A new school year is about to begin, which means a new group of high school students are deciding which colleges they should apply to.
To help both students and parents, school-ranking website Niche has released its 2020 list of the best colleges in America, after rating more than 1,000 schools. Niche based its rankings on factors like acceptance rates, student and alumni reviews, professor ratings, graduate income, and campus life.
The top spot went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The other top spots went to Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and Princeton.
Here are the 25 best colleges in America.
25. Tufts University — Medford, Massachusetts
Acceptance rate: 15%
Undergraduate students: 5,483
Net cost of tuition: $29,449
Most popular majors: Economics, Biology, International Relations
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $75,800
According to a student: “I could not be more happy with the experience I’ve had at Tufts. It is a very demanding academic institution but also provides us with the cutting edge of research and the best professors, so you know why so much is expected of you.”
24. Georgetown University — Washington, DC
Acceptance rate: 16%
Undergraduate students: 6,987
Net cost of tuition: $27,420
Most popular majors: Political Science and Government, International Relations, Finance
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $93,500
According to a student: “Georgetown was such a great experience for me personally — I found the professors to truly care about their students and most of the student body was driven, intelligent, and genuine.”
23. University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, Michigan
Acceptance rate: 27%
Undergraduate students: 28,702
Net cost of tuition: $16,408
Most popular majors: Information Science, Business, Research and Experimental Psychology
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $63,400
According to a student: “The University of Michigan has really turned into my home. The atmosphere of the school as well as the challenging but also supportive academic environment were the two things that I was really looking for in a school and Michigan does it so well. You really need to take initiative to succeed here, but if you do it’s great.”
22. Amherst College — Amherst, Massachusetts
Acceptance rate: 13%
Undergraduate students: 1,836
Net cost of tuition: $19,519
Most popular majors: Economics, Research and Experimental Psychology, Mathematics
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $65,000
According to a student: “I’ve grown intellectually more than I could have imagined during my time at Amherst. The student body is amazing from top to bottom, which allows classes to move at a very fast pace. Much material is covered, very quickly, each semester. Plenty to do on campus, in town and in the surrounding area, the Pioneer Valley is beautiful.”
21. Bowdoin College — Brunswick, Maine
Acceptance rate: 14%
Undergraduate students: 1,813
Net cost of tuition: $24,447
Most popular majors: Political Science and Government, Economics, Mathematics
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $65,500
According to a student: “So glad I chose to come to Bowdoin! A very close community where people treat each other with kindness and are excited to learn from their peers. Quality of life is great, with great dorms, food and surrounding area. Classes are challenging but there is very little competitiveness and lots of support for students academically. For a small liberal arts school, there is a very healthy and fun social life.”
20. Cornell University — Ithaca, New York
Acceptance rate: 13%
Undergraduate students: 14,898
Net cost of tuition: $31,449
Most popular majors: Biology, Computer Science, Business
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $77,200
According to a student: “Cornell has such a great and welcoming community. The campus is absolutely beautiful, from the antique buildings to the nature surrounding them.”
19. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, California
Acceptance rate: 17%
Undergraduate students: 18,631
Net cost of tuition: $32,892
Most popular majors: Business, Communications, Biology
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $74,000
According to a student: “There are many resources available before and after graduation. The professors all care about the students and the students are all helpful to each other as well. The connections are unmatched by any other school. Even after you graduate, the networking is unparalleled.”
18. University of Chicago — Chicago, Illinois
Acceptance rate: 8%
Undergraduate students: 5,978
Net cost of tuition: $34,834
Most popular majors: Economics, Mathematics, Biology
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $68,100
According to a student: “A great experience! Definitely rigorous and not for the faint of heart. Academically excellent, fantastic research opportunities, diverse, professors are amazing. I participate in varsity sports and it’s a great community.”
17. University of Notre Dame — Notre Dame, Indiana
Acceptance rate: 19%
Undergraduate students: 8,557
Net cost of tuition: $27,453
Most popular majors: Finance, Accounting, Economics
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $78,400
According to a student: “Notre Dame has the academic rigor and challenging discourse of a top US university. What surprised me instead is the kindness and understanding among the students and faculty I encountered during my first year; I wouldn’t have expected such a competitive environment to foster such charity in its community.”
16. California Institute of Technology — Pasadena, California
Acceptance rate: 8%
Undergraduate students: 961
Net cost of tuition: $24,466
Most popular majors: Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $85,900
According to a student: “The best school in the country, period. Great research opportunities, faculty and resources make up Caltech. But it is the incredible people around that make it such a worthwhile experience.”
15. Dartmouth College — Hanover, New Hampshire
Acceptance rate: 10%
Undergraduate students: 4,360
Net cost of tuition: $22,303
Most popular majors: Economics, Political Science and Government, Computer Science
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $75,500
According to a student: “I think in the end, I look back and love the time I’ve spent at this school, because I’ve grown so much as a person compared to when I first got here: emotionally, socially, and academically. The school has given me many gifts of friendship and maturity, along with many challenges in the classroom and lab that have made me think about myself and my future goals.”
14. Washington University in St. Louis — Saint Louis, Missouri
Acceptance rate: 16%
Undergraduate students: 7,074
Net cost of tuition: $27,777
Most popular majors: Finance, Psychology, Computer Science
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $70,100
According to a student: “WashU is an amazing school full of kind people and staff that truly want you to succeed. There are so many resources to help students in any area, and campus has a friendly atmosphere rather than a competitive one. Campus is so beautiful and dorms are some of the best in the country.”
13. Pomona College — Claremont, California
Acceptance rate: 8%
Undergraduate students: 1,578
Net cost of tuition: $18,427
Most popular majors: Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $58,100
According to a student: “I had a great time at Pomona. The class sizes were small so I was able to build close relationships with my professors. Professors were generally available and happy to talk to students during office hours about the lectures as well as life in general. I also loved being surrounded by brilliant peers who inspired and pushed me during my time at Pomona.”
