Some of the best colleges in the world are located in the United States, from Ivy League schools to respected learning institutions in various fields. If you’re looking for the best university in your state, this is the list for you.
Alabama
The finest university in Alabama is Auburn, a public research institution ranked highly for its applied science and arts programs. The average cost to attend after financial aid is around $23,000, and the school has an acceptance rate of 44%.
Alaska
There aren’t a ton of universities in Alaska, given the state’s small population and relative remoteness. That said, the University of Alaska Fairbanks is ranked 30th in the world for its excellent faculty-student ratio—itself likely a factor of the school’s location in a sparsely populated area!
Arizona
Arizona State University is ranked 179th in the world, making it far and away the best school in the state. Of particular note is the school’s excellent record for sustainability, which it’s ranked 33rd in the world at according to experts!
Arkansas
The best school in Arkansas is the University of Arkansas Fayetteville. Interestingly, it’s the only ranked school in the state, and it puts a premium on being accessible to students. The university sports a gorgeous campus and acclaimed courses and professors.
California
Standford University is the top-rated institution in California, which is saying a lot. California is absolutely crowded with prestigious universities, so Stanford’s accolades speak to the school’s superb quality. Among Stanford’s priorities are creative arts and innovation, and it’s the fifth best-ranked school in the world.
Colorado
It might come as little surprise to learn that the best school in Colorado is the University of Colorado Boulder. This eco-friendly school focuses on sustainability and accessibility, boasting an 81% acceptance rate. Interestingly, the school was founded a few months before Colorado was officially made a US State!
Connecticut
Yale University, one of the foremost schools in the world, is easily the best school in Connecticut. The school is ranked 16th globally and is part of the elite Ivy League of American schools. It’s known for its exceptionally selective admissions process and the social elitism of its students.
Delaware
What’s the best university in Delaware? Why, it’s the University of Delaware! The 498th best school in the world is highly rated for its chemical engineering program. The average cost to attend is $18,000, and the school has an acceptance rate of 74%.
Florida
You’ll see this pattern a lot: the highest-rated university in Florida is the University of Florida. It’s ranked 168th in the world and is globally respected for its robust international research network. It’s also among the largest universities in the country with over 50,000 students.
Georgia
If you want to attend the best university in Georgia, you’re looking for the Georgia Institute of Technology. Believe it or not, the school is ranked 97th worldwide! Among the school’s notable programs are its world-renowned data science and operational research departments.
Hawaii
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is the best school in the sunny state. Of course, many students would love to go to school in Hawaii because they want to sunbathe by the beach between classes. However, the school is also recognized around the world for its incredible linguistics programs.
Idaho
Another state, another state university. The best school in Idaho is the University of Idaho, which was interestingly the only university in the state until 1963. It’s a relatively small school, boasting only just under 7,000 students as of the time of this writing, with a graduation rate of 57%.
Illinois
The University of Chicago is the 11th best school in the world and the finest institution in Illinois, too. The school ranks highly in nearly all fields, and is particularly renowned for its academic reputation, which is nearly spotless. Case in point: the school’s Chicago Manual of Style is a well-respected style guide for American English.
Indiana
Purdue University is the best school in Indiana, but it was previously behind the University of Notre Dame. Purdue is ranked 99th globally and is remarkable for its focus on management, education, engineering, and pharmacy courses. The school’s most notable former students include Neil Armstrong and John Wooden!
Iowa
Iowa’s best school is Iowa State University. It’s ranked 400th worldwide and has a massive, sprawling campus in Ames, Iowa. The enormous school currently has over 33,000 students and is globally recognized for its exceptional agriculture and forestry courses and professors.
Kansas
If you’re wondering what the best school is in a given state, just saying “University of [State Name]” will be right about half the time. For instance, the University of Kansas is the best institution of higher education in Kansas. It’s particularly noteworthy for its advanced medical research programs.
Kentucky
This joke keeps making itself, but the University of Kentucky is the best university in Kentucky. The school actually overtook the University of Louisville College of Business recently, largely because it sports a superb international research network and a renowned mineral and mining engineering program.
Louisiana
Tulane University is the best school in Louisiana due to its unique approach to the challenges facing the Gulf States. The school is a private research institution that encourages cooperation between disciplines to create real-world solutions for problems that extend beyond the campus.
Maryland
The best school in Maryland is Johns Hopkins University, the 28th best rated school worldwide and the first US university that merged research and training. It seems so straightforward now, but before Johns Hopkins pioneered the approach, places of learning and places of professional training were separate institutions.
Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, more commonly known as MIT, is easily the best school in the state. And that’s an impressive statement, given that Harvard University is also in the state. It’s also the best-rated school in the world, let alone the state, which explains how it outranked Harvard.
Michigan
The University of Michigan Ann Arbor is the state’s finest school, owing largely to its academic reputation. If you tell someone you graduated from the University of Michigan, it carries a ton of weight. They’re also the 33rd highest rated school in the world.
Minnesota
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities is 195th in the world and the best in the state. It’s one of the most far-ranging public schools in the US, covering a genuinely impressive range of subjects for its size and funding.
Mississippi
Mississippi State University overtook the University of Mississippi (yes, those are two different schools) to become the best school in the state. MSU focuses on personalized coursework that is intended to provide students the best path to academic success. The school has a notably large range of subjects available for study.
Missouri
Missouri’s best school is the confusingly named Washington University in St. Louis. The 154th ranked school in the world was named after the first US president and is not affiliated with Washington State or Washington DC. The school is well-known for its anatomy and physiology programs.
