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.

50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023

By James Barham

Published: Jan 11, 2021
Updated: May 22, 2023

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

10 Best Research Universities for Undergrads

Harvard University

97%

Columbia University

89%

University of Chicago

88%

University of California, Berkeley

87%

Yale University

87%

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

87%

Princeton University

86%

Stanford University

86%

University of Michigan

83%

Cornell University

81%

The Catholic University of America

86%

University of Pittsburgh

67%

The New School

66%

Illinois Institute of Technology

66%

American University

64%

City College of New York

64%

Yeshiva University

63%

University of Washington

53%

George Washington University

50%

Clark University

48%

University of Washington

20 to 1

University of California, Berkeley

19 to 1

University of California, Los Angeles

18 to 1

University of Virginia

15 to 1

City College of New York

15 to 1

Boston College

14 to 1

University of Pittsburgh

14 to 1

George Washington University

13 to 1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

13 to 1

12 to 1

$63,530

$63,000

$62,304

University of Chicago

$62,241

University of Pennsylvania

$61,710

Boston College

$61,706

University of Southern California

$61,503

Cornell University

$61,015

Dartmouth College

$60,870

Tulane University

$60,814

University of Chicago

$62,640

Brown University

$60,944

University of Southern California

$60,446

Tulane University

$59,000

Dartmouth College

$58,953

Johns Hopkins University

$58,720

Boston University

$58,560

University of Notre Dame

$58,190

Duke University

$57,900

Washington University in St. Louis

$57,750

California Institute of Integral Studies

40%

Graduate Center, CUNY

46%

The Catholic University of America

54%

Illinois Institute of Technology

58%

58%

58%

59%

59%

61%

62%

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Stanford University

Harvard University

Columbia University

California Institute of Technology

Princeton University

Yale University

University of Pennsylvania

Dartmouth College

University of Chicago

California Institute of Technology

3 to 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3 to 1

4 to 1

4 to 1

4 to 1

5 to 1

Carnegie Mellon University

5 to 1

University of Chicago

5 to 1

Northwestern University

6 to 1

Columbia University

6 to 1

Graduate Center, CUNY

$6,930

City College of New York

$6,930

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

$7,019

University of Washington

$10,927

University of California, Los Angeles

$11,442

University of California, Berkeley

$11,442

University of Virginia

$16,547

University of Michigan

$16,865

University of Pittsburgh

$19,092

California Institute of Integral Studies

$20,500

Graduate Center, CUNY

$9,930

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

$10,552

City College of New York

$11,090

University of California, Los Angeles

$11,442

University of California, Berkeley

$11,442

University of Washington

$16,605

University of Virginia

$17,674

California Institute of Integral Studies

$21,708

University of Pittsburgh

$24,118

University of Michigan

$24,902

Key Takeaways

A great research university will expand your academic networking opportunities with some of the most influential professors in the world.
Because of the huge research budgets at large research universities, students will be on the cutting edge of the latest technology and discoveries.
A research university is the perfect choice for those students interested in pursuing a STEM degree.

Table of Contents

A research university is a great option for students interested in obtaining STEM degrees. Such students benefit from engaging in experimental inquiry, exploring cutting-edge technologies, and pursuing innovation in a rich and dynamic campus atmosphere. The top research universities give students a chance to work closely with influential professors and choose from a wide range of well-funded degree programs and research opportunities.

Featured Programs

What is a research university?

A research university is any university that invests heavily in research, and which consequently provides meaningful and extensive opportunities for its students and faculty to participate in research. The best research universities are classified into different tiers based on their quantifiable commitment to research activities. This tiered ranking is called the Carnegie Classification. This is where terms like R1 university and tier one university come from.

How do we determine research universities are the best?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why, at the undergraduate level, we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call “Concentrated Influence”. Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers – faculty and alums – and divides it by the school’s total number of undergraduates.

Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger universities. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, will score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights undergraduate schools that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.

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.

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 the 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.

If you would like to see this ranking without school size considered, visit our best universities in the US ranking.

The following list of research universities is composed of both private and public schools. We’ve identified 394 research universities in the US. Of those, there are 185 private research universities in the US. In order to be included in this list of best research universities, a school must be a fully accredited university, offer doctoral degrees across the range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), and it must report high levels of research activity based upon the number of research and/or practice doctorates awarded each year.

