious and elite instutitons…
When we’re talking about a country of more than 330 million people with the world’s biggest economy, it’s no surprise that many of the best universities in the world are found in the USA.
If you’re looking to study in the States, this list — based on the QS World University Rankings for 2025 — covers everything you need to know about the top ten universities in the USA.
Looking for a top-class university without those private fees? Make sure to also check out our article on the best public universities in the USA.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The best university not only in the USA but also in the whole world, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is located in the Greater Boston suburb of Cambridge.
Established in 1861, MIT is especially notable for its science and technology programs, but it also excels in other areas such as linguistics, economics, and marketing.
Among MIT’s alumni are founders of notable companies, heads of state for different countries around the world, and no fewer than 100 Nobel Prize winners.
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Global university rank: 1st
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2. Harvard University
The second-best university in the US, Harvard University is also the oldest university in the country, having been founded in 1636.
In addition to first-class teaching, Harvard is known for its world-famous Harvard University Press, while Harvard Library is the largest academic library system on the planet with about 20 million items.
Harvard also has 48 Pulitzer Prize winners among its alumni, as well as 10 Academy Award winners.
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Global university rank: 4th
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3. Stanford University
Third on the list and sixth globally, Stanford University is located in the small town of Stanford in the San Francisco Bay Area. Especially famous for its many great engineering programs, Stanford also ranks highly in subjects such as biological sciences, sociology, and archaeology.
Known affectionately among its students as Nerd Nation, Stanford is not just about academics. This fairly small university of about 17,000 students has won more NCAA championships than any other university and its alumni have won the most Olympic gold medals of any US university.
Stanford’s notable alumni include Larry Page and Sergei Brin — the founders of Google — former US president John F. Kennedy and Elon Musk.
Location: Stanford, California
Global university rank: 6th
4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a university that, as the name suggests, is heavily focused on the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The Caltech campus is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) from downtown Los Angeles, so when you’re not studying, it’s easy to enjoy your free time in the City of Angels.
A small university of only just over 2,000 students, there are nevertheless 79 Nobel laureates associated with the university, a testament to just how high-quality the teaching and research at Caltech are.
Location: Pasadena, California
Global university rank: 10th
5. University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) was founded in the 1740s, making it one of the oldest universities in the US.
A well-versed Ivy League school with a campus in West Philadelphia, UPenn’s alumni, faculty, and trustees include eight signatories of the Declaration of Independence, three US presidents and 32 US senators, as well as 36 Nobel laureates, nine foreign heads of state and four Academy Award winners.
As this list of notable alumni suggests, UPenn has excellent programs in many different subjects, including the best programs in the world in marketing and nursing.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Global university rank: 11th
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6. University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UCB) is the flagship campus of the University of California system and a top university globally. It offers a diverse study program, with its business, engineering, and law courses standing out as some of the best around.
UCB has close ties to Silicon Valley, where its alumni have gone on to establish some of the world’s biggest tech companies. The university is also affiliated with 114 Nobel Prize winners, making it one of the most awarded universities in the world.
Location: Berkeley, California
Global university rank: 12th
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7. Cornell University
The best university in the state of New York, Cornell University was founded in 1865. Situated in a beautiful, small city campus, Cornell excels in subjects such as veterinary science, agriculture and forestry, and data science.
More than 20% of students at Cornell are from outside the US, meaning you’ll be studying in a university with an international atmosphere and a cosmopolitan outlook.
Notable Cornell alumni include American football pioneer Pop Warner, Bill Nye “The Science Guy”, and former US Chief Medical Adviser Anthony Fauci.
Location: Ithaca, New York
Global university rank: 16th
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8. University of Chicago
Claiming eighth spot among the top 10 universities in the USA, the University of Chicago was founded in 1890 by the famous business magnate John D. Rockefeller.
The university ranks highly in a wide range of subjects and is associated with over 100 Nobel Prize winners, one of the most famous of whom is the economist Milton Friedman.
Friedman and George Stigler were the leading members of the group of scholars whose work led to the school of economic thought known as the Chicago school of economics.
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Global university rank: 21st
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9. Princeton University
Princeton University is an Ivy League university located in the small town of Princeton in New Jersey.
Princeton is especially well-known for its high-level programs in the natural sciences, but they also have programs listed among the top 10 in the world in areas such as politics, English language, English literature, and history.
Among Princeton’s alumni and faculty are 76 Nobel Prize winners, 16 Fields medalists, and 16 Turing Award winners. The prestigious Rhodes Scholarship has been awarded to a whopping 217 Princeton students.
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Global university rank: 22nd
10. Yale University
Founded in 1701, Yale University is the fourth-oldest university in the US. Located in New Haven, Yale is known for many good programs, but is perhaps the most famous for its excellent law school.
The university ranks among the top five in the world in the areas of law, English language, English literature, history, and modern languages.
Despite having only about 12,000 students, among the people affiliated with Yale University, there are 65 Nobel Prize winners, five US presidents, and ten Founding Fathers.
Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Global university rank: 23rd
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Last thoughts
So that’s it: the 10 best universities in the USA. Massachusetts and California are the only states with two or more universities on the list, while Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have one each.
All of these universities are also among the top 25 universities in the world, so if you end up studying at any of the universities on this list, you’ll be in one of the best higher education institutions on the planet.
Once you’ve chosen the university you’d like to attend, you’ll need to find a place to live. Student.com is the largest student accommodation provider in the world and we list student accommodation in all the big US cities. So when you get round to finding your student home, we’re here to help!
