These colleges are prime examples of academia at its very best. While many of these heavy-research institutions have fantastic undergraduate programs, an importance is put on graduate and doctoral programs. At research universities, scholars can earn their PhDs and go out into the world to transform it for the better.
Many of the very best research universities and colleges are well-known household names.
Here is our list of 25 best research universities and colleges in the US that you can consider joining:
25. Tufts University
Location of college: Medford, MA
Student Enrollment in total: 11,489
College Type: Private
More than 20,000 applications are sent into Tufts every year, and with a 15% acceptance rate, only around 3,000 get accepted to the university. There is an approximately even split between graduate and undergraduate scholars on campus, 52%, and 48% sequentially. Their talisman is Jumbo the Elephant, and their school colours are Tufts Blue and brown.
24. Georgetown University
Location of institution: Washington, DC
Student Enrollment: 18,525
College Type: Private college
Georgetown counts Supreme Court Justices, presidents, kings, and diplomats among their notable alumni. It is established right next to the historic Potomac River. The university has roughly a 90% four-year graduation rate and a student-to-faculty ratio of about 11:1. 60% of the scholars at Georgetown are at the graduate level.
23. Johns Hopkins University
Location of institution: Baltimore, MD
Student Enrollment: 23,917
College Type: Private
Recognized as the first research university in the United States, Johns Hopkins has even more graduate students (75% of total registered students) than undergrads. Incoming first-year students have impressive test scores, on an average 32–35 or 1480–1570 on the ACT or SAT sequentially. Their school colours are Hopkins blue, white, and black, and their impressive athletic teams are known as the Blue Jays.
22. College of William and Mary
Location of institution: Williamsburg, VA
Student Enrollment: 8,617
College Type: Public
Established in 1693 by King William III and Queen Mary II, this college is also the very first to have a Greek culture—Phi Beta Kappa. Business, Biology, Political Science, Health and Fitness Education, and Psychology are the five most prevalent majors on the campus. W&M sports the colours green and gold color.
21. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Location of institution: Ann Arbor, MI
Student Enrollment: 44,718
College Type: Public college
In addition to being Michigan’s earliest institute of higher learning to be established, the state’s flagship school, UM is also space and sea grant college. The University of Michigan was formerly located in Detroit but moved to Ann Arbor in the year1837. About 60,000 applications are sent in each year, and with an acceptance rate of 27%, over 16,000 are accepted.
20. Rice University
Location of college: Houston, TX
Student Enrollment: 6,855
College Type: Private college
Three owls are on Rice’s school seal, and their official mascot is named Sammy the Owl. With such a bold symbol, it’s no surprise that Rice has fantastic academics. Incoming freshman score, on an average, between 33–35 on the ACT and 1500–1580 on the SAT. Of the entire student enrollment, 57% are undergraduates.
19. Vanderbilt University
Location of institution: Nashville, TN
Student Enrollment: 12,587
College Type: Private college
Though it has an esteemed reputation for music programs (particularly given its location of Nashville), the most famous majors on campus are Economics. Black and gold are the official school colors, and the mascot is named as Mr. Commodore. Vanderbilt, affectionately named Vandy, has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8:1.
18. University of California – Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Student Enrollment in total: 43,548
College Type: Public
Second oldest of the University of California method, UCLA got a whopping 102,225 applications last year alone. However, with a student acceptance rate of 16%, only 16,356 were admitted. The four-year graduation rate is 74% but jumps up to 91% at six years. 74.96% of UCLA students arrive from California.
17. Washington University in St Louis
Location of institution: St. Louis, MO
Student Enrollment in total: 15,047
College Type: Private
Named after the legendary George Washington himself, this university has educated numerous other famous names, including Greenpeace CEO Phil Radford, actor Harold Ramis, and even writer Tennessee Williams (even though he dropped out). Washington University is recognized for its geographical diversity, with several students coming from New York, Illinois, and California.
16. University of California – Berkeley
Location of college: Berkeley, CA
Student Enrollment: 40,154
College Type: Public college
UC Berkeley sports two novel colors: California Gold and Berkeley Blue. Students and mascot Oski applause on the Golden Bears during athletic events. Electrical Engineering, Economics, Computer Science, Cell / Molecular Biology, and Business Administration are the five most prevalent majors on campus.
15. Dartmouth College
Location of college: Hanover, NH
Student Enrollment: 6,409
College Type: Private
Dartmouth’s Latin school motto, “Vox clamantis in deserts,” translates to express “A voice crying out into the wilderness.” the college has a 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio, and a four-year graduation rate of 86%. Of the entire students at Dartmouth, 67% are undergraduates, while the remaining 33% are graduate students.
14. Brown University
Location of college: Providence, RI
Student Enrollment: 9,781
College Type: Private college
As an Ivy League institution, it should come as no surprise that admittance here is very selective. Of the more than 30,000 applications received, Brown will receive only 8% of them. Additionally, the average ACT and SAT scores are awesome, between 31–35 and 1420–1570 respectively. Well Fitting its name, one of the official school colors is brown, the other two are white and cardinal.