The Best Research Universities for Undergrads in the US

#1
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena , CA
#1 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #1 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #1 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #14 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
93%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1555/35
What is California Institute of Technology known for?

California Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Computer Science
Mathematics
Engineering
Earth Sciences
Economics
Literature
Business

Most Influential Alumni

Donald Knuth
Linus Pauling
John McCarthy
William Shockley
Kip Thorne
Benoit Mandelbrot
Ivan Sutherland
Vernon L. Smith
David Bohm
L. Sprague de Camp
Robert C. Merton
Serge Lang
Compare school
#2
Harvard University
Cambridge , MA
#1 Online Colleges with the Most Generous Financial Aid in 2023 #1 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #1 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #1 Best Universities in the World 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
97%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1520/34
What is Harvard University known for?

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

Biology
Philosophy
Literature
Law
Medical
Political Science
Economics
Psychology
Physics
History

Most Influential Alumni

Jacques Derrida
William James
Noam Chomsky
Charles Sanders Peirce
Norbert Wiener
Marvin Minsky
Daniel Dennett
Hilary Putnam
T. S. Eliot
Paul Samuelson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Willard Van Orman Quine
Compare school
#3
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge , MA
#3 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #3 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #3 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #3 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
96%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1545/35
What is Massachusetts Institute of Technology known for?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Computer Science
Engineering
Physics
Economics
Chemistry
Earth Sciences
Mathematics
Business
Biology
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Noam Chomsky
Richard Feynman
Claude Shannon
Paul Krugman
Joseph Stiglitz
Richard Stallman
Ben Bernanke
William Shockley
Murray Gell-Mann
Vannevar Bush
George Lakoff
Lawrence Summers
Compare school
#4
Stanford University
Stanford , CA
#2 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #2 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #2 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #3 Best Universities in the World 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
96%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1495/33
What is Stanford University known for?

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

Computer Science
Engineering
Psychology
Business
Biology
Law
Education
Chemistry
Mathematics
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Allen Newell
Vint Cerf
Douglas Hofstadter
Hans Moravec
Sandra Day O'Connor
Rodney Brooks
John Harsanyi
Gérard Debreu
Garrett Hardin
Anthony Kennedy
Stewart Brand
Stuart J. Russell
Compare school
#5
Princeton University
Princeton , NJ
#5 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #5 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #6 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #7 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
98%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1510/33
What is Princeton University known for?

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

Mathematics
Physics
Philosophy
Political Science
History
Religious Studies
Computer Science
Literature
Economics
Earth Sciences

Most Influential Alumni

Richard Feynman
Marvin Minsky
John Rawls
Alonzo Church
Edward Witten
Allen Newell
Robert Mueller
Robert Nozick
John McCarthy
John Bardeen
Gary Becker
Stephen Cole Kleene
Compare school
#6
University of Chicago
Chicago , IL
#6 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #6 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #7 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #8 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
96%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1535/34
What is University of Chicago known for?

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

Economics
Philosophy
Psychology
Sociology
Anthropology
Criminal Justice
Mathematics
Earth Sciences
Social Work
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Milton Friedman
Herbert A. Simon
Paul Samuelson
Richard Rorty
Joseph Stiglitz
James Watson
Martin Gardner
Thomas Sowell
Gary Becker
John B. Watson
James M. Buchanan
Philip Roth
Compare school
#7
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
#8
Columbia University
New York , NY
#5 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #5 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #5 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #6 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$64K
Acceptance
4%
Graduation
97%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1515/34
What is Columbia University known for?

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

Social Work
Nursing
Literature
Biology
Political Science
Medical
History
Education
Business
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Milton Friedman
Murray Rothbard
Herbert Marcuse
Stephen Jay Gould
Kenneth Arrow
B. R. Ambedkar
Isaac Asimov
Margaret Mead
Robert Nozick
Thomas Sowell
Jerry Fodor
Theodosius Dobzhansky
Compare school
#9
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh , PA
#9 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #9 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #12 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #15 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
14%
Graduation
93%
Student body
16K
Median SAT/ACT
1510/34
What is Carnegie Mellon University known for?

Carnegie Mellon University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Computer Science
Engineering
Economics
Business
Mathematics
Chemistry
Psychology
Physics
Education
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Allen Newell
Ivan Sutherland
James Gosling
Raoul Bott
Oliver E. Williamson
Edward Feigenbaum
Henry Giroux
Edward C. Prescott
Shafi Goldwasser
John Forbes Nash Jr.
Kurt Vonnegut
Robert H. Dennard
Compare school
#10
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore , MD
#11 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #11 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #14 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #17 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
8%
Graduation
95%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1515/35
What is Johns Hopkins University known for?

