Not all information one comes across online is true. That’s why here on Collegelearners, we provide the finest information on tier 1 universities in USA and U.S. News college rankings 2024. Tier 1 is comprised of major private research universities, including MIT, UChicago, Stanford, John Hopkins, Northwestern, California Institute of Technology, Duke, Vanderbilt, and Rice (among many others). The campuses are likely to be quite large and include graduate schools and a medium to large student population.
For students interested in applying to tier 1 universities in the USA, admission requirements vary depending on the institution. Generally, applicants will need to have a strong academic record, including a high GPA and competitive standardized test scores. In addition, letters of recommendation, a personal statement or essay, and extracurricular activities may also be considered as part of the application.
The admission process for tier 1 universities in the USA typically involves submitting an online application, along with all required materials such as transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, and essays. Some schools may also require an interview or additional materials. Once the application is submitted and reviewed, applicants may be notified of their admission decision, which can range from acceptance to the university to being placed on a waitlist. It is important for prospective students to carefully follow all application instructions and deadlines to ensure the best chance of success in the admissions process.
Top 100 Universities in USA
Known for its diverse ethnicities as well as top universities, USA is one of the hotspots of global education across all disciplines, especially in the business programs. As recorded by NCES, around 4,000 colleges and universities across the country presently welcome international students to study in USA. According to QS World University Rankings, 2022, the USA comprises 50 of the top 200 universities in the world.
Admission requirements for the top universities in the USA varies based on the programs and level of study. Most of the top colleges and universities in the USA focus on academic achievements and professional experiences. As an international student, you need to demonstrate a GPA score of 3.0-4.0 on a 4.0 scale (~83-100%) to get selected by the US universities.
The supporting documents required for admission include SOP, LOR, financial proof, immigration documents, CV and scores of exams to study in USA. Remember, if you have transcripts or any certificates in a regional language, the US universities may ask for translated copies from recognized evaluating agencies.
Despite changes in visa policies, sky-rocketing fees of courses, strict interviews during visa and more, the US remains a popular student hub. Find out why are students choosing the US!
Top Universities in USA: Global Rankings
With a significant number of universities ranking in the top universities list of various reputed ranking organizations, USA truly has set benchmarks in standards of education. The following table contains some of the top universities to study in USA:
| University | QS Ranking 2022 | THE Ranking 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | #1 | #5 |
| Stanford University | #3 | #2 |
| Harvard University | #5 | #3 |
| California Institute of Technology | #6 | #4 |
| The University of Chicago | #10 | #10 |
| University of Pennsylvania | #13 | #13 |
| Yale University | #14 | #8 |
| Columbia University | #19 | #17 |
| Princeton University | #20 | #9 |
| Cornell University | #21 | #19 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | #23 | #22 |
| John Hopkins University | #25 | #12 |
| Northwestern University | #30 | #24 |
| University of California, Berkeley | #32 | #7 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | #40 | #15 |
| New York University | #42 | #26 |
Top Universities in USA: Top Courses and Specializations
The US universities offer a variety of specialization courses to the postgraduate students. Almost all the colleges and universities offer specialization degrees to the postgraduate students. Extensive double-degree programs are also offered by several universities with specialization in two homogenous programs. Following are some of the top specialization programs offered by the US universities:
| Programs | Specializations |
|---|---|
| MBA | Accounting |
| MBA | Marketing |
| MFin | Finance |
| M.S. in Computer Science | Programming Languages |
| M.S. in Computer Science | Artificial Intelligence |
| M.S. in Computer Science | Cybersecurity |
| MSN | Family Nurse Practitioner |
| M..S. in Business Analytics | Big Data Analytics |
| M..S. in Business Analytics | Supply Chain Analytics |
| M.S. in Psychology | Clinical Psychology |
| M.S. in Psychology | Forensic Psychology |
| Master of Architecture | Building Architecture |
| M.S. in Aerospace Engineering | Flight Mechanics |
| M.S. in International Business | International Business and Trade |
Note: The aforementioned programs are only a few among the diverse range of specializations offered to the international students interested to study in USA.
Top Universities in USA for UG Courses
The undergraduate programs in the USA are equally popular among international students like the graduate and postgraduate programs. The students planning to prepare for the graduate programs from an early stage choose to take admission to a US college or university. This eases their endeavour in taking admission to the top institutions like medical science or engineering colleges in USA.
