Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find, well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities in Connecticut 2023

By James Barham

Published: Mar 25, 2021
Updated: May 22, 2023

Interested in attending a STEM school in Connecticut? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

Best Research Universities in Connecticut 2022

Yale University

87%

University of Connecticut

58%

University of Hartford

38%

Quinnipiac University

38%

University of Bridgeport

37%

Sacred Heart University

33%

University of Saint Joseph

19%

Quinnipiac University

88%

University of Hartford

79%

University of Saint Joseph

78%

University of Bridgeport

73%

Sacred Heart University

66%

University of Connecticut

56%

Yale University

University of Connecticut

16 to 1

University of Bridgeport

16 to 1

Quinnipiac University

15 to 1

Sacred Heart University

14 to 1

University of Hartford

8 to 1

University of Saint Joseph

7 to 1

Yale University

4 to 1

Yale University

$59,950

Quinnipiac University

$51,270

Sacred Heart University

$45,230

University of Hartford

$44,885

University of Saint Joseph

$43,084

University of Bridgeport

$35,760

University of Connecticut

$15,030

Yale University

$45,700

Sacred Heart University

$34,509

Quinnipiac University

$19,530

University of Bridgeport

$19,096

University of Connecticut

$17,532

University of Hartford

$14,652

University of Saint Joseph

$14,328

University of Saint Joseph

19%

Sacred Heart University

33%

University of Bridgeport

37%

Quinnipiac University

38%

University of Hartford

38%

University of Connecticut

58%

Yale University

87%

Yale University

University of Connecticut

56%

Sacred Heart University

66%

University of Bridgeport

73%

University of Saint Joseph

78%

University of Hartford

79%

Quinnipiac University

88%

Yale University

4 to 1

University of Saint Joseph

7 to 1

University of Hartford

8 to 1

Sacred Heart University

14 to 1

Quinnipiac University

15 to 1

University of Connecticut

16 to 1

University of Bridgeport

16 to 1

University of Connecticut

$15,030

University of Bridgeport

$35,760

University of Saint Joseph

$43,084

University of Hartford

$44,885

Sacred Heart University

$45,230

Quinnipiac University

$51,270

Yale University

$59,950

University of Saint Joseph

$14,328

University of Hartford

$14,652

University of Connecticut

$17,532

University of Bridgeport

$19,096

Quinnipiac University

$19,530

Sacred Heart University

$34,509

Yale University

$45,700

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Connecticut

Connecticut is home to a variety of top brick-and-mortar schools as well as a wide variety of fully accredited online colleges. Higher education in Connecticut includes both public and private institutions that offer associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, both in person and through online degree programs.

With 19 public schools and 20 private schools, Connecticut gives both traditional and online students plenty of options to choose from.

Students seeking an affordable option can attend one of the state’s numerous community colleges, which average $4,000 a year for tuition. The in-state cost for tuition in Connecticut’s four year public schools ranges from $8,000 to $16,000. Many of the community and public colleges in Connecticut also offer online degree programs.

Students interested in psychology, economics, and communications can check out the University of Connecticut (UConn), which is home to the premier research institute for ecological psychology. Sacred Heart University, a Roman Catholic university, is known for its religious studies and business programs.

Those looking for a smaller student population and more online courses may want to check out Manchester Community College, which enrolls about 4000 students and offers affordable in-person and online degrees in literature, biology, and social work.

And of course, Connecticut is also home to Yale University, the fourth oldest learning institute in the United States. The venerable Ivy League school enrolls just over 15,000 students at its New Haven campus.

Both traditional and online students in Connecticut can choose from a variety of higher education experiences fitting a full spectrum of budgets and career goals. Learn more and begin earning your degree from one of the top brick-and-mortar or online colleges in Connecticut.

What are Connecticut’s Colleges & Universities?

Connecticut’s Best Overall

How do we determine Connecticut's best colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

A research university is a great option for students interested in obtaining STEM degrees. Research universities invest heavily in research, which consequently provides meaningful and extensive opportunities for its students and faculty to participate in research. We’ve identified 7 research universities in Connecticut. To be included in our ranking, schools must be a fully accredited universities and must must offer doctoral degrees across the range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).

Best Research Universities in Connecticut 2022

#1
Yale University
New Haven , CT
#4 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #5 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #6 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #7 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
5%
Graduation
97%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1520/34
What is Yale University known for?

Yale University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Law
Religious Studies
Nursing
Biology
Literature
Political Science
History
Medical
Philosophy
Economics

Most Influential Alumni

Richard Rorty
Judith Butler
Harold Bloom
Murray Gell-Mann
Josiah Willard Gibbs
Thorstein Veblen
Alvin Plantinga
Fredric Jameson
Donna Haraway
Grace Hopper
W. Edwards Deming
Samuel P. Huntington
Compare school
#2
University of Connecticut
Storrs , CT
#1 Most Affordable Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #1 Best Public Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #2 Best Grad Schools in Connecticut 2023 #2 Best Colleges in Connecticut 2023
Other Rankings
- #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
83%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1280/29
What is University of Connecticut known for?