Johns Hopkins University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Medical
Nursing
Biology
Psychology
Physics
Philosophy
Education
History
Political Science
Economics

Most Influential Alumni

John Dewey
G. Stanley Hall
Thorstein Veblen
John Archibald Wheeler
John Mauchly
Thomas Hunt Morgan
Rachel Carson
Robert Fogel
Gertrude Stein
John R. Commons
Abraham Flexner
John Barth
Compare school
#11
Georgetown University
Washington , DC
#2 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2023 #12 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #12 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #16 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
12%
Graduation
95%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1465/33
What is Georgetown University known for?

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

Law
Political Science
Nursing
Criminal Justice
Business
Education
Communications
Religious Studies
History
Economics

Most Influential Alumni

J. Edgar Hoover
Paul Manafort
Allen Tate
Jan Karski
Steven Novella
Susan Hockfield
Kirstjen Nielsen
Solomon H. Snyder
John Guare
John R. Allen
Bruce Bartlett
Shlomo Argov
Compare school
#12
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia , PA
#3 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #9 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #11 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #12 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
96%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1515/34
What is University of Pennsylvania known for?

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

Business
Medical
Social Work
Nursing
Psychology
Communications
Anthropology
Sociology
Education
History

Most Influential Alumni

Noam Chomsky
Hilary Putnam
Ezra Pound
Martin Seligman
Eric S. Raymond
Paul R. Ehrlich
I. M. Pei
Lightner Witmer
Joseph Jastrow
Geraldo Rivera
Richard A. Clarke
Stanley Fish
Compare school
#13
Duke University
Durham , NC
#1 Best Online Christian Colleges and Universities for Doctoral Degrees #1 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2023 #1 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #11 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
96%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1520/34
What is Duke University known for?

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

Religious Studies
Nursing
Medical
Political Science
Education
Philosophy
Law
Business
Psychology
Anthropology

Most Influential Alumni

Jerome Bruner
Ken Wilber
Fred Brooks
Charlie Rose
John W. Campbell
Dan Ariely
David G. Bromley
Russell Kirk
Paul Farmer
Charles H. Townes
G. William Domhoff
Peter Turchin
Compare school
#14
Northwestern University
Evanston , IL
#15 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #15 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #16 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #16 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
7%
Graduation
95%
Student body
20K
Median SAT/ACT
1490/34
What is Northwestern University known for?

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

Business
Communications
Sociology
Law
Economics
Anthropology
Chemistry
Philosophy
Political Science
Education

Most Influential Alumni

Stephen Colbert
George Stigler
Saul Bellow
Aaron Director
Robert Hanssen
J. Gordon Melton
Charles W. Morris
Alston Scott Householder
Walter Dill Scott
Virginia Satir
Rudolph Rummel
Joseph Greenberg
Compare school
#15
Cornell University
Ithaca , NY
#10 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #10 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #12 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #15 Top 15 Best Online Colleges for Transfer Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
94%
Student body
25K
Median SAT/ACT
1470/33
What is Cornell University known for?

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

Biology
Physics
Literature
Engineering
Chemistry
Computer Science
Anthropology
Earth Sciences
Psychology
Business

Most Influential Alumni

Norbert Wiener
Harold Bloom
Freeman Dyson
Abraham Maslow
Thomas Nagel
Thomas Pynchon
Sheldon Glashow
Leonard Susskind
Francis Fukuyama
Steven Weinberg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak
Compare school
#16
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley , CA
#1 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #1 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #1 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2023 #1 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
14%
Graduation
93%
Student body
43K
Median SAT/ACT
1420/32
What is University of California, Berkeley known for?

University of California, Berkeley’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Chemistry
Computer Science
Mathematics
Biology
Physics
Engineering
Communications
Anthropology
Sociology
Literature

Most Influential Alumni

Daniel Kahneman
John Kenneth Galbraith
Timothy Leary
Shing-Tung Yau
Niklaus Wirth
Ken Thompson
Douglas Engelbart
Betty Friedan
George Dantzig
Octavio Paz
Peter Norvig
David Bohm
Compare school
#17
Brown University
Providence , RI
#18 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #18 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #19 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #24 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
96%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1500/34
What is Brown University known for?