Besides, some of the regional universities offer a 3-year undergraduate program which is not accepted by the universities in the USA. In rarest of the cases these degrees are accepted with demonstration of additional test documents. To avoid such burdens, students prefer to study in a 4-year undergraduate program at a US institution.
As an added advantage, the English proficiency test requirements are waived for admission to postgraduate programs, if the student already completes a 4-year graduate program in the USA. Some of the top undergraduate programs offered by the US universities are tabulated below:
| Popular Undergraduate Programs | Top Universities |
|---|---|
| BBA | Harvard University Stanford University Columbia University |
| Bachelor of Physics | Stanford University The University of Chicago MIT |
| B.Sc. in Nursing | University of Pennsylvania University of California Los Angeles University of Washington |
| B.Sc. in Computer Science | Harvard University Stanford University MIT |
| B.Sc. in Chemistry | University of California Los Angeles Princeton University Columbia University |
| B.Sc. in Civil Engineering | California Institute of Technology Yale University John Hopkins University |
| B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering | University of California San Diego University of Washington New York University |
| B.Sc. in Biology | Harvard University University of California Berkeley Stanford University |
| B. Sc. in Physics | Harvard University Stanford University MIT |
| B.A. in Economics | Northwestern University University of Michigan Cornell University |
| B.A. in Psychology | Harvard University Stanford University University of California Berkeley |
Note: The above table comprises only a few of the top universities offering these programs. Each of these programs are offered by numerous other universities and colleges in USA.
Top Universities in USA for PG Courses
The international students from all across the world visit the USA to study graduate programs. In general, nearly 1.1 million international students enrol in the universities and colleges of the USA in an academic year. International candidates steadily comprise 5.5% of the student population in the USA due to the wide availability of the uncommon programs and top-notch quality of the common programs.
Another reason for choosing US universities over others is, students with a US degree are valued anywhere around the world. Following are some of the top graduate programs offered by the US universities:
| Popular Graduate Programs | Top Universities |
|---|---|
| MBA | Harvard University Stanford University MIT |
| M.S. in Computer Engineering | University of California Columbia University Yale University |
| M.S. in Finance | Harvard University Princeton University University of Pennsylvania |
| MSN | Yale University University of Pennsylvania University of California Los Angeles |
| M.S. in Biomedical Engineering | John Hopkins University Duke University Stanford University |
| M.A. in Mathematics | University of California Harvard University Stanford University |
| M.Sc. in Economics | The University of Chicago Cornell University Columbia University |
| M.S. in Statistics | University of Pennsylvania Harvard University Stanford University |
| M.S. in Marketing | Georgia State University University of Washington Duke University |
| M.S. in Mechanical Engineering | Harvard University University of Washington New York University |
| M.S. in Artificial Intelligence | Stanford University Columbia University Northwestern University |
| M.S. in Robotics | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor New York University |
Top Universities in USA for MBA
MBA being one of the most coveted programs to study in the USA, expectedly attracts a large number of international candidates. The country offers over 1000 MBA programs across various colleges, B-schools and universities. International students can study full-time MBA, part-time MBA, executive MBA and other accelerated MBA programs in USA. After completing their MBA in USA, graduate students earn a yearly salary of around 160,000 USD on an average. Some of the top MBA colleges in USA are listed below:
| Colleges | Yearly Cost of Studying MBA in USD | Admission Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard Business School | 112,000 | Transcripts, TOEFL iBT: 109, IELTS: 7.5 or PTE: 75 |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business | 119,000 | Transcripts, GMAT or GRE, LOR, Essays, SOP, English proficiency tests |
| The Wharton School | 115,000 | Transcripts, GRE or GMAT score, Application, English proficiency tests |
| University of Chicago Booth School of Business | 112,000 | UG degree, GMAT or GRE score, TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores |
| John Hopkins Carey Business School | 67,000 | Transcripts, Resume, 2 essays, LOR, GMAT or GRE score, TOEFL or IELTS score, Interview |
| MIT Sloan School of Management | 79,000 | Cover letter, Resume, Video statement, LOR, Organizational chart, Transcripts, GMAT or GRE scores, Professional certificates, Relevant courseworks |
| Kellogg School of Management | 111,000-150,000 | Transcripts, Test scores, Work experience, Interpersonal skills |