12. Vanderbilt University — Nashville, Tennessee
Acceptance rate: 11%
Undergraduate students: 6,805
Net cost of tuition: $23,295
Most popular majors: Economics, Social Science Research Methods, Liberal Arts and Humanities
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $69,000
According to a student: “Vanderbilt is full of bright kids, and everyone is insanely welcoming. This is truly a community-based university, with everyone trying to help out the underclassmen, and the professors always being receptive.”
11. Northwestern University — Evanston, Illinois
Acceptance rate: 9%
Undergraduate students: 8,205
Net cost of tuition: $26,099
Most popular majors: Economics, Communications, Psychology
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $69,000
According to a student: “Northwestern University taught me an incredible amount about myself as a person through its academic rigor. I was honored to work alongside and with very talented and gifted peers and professors who challenged me and made me a better student and young adult.”
10. Rice University — Houston, Texas
Acceptance rate: 16%
Undergraduate students: 3,916
Net cost of tuition: $24,131
Most popular majors: Economics, Information Science, Chemical Engineering
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $65,400
According to a student: “Rice gives you so many opportunities to challenge the way you think, approach, and solve different issues in society. Whether you are a STEM major or a humanities major, there are lots of interdisciplinary classes/organizations so that you are able to view things from different perspectives.”
9. University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Acceptance rate: 9%
Undergraduate students: 10,496
Net cost of tuition: $24,539
Most popular majors: Finance, Nursing, Economics
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $85,900
According to a student: “I love the history of the university and the diversity of the education. One of my favorite things is being able to easily take classes from all four undergraduate schools and be able to interact with students from all different interests and backgrounds.”
8. Columbia University — New York, NY
Acceptance rate: 7%
Undergraduate students: 7,592
Net cost of tuition: $22,824
Most popular majors: Economics, Computer Science, Political Science and Government
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $83,300
According to a student: “For the past two semesters, my experience has been nothing but eye-opening. I came in as a transfer student from Bronx Community College and the transition into a 4-year top-tier college was incredible. Columbia is a type of environment with an air of excellence which elevated my mindset into knowing that I am cut out to succeed.”
7. Brown University — Providence, Rhode Island
Acceptance rate: 8%
Undergraduate students: 6,666
Net cost of tuition: $25,651
Most popular majors: Biology, Economics, Computer Science
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $67,500
According to a student: “Brown is more than just an elite institution, it’s a community of people who are all so amazingly brilliant in their own unique ways and I often catch myself surprised by how impressive everyone is.”
6. Duke University — Durham, North Carolina
Acceptance rate: 10%
Undergraduate students: 6,669
Net cost of tuition: $22,011
Most popular majors: Economics, Computer Science, Public Policy Analysis
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $84,400
According to a student: “Duke is an amazing place to live, eat, learn, and cultivate who you want to be when you grow up (as cliché as that sounds). I was a student-athlete, and my experience with the student body and professors could not have been better. I love having all the support in the world from people in the Duke community.”
5. Princeton University — Princeton, New Jersey
Acceptance rate: 6%
Undergraduate students: 5,260
Net cost of tuition: $16,302
Most popular majors: Computer Hardware Engineering, Economics, Public Policy Analysis
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $74,700
According to a student: “Having just completed my first year as an undergrad, I can truly say that attending this university is the best choice I’ve ever made. Not only are the professors incredible and the resources abundant, but I’ve made an incredible network of close friends. And, as a low-income student, I have never wanted for anything due to Princeton’s generous financial aid.”
4. Harvard University — Cambridge, Massachusetts
Acceptance rate: 5%
Undergraduate students: 7,147
Net cost of tuition: $17,030
Most popular majors: Economics, Computer Science, History
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $89,700
According to a student: “Harvard was an incredible experience unlike any other. I instantly felt connected as a global citizen like never before, meeting some of the most intelligent and unique people I am likely to come across in my life. The institution prides itself on maintaining high standards, and one leaves its gates understanding not ‘what’ to think but ‘how’ to think — the most valuable skill set of all.”
3. Yale University — New Haven, CT
Acceptance rate: 7%
Undergraduate students: 5,743
Net cost of tuition: $18,053
Most popular majors: Economics, Political Science and Government, History
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $83,200
According to a student: “An amazing school with so many different positive qualities about it! There’s also a lot of balance — Greek life doesn’t dominate but it’s still there and pretty open to most people. Academics are challenging/rigorous but so captivating that you’re motivated to work hard. There is a variety of social, political, economic, religious views represented on campus and yet almost everyone is respectful and open about getting to know about why you think the way you do. To cut a long story short — best college in the world, and I couldn’t be happier.”
2. Stanford University — Stanford, California
Acceptance rate: 5%
Undergraduate students: 7,064
Net cost of tuition: $16,562
Most popular majors: Computer Science, Biology, Engineering
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $94,000
According to a student: “Stanford is the greatest place on earth. I feel so at home here and love everything about the campus and life here. The weather is amazing (no snow! or freezing temperatures), people are happier than many other schools, and you have the freedom and flexibility to study anything and switch your major around.”
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate: 7%
Undergraduate students: 4,510
Net cost of tuition: $22,230
Most popular majors: Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics
Median annual earnings six years after graduation: $104,700
According to a student: “MIT is an outstanding university with numerous and diverse opportunities in research and academics. Classes at MIT are indeed difficult, with homework and associated studying consuming a large chunk of time. The beauty of this is that it pushes students to go above and beyond their previous understanding of what they believed themselves to be capable of.”