University of Connecticut’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Social Work
Psychology
Anthropology
Nursing
Biology
Education
Philosophy
Earth Sciences
Business
Criminal Justice

Most Influential Alumni

Massimo Pigliucci
Theodore Millon
Robert D. Kaplan
Loren Lomasky
Martin H. Greenberg
Saul Kassin
Elaine Scarry
Matthew Goldstein
Brian Patrick Mitchell
Roy D'Andrade
Philip Rubin
Ray Allen
Compare school
#3
Quinnipiac University
Hamden , CT
#4 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #5 Best Colleges in Connecticut 2023
Tuition + fees
$51K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
80%
Student body
9K
What is Quinnipiac University known for?

Quinnipiac University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Law
Political Science
Nursing
Medical
Business
Communications
Criminal Justice
History
Economics
Psychology

Most Influential Alumni

Joe Tacopina
Molly Qerim
Ryan Cleckner
Dorit Kemsley
Roberta Hoskie
Juan D. Reyes
Lynne Patton
Vikki Ziegler
Turk Wendell
Jared Grasso
Sam Anas
Freddy Hall
Quinnipiac University’s Online Degrees
BBA in Business Administration

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BSN in Nursing: RN to BSN

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Health Science Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#4
University of Bridgeport
Bridgeport , CT
#3 Best Small Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #4 Best Grad Schools in Connecticut 2023 #6 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #7 Best Colleges in Connecticut 2023
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
44%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/19
What is University of Bridgeport known for?

University of Bridgeport’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Computer Science
Nursing
Engineering
Religious Studies
Education
Business
Social Work
Medical
Political Science
Psychology

Most Influential Alumni

Robert Kowalski
Faisal Shahzad
Roger S. Pressman
Dorothy Tennov
Ernesto Pernia
Dennis Walcott
Manute Bol
David Mosser
Abdul Razaque
Frank McLaughlin
John Rassias
Veena Talwar Oldenburg
University of Bridgeport’s Online Degrees
BS in Professional Studies

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in General Studies

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Dental Hygiene

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#5
University of Hartford
West Hartford , CT
#6 Best Grad Schools in Connecticut 2023 #8 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #10 Best Colleges in Connecticut 2023
Tuition + fees
$45K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
59%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/25
What is University of Hartford known for?

University of Hartford’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Sociology
Communications
Engineering
Education
Religious Studies
Nursing
History
Business
Literature
Psychology

Most Influential Alumni

Mark Dion
Liane Hansen
Mike Joy
Seymour Itzkoff
Bob Katz
Larry Marder
A. J. Hammer
Robert Kravchuk
Jeff Bagwell
Chuck Pagano
Joxel García
Kathleen Clark
Compare school
#6
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield , CT
#2 Best Christian Colleges in Connecticut 2023 #10 Best Private Colleges in Connecticut 2023
Tuition + fees
$45K
Acceptance
66%
Graduation
73%
Student body
9K
What is Sacred Heart University known for?

Sacred Heart University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Religious Studies
Business
Computer Science
Political Science
Nursing
Education
History
Communications
Medical
Philosophy

Most Influential Alumni

Kevin Nealon
Carl Higbie
Michael Pavia
Ramón Colón-López
John Ratzenberger
Thomas W. Bucci
Teresa López
Matt Jones
Ginny Capicchioni
Keith Bennett
Jon Corto
Lydia Hearst
Sacred Heart University’s Online Degrees
BSN in Nursing Rn To Bsn

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#7
University of Saint Joseph
West Hartford , CT
#4 Best Christian Colleges in Connecticut 2023
Tuition + fees
$43K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
56%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/23
What is University of Saint Joseph known for?

University of Saint Joseph ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Sociology
Nursing
Medical
Psychology
Education
Social Work
Chemistry
Literature
Mathematics
Philosophy

Most Influential Alumni

Marilynn Malerba
Frances Shea-Buckley
Evelyn Mantilla
Catherine Gentile
Noreen Shugrue
Compare school

Find the Best Research Universities in Connecticut for Your Area of Interest

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

Check out our directory of research universities throughout the U.S. for a look at the top research institutions in every state.

Best Research Universities in Connecticut 2023

Best Research Universities in Connecticut 2022

Colleges and Universities in Connecticut

What are Connecticut’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Research Universities in Connecticut 2022

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Quinnipiac University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

University of Bridgeport’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Sacred Heart University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Find the Best Research Universities in Connecticut for Your Area of Interest