| Columbia Business School | 118,000 | Transcripts, Test scores |
| Stern School of Business, NYU | 121,000 | 4-years degree, IELTS, TOEFL or DET score |
| Yale School of Management | 104,000 | Bachelor’s degree, GMAT, GRE or EA, Professional LOR, Employer approval, Resume, Essays and area of focus |
Top Universities in USA for MS in Computer Science
M.S. is one of the most awarded degrees offered to international students in the USA across a wide variety of programs. Most of the renowned colleges offer the MS in Computer Science programs to the international applicants. The admission requirements for the programs are higher in comparison to the other countries. Some of the top universities offering M.Sc. or M.S. in Computer Science in USA are tabulated below:
| Colleges | Yearly Cost of Studying in USD |
|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | 10,000-18,000 |
| Harvard University | 55,000 |
| University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | 28,000 |
| Columbia University (Dual degree) | 119,000-123,000 |
| Stanford University | 33,000 |
| Cornell University | 50,000 |
| John Hopkins University | 59,000 |
| New York University | 50,000 |
| Northwestern University | 91,000 |
| Princeton University | 56,400 |
Top Universities in USA for Doctoral Courses
There is an abundance of doctoral and postdoctoral programs in the USA for overseas candidates. Students get state-of-the-art technology and research options while pursuing their doctoral programs across several universities in the USA. Some scholars are offered with fully-funded doctoral programs by various top universities in USA.
As the USA is an industry-rich country, students get on-hand opportunities to observe professionals closely. This helps in learning lessons practically and in their proper implementation. Some of the significant doctoral and research programs in USA are listed below:
| Programs | Popular Colleges | Average Costs in USD |
|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. in Computer Science | Harvard University Stanford University MIT | 25,000 |
| Ph.D. in Business Administration | Columbia University Stanford University University of California Berkeley | 18,000 |
| Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering | Stanford University Duke University Columbia University | Fully-funded |
| Ph.D. in Neuroscience | Stanford University Harvard University University of Pennsylvania | 72,000 |
| Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology | Harvard University MIT John Hopkins University | 25,000 |
| Ph.D. in Data Science | Stanford University California Institute of Technology Harvard University | 25,000 |
| Ph.D. in Statistics | Yale University University of California Berkeley University of Washington | Fully-funded |
| Ph.D. in Genetics | MIT Harvard University Boston University | 70,000 |
| Ph.D. in Anthropology | Stanford University MIT Columbia University | 17,000-72,000 |
| Ph.D. in Immunology | The University of Chicago Stanford University Harvard University | 72,000 |
USA is the world’s leading international study destination, consistently dominating the global rankings. Top US universities make almost 29% of the top 100 positions in the ranking, with again 29 US universities in the top global 300. Read on to focus this year’s top 10, plus how the other 147 top US universities highlighted in the ranking. Below are top 10 Universities in USA as per the QS Ranking table for Year 2019 –20.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) tops the QS World University Rankings 2019-2020, standing 1st for the 8th year running. Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT is surely known for its physical sciences and engineering, but it’s also progressively well-respected other subject fields in the social sciences, arts and humanities.
2. Stanford University
Stanford University ranks 2nd in the world in the 2019-2020 tables. Situated in the center of the famous Silicon Valley, Stanford University and is especially well-known for its business courses – with an alumni community full of outstanding entrepreneurs and attained the top position for environmental in the QS World University Rankings.
3. Harvard University
Harvard University halts the unceasing trio of US universities at the top of the QS World University Rankings this year. Harvard is the very earliest university in the US, registering back to 1636, and attained the top position for accounting and finance in the QS World University Rankings by Faculty 2020.
4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
Retaining 5th place in the overall world ranking this year is California Institute of Technology, commonly known as Caltech, situated in the city of Pasadena, California. The smallest US university in the top 10, Caltech knocks above its weight – particularly in scientific and technical subjects.
5. University of Chicago
Ranked 5th in the US and 10th in the world this year, the University of Chicago is related with 89 Nobel Prize winners, and its physics department is admitted for developing the world’s first man-made, self-sustaining nuclear reaction.