Montana
The University of Montana Missoula is a small school that serves the sparsely populated state. There’s no runner-up in this state: if you want to go to college in Montana, you’re probably going to Missoula. The school notably has a 95% acceptance rate but only a 42% graduation rate.
Nebraska
The University of Nebraska Lincoln is the 551st best school in the world and the finest institution in Nebraska. As you might expect, the school is well-known for its agriculture and forestry courses. The school also focuses on affordability, reflected in the high percentage of first-generation college students enrolled there.
New Hampshire
Dartmouth College in New Hampshire was founded in 1796, making it the ninth-oldest school in the country. The small New England school is ranked 237th globally and is recognized by experts for its strong and varied employment opportunities for its faculty.
New Jersey
It shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that New Jersey’s best school is Princeton. The school was founded in 1746 and is a member of the prestigious Ivy League. It’s the 17th-best school in the world and has a very high standing among academics and employers alike.
New Mexico
The best school in New Mexico is, straightforwardly enough, the University of New Mexico. Interestingly, the school’s campus was modeled to look similar to Pueblo Indian villages, giving it a unique look and feel that makes it at home in its Chihuahuan Desert surroundings.
New York
Cornell University is the best school in New York, but it’s a close contest between that school and Columbia University. The two have jockeyed for first place in the state for some time, but currently Cornell is ranked 20th in the world while Columbia is ranked 23rd.
North Carolina
No surprises here: the best institution of higher learning in North Carolina is Duke University. They’re not just exceptionally good at basketball: Duke is renowned for its exceptional faculty-student ratio and is ranked the 57th best school in the world.
North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is the sparsely populated state’s best institution of higher education. With only around 10,000 students, it’s a relatively small school for a state university. Tuition costs around $11,000 for in-state students and around $15,000 for out-of-state students.
Ohio
Ohio State University is ranked 151st overall in the world, and that makes it the best school in the state. The renowned school has the tenth best veterinary science program in the world. Interestingly, Ohio’s runner-up is Case Western Reserve University, which is ranked 255th in the world.
Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is the best school in Oklahoma, which makes it easy to remember. The school is globally recognized for its petroleum engineering courses and its library and information management program. The runner-up school is Oklahoma State University, which isn’t confusing at all.
Oregon
Oregon’s best institution of higher learning is Oregon State University. The school was once second in the state behind the University of Oregon (that’s easy to keep up with, right?) but is noteworthy for being one of a small handful of schools in the US to be granted all four land grants.
Pennsylvania
Surprise, surprise: the best school in Pennsylvania is the University of Pennsylvania. Noteworthy alums like John Legend and Elon Musk mention the school often, making it a well-known university globally. Well, that and the school’s spot as the 12th-best school in the world.
Rhode Island
What other schools in Rhode Island could take this spot? It’s Brown University. The Ivy League school is ranked 73rd worldwide and has alumni like John F. Kennedy and Emma Watson. Brown has a substantially high number of citations per faculty, meaning it’s a notable research institution.
South Carolina
The University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC is ranked 575th in the world, making it the highest-rated school in the state. It’s ranked ahead of nearby rivals Clemson University—but locals will be quick to remind you that Clemson wins whenever they meet on the gridiron!
South Dakota
The University of South Dakota is the best school in the state, offering a great higher education for residents of the state. The school was founded in 1862 and sports a massive 274-acre campus. It’s also somewhat affordable, with tuition averaging around $10,000.
Tennessee
Tennessee’s finest school, if you can believe it, is Vanderbilt University. The 261st rated school in the world is the best in the Volunteer State and has a perfect score for faculty-student ratio. That makes it the kind of place you want to go for a hands-on education!
Texas
The University of Texas at Austin has recently unseated Texas A&M University as the best school in the Lone Star State. Austin is ranked 58th globally, while Texas A&M University is only 134th worldwide. The school is well-known for its communication and media studies programs.
Utah
Can you believe that the best university in Utah is the University of Utah? We know, it’s blowing our minds too. The 441st best university in the world is also the 43rd ranked university in mineral and mining engineering courses.
Vermont
The University of Vermont is the best school in the state, but it’s not facing much competition in the area. Interestingly, it was founded in 1791, meaning it’s one of the oldest schools in the country. There’s no second-place school behind the University of Vermont, so if you want a good college education in the state, this is where you’re going.
Virginia
Not many schools can claim to have been founded by a Founding Father. But the University of Virginia was started by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, and it remains the 260th best college in the world. It’s also ranked 51st globally with its law program.
Washington
The University of Washington is the best school in the state. Notably, that’s the University of Washington in Seattle, not the one in St. Louis. It’s also not a school in Washington DC. With all that clarification out of the way, the 63rd-best school in the world is well-known for its nursing and data science courses.
West Virginia
West Virginia University, unsurprisingly, is the best school in the state. It’s got no competition, really: no other schools in the state are globally ranked. It’s the state’s primary land grant school, and students are encouraged to follow their dreams and tackle ever bigger challenges.
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Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin Madison holds an impressive global ranking, coming in at 102nd overall. That makes it the best school in the state, and it’s a long way to the runner up: the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Madison holds high marks for its sociology, life sciences, and medicine programs.
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Wyoming
Wyoming has the smallest population of any US state, but it’s home to the humble University of Wyoming. There are far worse places to get a college degree, though: the state’s gorgeous natural surroundings and peaceful small student counts make it a very unique higher education experience.
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