US universities have long been at the top of the universities ranking list. Year after year, various lists are put together by several researchers who carry out careful evaluation. One thing that’s common in all these different lists is the proof that the United States has some of the world’s best universities.
The rankings are a result of meticulous assessment that takes several criteria such as intellectual capacity, student selectivity, student options, academic achievements, demographics, affluence, etc., into consideration.
Although there are several contenders who strive to make it to such lists, only a select few have managed to match all factors required to make it to the coveted list. . Following is a list of 10 such high-ranked universities in the US for the year 2018:
(The symbols next to the name of the universities indicate the difference in their rankings when compared to rankings of 2017. ↑ denotes that the rankings have gone up and ↓ denotes that the rankings have gone down. The number next to the up and down arrows indicate the number of spots by which an institution has gone up or down in the rankings respectively.)
1. Princeton University (3↑)
Founded in 1746, Princeton is the 4th oldest university in the US and is a private, Ivy League university spread across 600 acres located 50 miles southwest of New York City in Prince, New Jersey. Princeton is one of the world’s most famous research universities.
Princeton has affiliations with 17 National Medal of Science winners, 5 National Humanities Medal winners, and 40 Nobel laureates.
[table]
Admission rate: 7.4%
Tuition and fees: $43450*
Financial aid: 100% of applicants with financial need receive financial aid. An average of 100% of the need is met.
Students to faculty ratio: 6:1
Academic calendar: semester-based.
[/table]
2. Harvard University
Founded in 1636, Harvard university is the oldest and most prestigious Ivy League university in the US located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The campus occupies 5,076 acres of land and houses a library with the largest private collection in the world.
Harvard receives endowments worth billions of dollars, making it the wealthiest university in the world. Harvard has an impressive list of celebrated alumni and is associated with over 40 Nobel laureates, more than 30 heads of state, and over 45 Pulitzer winners.
[table]
Admission rate: 6%
Tuition and fees: $45278*
Financial aid: 100% for students from families making less than $60K a year
Students to faculty ratio: 7:1
Academic calendar: Semester-based.
[/table]
3. University of Chicago (3↑)
Founded in 1890, University of Chicago is a private institution located in Chicago’s Hyde Park community with its campus measuring more than 210 acres. It offers top-class arts and science courses through the college and several graduate and professional schools.
University of Chicago boasts of a decorated alumni with 89 of them being Nobel laureates. More than 5 current faculty members are Nobel laureates, too.
[table]
Admission rate: 9%
Tuition and fees: $50193*
Financial aid: Practices need-blind admissions. Committed to meet the full demonstrated financial need of every student throughout their undergraduate tenure. Offers need-based financial aid with average scholarship or grant award of $43,402.
Students to faculty ratio: 6:1
Academic calendar: quarter-based.
[/table]
4. Yale University (3↑)
Founded in 1701, Yale is a private, Ivy League university based out of New Haven, Connecticut, sprawling over 250 acres of area.
Yale is the third-oldest university in the US and was the first university to award a PhD in 1861. Yale’s noted alumni includes 5 US presidents and more than 10 billionaires.
Yale is best known for providing exceptional education in liberal arts covering humanities and arts, sciences and social sciences.
[table]
Admission rate: 8.8%
Tuition and fees: $47600*
Financial aid: Practices need-blind admissions. 100% of applicants with financial need receive financial aid.
Students to faculty ratio: 6:1
Academic calendar: Semester-based.
[/table]
5. Columbia University (4↑)
Founded in 1754, Columbia university is a private, Ivy League institution situated in New York City. The campus measures 36 acres and is based out of Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood, NYC.
The university administers Pulitzer Prize and boasts of the highest number – about 80 members belonging to its faculty, adjunct staff, and alumni – of Nobel laureates than any other institution of higher education.
[table]
Admission rate: 7%
Tuition and fees: $53000*
Financial aid: 100% of applicants with financial need receive financial aid. An average of 100% of the need is met.
Students to faculty ratio: 6:1
Academic calendar: Semester-based.
[/table]
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (3↓)
Founded in 1861, MIT is a private institution with science, technology, engineering, and research at its core. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the campus sits on 168 acres of land and is divided into 5 schools and 1 college.
MIT takes a problem-solving approach to research and spends over $600 million each year on research. Like Harvard, MIT is associated with over 40 MacArthur Fellows, 85 Nobel laureates, and more than 50 National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners.
[table]
Admission rate: 7.9%
Tuition and fees: $46704*
Financial aid: 100% tuition and fees for students from families making less than $75K
Students to faculty ratio: 8:1
Academic calendar: 4-1-4-based.
[/table]
7. Stanford University (6↓)
Founded by Leland and Jane Stanford in 1891, Stanford university is a private Ivy League university with primary focus on research. Located 30 miles south of San Francisco, California, Stanford is spread over a sprawling 8,180 acres of campus.
From Computer Science to Liberal Arts, Stanford offers best-in-class education.
[table]
Admission rate: 5%
Tuition and fees: $46320*
Financial aid: Waives tuition for students from families making less than six figures.
Students to faculty ratio: 4:1
Academic calendar: Quarter-based.
[/table]
8. University of Pennsylvania (2↑)
Founded in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League establishment located in downtown Pennsylvania on a 320-acre campus. It’s one of the top-notch research universities in the world and has some of the world’s best programs in engineering, business, liberal arts, nursing, etc.
The University of Pennsylvania is associated with more than 25 Nobel laureates and several other noted literary luminaries.
[table]
Admission rate: 10.4%
Tuition and fees: $49536*
Financial aid: 100% of applicants with financial need receive financial aid. An average of 100% of the need is met.
Students to faculty ratio: 6:1
Academic calendar: Semester-based.
[/table]
Founded in 1838, Duke University is one of the esteemed institutions of the US. Located in Durham, North Carolina, the university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in over 10 disciplines such as Business, Law, Nursing, Engineering etc.
[table]
Admission rate: 11%
Tuition and fees: $53,744*
Financial aid: 100% of applicants with financial need receive financial aid. An average of 100% of the need is met.
Students to faculty ratio: 6:1
Academic calendar: Semester-based.
[/table]
10. California Institute of Technology (Caltech) (5↓)
Founded as Throop University in 1891, Caltech is a private institution in Pasadena, California. Caltech’s 124-acres campus is situated 11 miles north of Los Angeles.
Caltech boasts of association with 13 National Medal of Technology and Innovation recipients, 34 Nobel laureates, and 58 National Medal of Science recipients.
[table]
Admission rate: 8.8%
Tuition and fees: $45390*
Financial aid: Practices need-blind admissions. Offers need-based financial aid with average scholarship or grant award of $37557
Students to faculty ratio: 3:1
Academic calendar: semester-based.
[/table]
Note: * The fees mentioned is an approximate figure.
These top-ranked universities are very selective when it comes to students and have different parameters based on which they accept the students. The ranking varies from time-to-time depending on the factors considered during evaluation. Although most of the Ivy League universities consistently rank high, in recent years, several other universities have also joined the race. The competition has resulted in universities putting in their best efforts to stay in the race, which in turn has led to students getting top-class education.