6. Princeton University
Princeton University has again retained its position at 13th place this year. It’s one of the oldest US universities, it’s specifically known for academic excellence in mathematics, achieving 4th place for this in the faculty rankings.
7. Cornell University
Situated in Ithaca, New York, Cornell University ranks 14th in the world this year. Having awarded the nation’s first veterinary medicine degree, it currently ranks 5th in the world for veterinary science in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020.
8. University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania, known as Penn, is ranked 15th in the world this year. Situated in Philadelphia, it’s one of the other institutions which is highly renowned for life sciences and medicine, ranking 1st place in this year’s inaugural ranking of the world’s top nursing schools.
9. Yale University
Yale University is ranked 17th in the world this year. Yale University was founded by English Puritans in 1701, making it the third-oldest higher education institution in the United States. It’s especially well-known for its academic excellence in translational medicine and research.
10. Columbia University
The Columbia University is ranked 18th in the world this year. Established in 1754, Columbia University is a private Ivy League research university in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It was established as King’s College by the royal charter of George II of Great Britain and renamed Columbia College in 1784 following the American Revolutionary War.
Here you can see the complete list of Universities with their ranking in the United States.
| NATIONAL RANKING | WORLD RANKING | TOP UNIVERSITIES IN UNITED STATES |
| 1 | 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
| 2 | 2 | Stanford University |
| 3 | 3 | Harvard University |
| 4 | 5 | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) |
| 5 | 10 | University of Chicago |
| 6 | 13 | Princeton University |
| 7 | 14 | Cornell University |
| 8 | 15 | University of Pennsylvania |
| 9 | 17 | Yale University |
| 10 | 18 | Columbia University |
| 11 | 21 | University of Michigan |
| 12 | 24 | Johns Hopkins University |
| 13 | 25 | Duke University |
| 14 | 28 | University of California, Berkeley (UCB) |
| 15 | 31 | Northwestern University |
| 16 | 35 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
| 17 | 39 | New York University (NYU) |
| 18 | 45 | University of California, San Diego (UCSD) |
| 19 | 48 | Carnegie Mellon University |
| 20 | 56 | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 21 | 57 | Brown University |
| 22 | 65 | University of Texas at Austin |
| 23 | 68 | University of Washington |
| 24 | 72 | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| 25 | 75 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| 26 | 85 | Rice University |
| 27 | 90 | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill |
| 28 | 93 | Pennsylvania State University |
| 29 | 98 | Boston University |
| 30 | 101 | The Ohio State University |
| 31 | 104 | University of California, Davis |
| 32 | 108 | Washington University in St. Louis |
| 33 | 111 | Purdue University |
| 34 | 129 | University of Southern California |
| 35 | 135 | University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) |
| 36 | 136 | University of Maryland, College Park |
| 37 | 140 | University of Pittsburgh |
| 38 | 144 | Michigan State University |
| 39 | 156 | Emory University |
| 40 | 156 | University of Minnesota |
| 41 | 167 | Case Western Reserve University |
| 42 | 167 | University of Florida |
| 43 | 170 | University of Rochester |
| 44 | 189 | Texas A&M University |
| 45 | 198 | University of Virginia |
| 46 | 200 | Vanderbilt University |
| 47 | 206 | University of Colorado Boulder |
| 48 | 207 | Dartmouth College |
| 49 | 210 | University of Notre Dame |
| 50 | 215 | Arizona State University |
| 51 | 219 | University of California, Irvine |
| 52 | 226 | Georgetown University |
| 53 | 231 | University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) |
| 54 | 253 | Tufts University |
| 55 | 262 | Rutgers University–New Brunswick |
| 56 | 262 | The University of Arizona |
| 57 | 271 | University of Miami |
| 58 | 285 | North Carolina State University |
| 59 | 305 | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
| 60 | 312 | Indiana University Bloomington |
| 61 | 326 | University of Hawai’i at Mañoa |