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

Literature
Mathematics
History
Computer Science
Education
Political Science
Business
Communications
Economics
Sociology

Most Influential Alumni

Peter Norvig
John Tukey
Aaron Beck
Andy Hertzfeld
Richard Holbrooke
Jacob M. Appel
S. T. Joshi
Randy Pausch
John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Jeffrey Eugenides
David Kelley
Kenneth R. Miller
Compare school
#18
Rice University
Houston , TX
#19 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #20 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #24 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #1 Best Private Colleges in Texas 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
92%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1515/35
What is Rice University known for?

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

Chemistry
Mathematics
Engineering
Physics
Computer Science
Economics
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Business
History

Most Influential Alumni

Herman Daly
Robert Woodrow Wilson
Joyce Carol Oates
Dennis Sullivan
Robert Curl
Mary Sue Hubbard
George Mackey
Matthew Sands
Thomas W. Malone
John Morgan
David Eagleman
Peggy Whitson
Compare school
#19
Dartmouth College
Hanover , NH
#21 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #22 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #23 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #1 Best Grad Schools in New Hampshire 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
94%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1500/33
What is Dartmouth College known for?

Dartmouth College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Business
Literature
Computer Science
History
Political Science
Earth Sciences
Economics
Mathematics
Philosophy
Religious Studies

Most Influential Alumni

Joseph Campbell
Robert Frost
Dr. Seuss
Daniel Webster
Stuart Kauffman
Robert Reich
C. Everett Koop
Jaegwon Kim
Vincent Canby
Michael Gazzaniga
Robert Christgau
Edward Norton Lorenz
Compare school
#20
Yeshiva University
New York , NY
#2 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #22 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #23 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #1 Best Small Colleges in New York 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$48K
Acceptance
63%
Graduation
80%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1275/27
What is Yeshiva University known for?

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

Religious Studies
Social Work
Law
Philosophy
Mathematics
Physics
Education
Medical
History
Psychology

Most Influential Alumni

Hillel Furstenberg
John Taylor Gatto
Paul Gottfried
Chaim Potok
Herman Wouk
Efraim Zuroff
David Rosenhan
Leon Charney
Michael Schudrich
Norman Lamm
Howard Dean
Eddie Huang
Compare school
#21
Brandeis University
Waltham , MA
#24 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2023 #25 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023 #5 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2023 #5 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2023
Other Rankings
- #5 Best Colleges in Massachusetts 2023
- #5 Best Grad Schools in Massachusetts 2023
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
88%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
What is Brandeis University known for?

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

Sociology
Philosophy
Mathematics
Psychology
Political Science
History
Physics
Economics
Anthropology
Literature

Most Influential Alumni

Edward Witten
Angela Davis
Leslie Lamport
Michael Walzer
Patricia Hill Collins
Thomas Friedman
Abbie Hoffman
Michael Sandel
Elaine Showalter
Roderick MacKinnon
Christina Hoff Sommers
Jon Landau
Compare school
#22
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor , MI
#2 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #2 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #2 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2023 #2 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$17K
Acceptance
20%
Graduation
94%
Student body
44K
Median SAT/ACT
1430/32
What is University of Michigan known for?

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

Psychology
Engineering
Medical
Education
Anthropology
Sociology
Computer Science
Philosophy
Law
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Claude Shannon
Alvin Plantinga
Arthur Miller
George Dantzig
Edgar F. Codd
Hans-Hermann Hoppe
Stephen Smale
Jonas Salk
John Henry Holland
Amos Tversky
Urie Bronfenbrenner
Marshall Sahlins
Compare school
#23
New York University
New York , NY
#8 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #9 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #10 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #13 Best Universities in the World 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
13%
Graduation
87%
Student body
49K
Median SAT/ACT
1455/32
What is New York University known for?

New York University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Law
Social Work
Nursing
Literature
Philosophy
Communications
Medical
Economics
Psychology
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Erich Fromm
Robert Mueller
Martha Nussbaum
John Archibald Wheeler
Howard Zinn
Jonas Salk
Louis Nirenberg
Nathaniel Branden
Alvin Toffler
Paul Ekman
Martin Hellman
Lewis Mumford
Compare school
#24
Tufts University
Medford , MA
#3 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023 #4 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2023 #4 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2023 #4 Best Colleges in Massachusetts 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$63K
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
94%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1455/33
What is Tufts University known for?