13. Duke University
Location: Durham, NC
Student Enrollment in total: 15,735
College Type: Private university
Given the university’s Methodists connection and motto of “Eruditio et Religio” ( meaning Knowledge and Faith) it’s a little unexpected that their sporting teams are identified as the Blue Devils. Duke college has a 7 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio and an excellent 97% freshman retention rate and that’s why we featured it on Best US universities and colleges for research. Their acceptance rate is 10%
12. Northwestern University
Location: Evanston, IL
Student Enrollment in total: 21,823
College Type: Private university
An original founder of the Big Ten conference, Northwestern school, is the only private college in this group. Mascot Willie shouts on the Wildcats at sporting events. The college has more graduate students than undergraduate, with a 60 / 40 split. Communication, Economics, and Journalism are the most populated majors on campus.
11. University of Virginia – Main Campus
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Student Enrollment in total: 23,898
College Type: Public
Established by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, this flagship university has been the college of impressive alumni, and one of Best US universities and colleges for research including 8 Pulitzer Prize winners,8 NASA astronauts/launch directors, and widely recognizable names like Robert and Ted Kennedy, Edgar Allen Poe, Georgia O’Keefe, and Tina Fey, among others.
10. University of Notre Dame
Research Colleges – University of Notre Dame
Location: Notre Dame, IN
Student Enrollment in total: 12,393
College Type: Private college
This university is known around the world, supported by the fact it has study and research centers in Jerusalem, London, Beijing, Dublin, and Rome. Notre Dame celebrates its Irish routes with a leprechaun mascot and their teams’ nickname: the Fighting Irish. 91% of students graduate within the traditional four years.
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
Location of college: New York, NY
Student Enrollment: 29,372
College Type: Private
Founded before the creation of the Declaration of Independence, Columbia is full of history—including awarding the very first M.D. degree in the US. Columbia also awards the coveted Pulitzer Prize every year. It is located in Harlem, right on the Hudson River. They have a 6 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio.
8. University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Student Enrollment: 24,960
College Type: Private
Founded by the great Benjamin Franklin, UPenn was one of nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. The top five most popular majors on campus are Finance, Registered Nursing, Political Science and Government, Economics, and Biology. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the school colors are a patriotic red and blue.
7. University of Chicago
Location: Chicago, IL
Student Enrollment: 15,775
College Type: Private university
The official UChicago slogan is “Crescat Scientia; vita excolatur”—meaning Let knowledge grow from more and more, and so be human life enriched. Each year, nearly 28,000 applications are sent in, though the student acceptance rate is only 9%. Many UChicago students are from the city of Illinois, but many others come in from New York and California as well.
6. Stanford University
Colleges – Stanford University
Location: Stanford, CA
Student Enrollment in total: 17,184
College Type: Private
Read Also; 50 best colleges in the United States
Given its closeness to Silicon Valley, it comes as no surprise that the most famous major on Stanford’s campus is Computer Science, then followed by Human Biology and Engineering courses. During its establishment, Stanford was actually shaped off of Cornell and Harvard among other prominent universities. White and Cardinal are the official school colors.
5. California Institute of Technology
Location: Pasadena, CA
Student Enrollment: 2,240
College Type: Private
Among the Best US universities and colleges for research and Seven thousand three hundred thirty-nine undergraduate applications were sent in last year, but this school is pretty selective, only accepting 587—for an acceptance rate of about 8%. Orange and white are the traditional colors of CalTech. There is an extraordinary number of distinguished alumni, including 6 Turing Award winners,72 Nobel laureates, and 71 have won the prestigious US National Medal of Science and Technology.
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Location: Cambridge, MA
Student Enrollment in total: 11,376
College Type: Private
“Mens et Manus” is the Latin slogan of this impressive school, interpreting to “Mind and Hand.” MIT is essentially synonymous with academic excellence, and incoming first-year students score an average of 1500 to1570 on the SAT, an average between 33 and 35 on the ACT. MIT college is both a Land Grant and a Space Grant school.
3. Yale University
Location: New Haven, CT
Student Enrollment: 12,458
College Type: Private
The first Ph.D. ever awarded in the US came from Yale University. Political Science, Economics, and History are the most attractive majors on campus. Students can enjoy one-on-one cooperations with their professors, as the student-to-faculty ratio is 6:1. Yale further boasts an impressive 99% first-year retention rate.
2. Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, MA
Student Enrollment: 29,908
College Type: Private
Harvard is among the oldest universities in the US, and among the Best US universities and colleges for research founded back in 1636. It’s Latin motto of “Veritas” means truth—a fitting motto for a school known for its law, political science, and social science programs. Students need impressive academics at Harvard, since the average ACT score is between 32–36, and SAT scores are between 1470 and 1590.
1. Princeton University
Location: Princeton, NJ
Student Enrollment: 8,181
College Type: Private
Princeton is one of the most recognized universities in the country, and for a good cause. Several alumni have gone on to become extraordinary leaders in their fields, including Michelle Obama, Alan Turing, Jimmy Stewart, and Sonia Sotomayor. As an Ivy League school, it is not surprising that Princeton has a low student admission rate of only 6%.