| 62 | 327 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University |
| 63 | 336 | George Washington University |
| 64 | 340 | University at Buffalo SUNY |
| 65 | 344 | Northeastern University |
| 66 | 353 | University of Utah |
| 67 | 359 | Stony Brook University, State University of New York |
| 68 | 359 | Yeshiva University |
| 69 | 367 | University of California, Santa Cruz |
| 70 | 372 | University of Kansas |
| 71 | 377 | University of Connecticut |
| 72 | 383 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
| 73 | 392 | University of Colorado, Denver |
| 74 | 398 | Wake Forest University |
| 75 | 400 | Washington State University |
| 76 | 407 | The University of Tennessee, Knoxville |
| 77 | 419 | Tulane University |
| 78 | 421 | Illinois Institute of Technology |
| 79 | 421 | University of Iowa |
| 80 | 432 | Boston College |
| 81 | 442 | Colorado State University |
| 82 | 448 | Florida State University |
| 83 | 454 | University of California, Riverside |
| 84 | 460 | University of Maryland, Balti County |
| 85 | 461 | Oregon State University |
| 86 | 468 | Brandeis University |
| 87 | 474 | The University of Georgia |
| 88 | 484 | Wayne State University |
| 89 | 491 | University of Delaware |
| 90 | 501-510 | University of Texas Dallas |
| 91 | 511-520 | Iowa State University |
| 92 | 531-540 | Clark University |
| 93 | 551-560 | Lehigh University |
| 94 | 551-560 | University of Missouri, Columbia |
| 95 | 561-570 | Drexel University |
| 96 | 561-570 | The New School |
| 97 | 561-570 | University of Cincinnati |
| 98 | 561-570 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln |
| 99 | 561-570 | University of South Carolina |
| 100 | 571-580 | University of Massachusetts Boston |
| 101 | 571-580 | University of Oklahoma |
| 102 | 571-580 | University of Vermont |
| 103 | 581-590 | Howard University |
| 104 | 581-590 | Syracuse University |
| 105 | 601-650 | American University |
| 106 | 601-650 | City University of New York |
| 107 | 601-650 | Clarkson University |
| 108 | 601-650 | William & Mary |
| 109 | 601-650 | Michigan Technological University |
| 110 | 601-650 | Smith College |
| 111 | 601-650 | University of Kentucky |
| 112 | 601-650 | University of New Mexico |
| 113 | 601-650 | University of Oregon |
| 114 | 601-650 | University of South Florida |
| 115 | 601-650 | Virginia Commonwealth University |
| 116 | 601-650 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
| 117 | 651-700 | Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis |
| 118 | 651-700 | Louisiana State University |
| 119 | 651-700 | Missouri University of Science and Technology |
| 120 | 651-700 | Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, Newark |
| 121 | 651-700 | Stevens Institute of Technology |
| 122 | 651-700 | Temple University |
| 123 | 651-700 | University of Denver |
| 124 | 651-700 | University of Houston |
| 125 | 701-750 | Clemson University |
| 126 | 701-750 | Georgia State University |
| 127 | 701-750 | Kansas State University |
| 128 | 701-750 | Southern Methodist University |
| 129 | 701-750 | University at Albany SUNY |
| 130 | 701-750 | University of Alabama |
| 131 | 701-750 | University of Central Florida |
| 132 | 701-750 | University of Tulsa |
| 133 | 701-750 | University of Wyoming |
| 134 | 751-800 | Brigham Young University |
| 135 | 751-800 | Florida International University |
| 136 | 751-800 | Loyola University Chicago |
| 137 | 751-800 | New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) |
| 138 | 751-800 | Oklahoma State University |
| 139 | 801-1000 | Auburn University |
| 140 | 801-1000 | Baylor University |
| 141 | 801-1000 | Binghamton University SUNY |
| 142 | 801-1000 | Fordham University |
| 143 | 801-1000 | George Mason University |
| 144 | 801-1000 | Kent State University |
| 145 | 801-1000 | Marquette University |
| 146 | 801-1000 | Miami University |
| 147 | 801-1000 | Ohio University |
| 148 | 801-1000 | San Diego State University |
| 149 | 801-1000 | Texas Tech University |
| 150 | 801-1000 | University of Arkansas Fayetteville |
| 151 | 801-1000 | University of Mississippi |
| 152 | 801-1000 | University of Montana Missoula |
| 153 | 801-1000 | University of New Hampshire |
| 154 | 801-1000 | University of San Diego |
| 155 | 801-1000 | University of San Francisco |
| 156 | 801-1000 | University of the Pacific |
| 157 | 801-1000 | Utah State University |
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