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

Medical
Economics
Political Science
Business
Philosophy
Engineering
Education
Computer Science
Psychology
Physics

Most Influential Alumni

Norbert Wiener
Vannevar Bush
Eugene Fama
Lew Rockwell
Jamie Dimon
Ram Dass
Gordon S. Wood
Roderick MacKinnon
Paul Offit
David Autor
Richard N. Goodwin
Peter Navarro
Compare school
#25
University of Rochester
Rochester , NY
#21 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #4 Best Grad Schools in New York 2023 #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023 #4 Best Private Colleges in New York 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
41%
Graduation
86%
Student body
12K
Median SAT/ACT
1420/32
What is University of Rochester known for?

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

Physics
Economics
Biology
Medical
Computer Science
Chemistry
Nursing
Psychology
Mathematics
Literature

Most Influential Alumni

Richard Thaler
Bob Ludwig
J. C. R. Licklider
Janet Maslin
Bruce Schneier
Steven Chu
John C. Slater
Masatoshi Koshiba
Arthur Kornberg
David Sloan Wilson
Robert Zubrin
Rush Rhees
University of Rochester’s Online Degrees
BSN in RN to BSN

Required Credits: 128
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#26
Washington University in St. Louis
Saint Louis , MO
#22 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #1 Best Research Universities in Missouri 2023 #1 Best Grad Schools in Missouri 2023 #1 Best Colleges in Missouri 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
13%
Graduation
93%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1520/34
What is Washington University in St. Louis known for?

Washington University in St. Louis’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Biology
Medical
Chemistry
Law
Engineering
Anthropology
Social Work
Business
Physics
Education

Most Influential Alumni

Tennessee Williams
J. C. R. Licklider
Phyllis Schlafly
Daniel Nathans
Charles Eames
Marilyn vos Savant
Edwin G. Krebs
Michael Isikoff
William E. Moerner
Clyde Cowan
İhsan Doğramacı
Rochelle Walensky
Washington University in St. Louis’s Online Degrees
BS in Integrated Studies

Degree Concentrations
Humanities
Social Science

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#27
Vanderbilt University
Nashville , TN
#1 Best Private Colleges in Tennessee 2023 #1 Best Colleges in Tennessee 2023 #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023 #1 Best Grad Schools in Tennessee 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$57K
Acceptance
7%
Graduation
93%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1520/34
What is Vanderbilt University known for?

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

Nursing
Medical
Biology
Business
Law
Economics
Religious Studies
Education
History
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Herman Daly
James Patterson
Allen Tate
Cleanth Brooks
Robert Penn Warren
John Crowe Ransom
David Brinkley
John Seigenthaler
John Ridley Stroop
David Boaz
Steven E. Jones
Norman Shumway
Compare school
#28
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland , OH
#1 Best Private Colleges in Ohio 2023 #2 Best Grad Schools in Ohio 2023 #2 Best Research Universities in Ohio 2023 #2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Other Rankings
- #2 Best Colleges in Ohio 2023
- #19 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
30%
Graduation
84%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1430/32
What is Case Western Reserve University known for?

Case Western Reserve University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Medical
Computer Science
Nursing
Psychology
Biology
Chemistry
Social Work
Engineering
Physics
Mathematics

Most Influential Alumni

Donald Knuth
Richard Thaler
Paul Berg
Edward C. Prescott
David Gorski
Donald A. Glaser
William Glasser
Paul Lauterbur
Ferid Murad
Terry Sejnowski
Alistair Cockburn
John D. Mayer
Compare school
#29
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame , IN
#3 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2023 #20 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #1 Best Private Colleges in Indiana 2023 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Indiana 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$59K
Acceptance
15%
Graduation
96%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1475/33
What is University of Notre Dame known for?

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

Religious Studies
Philosophy
Law
History
Mathematics
Business
Education
Political Science
Engineering
Chemistry

Most Influential Alumni

Jacques Maritain
Orson Scott Card
Saskia Sassen
John Burgee
Richard V. Allen
Virgil Exner
Condoleezza Rice
Eric F. Wieschaus
Joe Montana
Charles W. Misner
James Massey
Amien Rais
Compare school
#30
University of Southern California
Los Angeles , CA
#13 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #16 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #18 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #2 Best Private Colleges in California 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
13%
Graduation
92%
Student body
38K
Median SAT/ACT
1435/32
What is University of Southern California known for?

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

Social Work
Engineering
Business
Education
Criminal Justice
Medical
Computer Science
Political Science
Communications
Law

Most Influential Alumni

Frank Gehry
Neil Armstrong
Jim Lovell
Jack L. Warner
John Mearsheimer
Daryl Gates
Boris Podolsky
Max More
Michael D. Griffin
Maulana Karenga
O. J. Simpson
Richard Perle
Compare school
#31
Graduate Center, CUNY
New York , NY
#19 Most Affordable Online Colleges Ranked for Students 2023
Tuition + fees
$7K
Student body
5K
What is Graduate Center, CUNY known for?

Graduate Center, CUNY’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Economics
Sociology
Philosophy
Anthropology
Criminal Justice
Psychology
Mathematics
Education
Literature
Computer Science

Most Influential Alumni

Nancy Fraser
Janet Biehl
Ryuho Okawa
Terrell Ward Bynum
Hal Foster
Douglas Crimp
Lisa Nakamura
Paul Mariani
Eva Kittay
Karl Widerquist
Holland Cotter
Stephen K. White
Graduate Center, CUNY’s Online Degrees
BS in Business

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Information Systems

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Disability Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Communication and Media

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Liberal Studies

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BA in Sociology

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Health Information Management

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Health Services Administration

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

Degree Concentrations
Accelerated Nursing Education
Accelerated Nursing Informatics
Accelerated Nursing Organizational Leadership
Accelerated Nursing Education
AcceleratedNursing Informatics
Accelerated Nursing Organizational Leadership

Required Credits: 150
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BSN in Nursing

Degree Concentrations
Queensborough Community College Fast Track

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Nursing

Degree Concentrations
Dual Program with Queensbourough College

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#32
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago , IL
#8 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #1 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2023 #3 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 2023 #5 Best Research Universities in Illinois 2023
Other Rankings
- #5 Best Colleges in Illinois 2023
- #5 Best Grad Schools Illinois 2023
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
66%
Graduation
71%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1295/29
What is Illinois Institute of Technology known for?

Illinois Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Engineering
Computer Science
Economics
Physics
Mathematics
Chemistry
Business
Social Work
Law
Sociology

Most Influential Alumni

Munir Ahmad Khan
Jack Dongarra
Jack Steinberger
Helmut Jahn
Sidney Coleman
Watts Humphrey
Virgil Abloh
Roger B. Chaffee
Kevin Roche
Grote Reber
Arthur Krock
Samuel Karlin
Compare school
#33
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles , CA
#3 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #3 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #3 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2023 #3 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
92%
Student body
46K
What is University of California, Los Angeles known for?

University of California, Los Angeles’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Nursing
Philosophy
Anthropology
Sociology
History
Mathematics
Medical
Literature
Chemistry
Earth Sciences

Most Influential Alumni

Hilary Putnam
Vint Cerf
Elinor Ostrom
Judea Pearl
Glenn T. Seaborg
Nathaniel Branden
Barry Boehm
Stanley Cavell
William F. Sharpe
Edward O. Thorp
John Ehrlichman
Stephen Krashen
Compare school
#34
University of Virginia
Charlottesville , VA
#4 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #5 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #9 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #10 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
21%
Graduation
94%
Student body
25K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
What is University of Virginia known for?

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

Law
Literature
History
Political Science
Education
Psychology
Philosophy
Economics
Communications
Medical

Most Influential Alumni

Ronald Coase
Edgar Allan Poe
John Backus
Tom Regan
William Faulkner
Georgia O'Keeffe
Francis Collins
Katie Couric
Anselm Strauss
Ferid Murad
Allen Tate
William M. Bass
Compare school
#35
Emory University
Atlanta , GA
#4 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2023 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Georgia 2023 #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023 #1 Best Private Colleges in Georgia 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
13%
Graduation
90%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1455/32
What is Emory University known for?

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

Religious Studies
Nursing
Medical
Literature
Anthropology
Political Science
History
Education
Philosophy
Psychology

Most Influential Alumni

Newt Gingrich
David Brinkley
C. Vann Woodward
Jeffrey Burton Russell
Carl Hiaasen
Touré
Timothy Tyson
Bernice King
Kiyoshi Tanimoto
Lewis White Beck
John M. Dowd
Kenneth Cole
Compare school
#36
The Catholic University of America
Washington , DC
#12 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #13 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2023 #1 Best Small Colleges in DC 2023 #3 Best Christian Colleges in DC 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
74%
Student body
4K
What is The Catholic University of America known for?

The Catholic University of America’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Religious Studies
Nursing
Physics
Chemistry
Philosophy
Law
Social Work
Communications
Political Science
Literature

Most Influential Alumni

Michael D. Griffin
Mary Daly
Maureen Dowd
Brian Williams
Thomas L. Saaty
Raymond E. Brown
Theodore Hesburgh
Thomas Berry
Raymond Leo Burke
Seán Patrick O'Malley
Verlyn Flieger
Hugh Everett III
Compare school
#37
University of Washington
Seattle , WA
#4 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #5 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2023 #5 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #7 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
84%
Student body
44K
Median SAT/ACT
1326/30
What is University of Washington known for?

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

Earth Sciences
Medical
Social Work
Biology
Computer Science
Anthropology
Nursing
Chemistry
Mathematics
Engineering

Most Influential Alumni

George Stigler
Frank Herbert
Michael Hardt
Harold Hotelling
Robert Mundell
Ted Bundy
Minoru Yamasaki
Lyle Campbell
Steven Holl
Linda B. Buck
Bill Atkinson
Tom M. Apostol
Compare school
#38
George Washington University
Washington , DC
#2 Best Colleges in DC 2023 #2 Best Grad Schools in DC 2023 #2 Best Private Colleges in DC 2023 #2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
50%
Graduation
84%
Student body
20K
Median SAT/ACT
1360/31
What is George Washington University known for?

George Washington University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Law
Political Science
Communications
Criminal Justice
Business
Literature
Physics
Medical
Economics
Education

Most Influential Alumni

J. Edgar Hoover
L. Ron Hubbard
Glenn Greenwald
Bob Woodward
George Armitage Miller
Allen Dulles
Juan Guaidó
James E. Webb
Roger Stone
Lester Frank Ward
Michael D. Griffin
Brian Williams
Compare school
#39
Clark University
Worcester , MA
#18 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #5 Best Small Colleges in Massachusetts 2023 #9 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2023 #10 Best Grad Schools in Massachusetts 2023
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
79%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1250/29
What is Clark University known for?

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

Psychology
Philosophy
Mathematics
Physics
Sociology
History
Biology
Education
Political Science
Social Work

Most Influential Alumni

Edward B. Titchener
Solomon Lefschetz
Lewis Terman
Robert H. Goddard
John H. Flavell
Matthew Sands
Arnold Gesell
Ronald Kessler
E. Franklin Frazier
Henry H. Goddard
Amy Tanner
Xu Zhimo
Compare school
#40
American University
Washington , DC
#7 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2023 #2 Best Christian Colleges in DC 2023 #3 Best Colleges in DC 2023 #3 Best Grad Schools in DC 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
79%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1305/29
What is American University known for?

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

Political Science
Law
Communications
Education
Business
Criminal Justice
Economics
Sociology
Computer Science
Anthropology

Most Influential Alumni

Bruce Schneier
Alice Paul
Stephen A. Kent
Jordan Belfort
Queen Rania of Jordan
Juan E. Méndez
Bo Gritz
Corey Lewandowski
Robert Kagan
Henepola Gunaratana
John P. O'Neill
Kathy Reichs
Compare school
#41
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh , PA
#6 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #11 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2023 #18 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2023 #1 Best Public Colleges in Pennsylvania 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
84%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1331/30
What is University of Pittsburgh known for?

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

Philosophy
Medical
Biology
Anthropology
Sociology
Criminal Justice
Psychology
Social Work
Education
History

Most Influential Alumni

Paul Churchland
Stuart Hameroff
Patricia Churchland
Paul Lauterbur
John Taylor Gatto
Ernest Sosa
Bas van Fraassen
Michael Chabon
Richard Lazarus
August Wilson
Bennet Omalu
Noël Carroll
Compare school
#42
Boston University
Boston , MA
#19 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2023 #21 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2023 #3 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2023 #3 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$60K
Acceptance
19%
Graduation
89%
Student body
32K
Median SAT/ACT
1405/32
What is Boston University known for?

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

Religious Studies
Literature
Social Work
Communications
Education
Political Science
Business
Sociology
Medical
History

Most Influential Alumni

Martin Luther King Jr.
Sheldon Glashow
Neal Stephenson
Ray Hyman
Norman Vincent Peale
Keith B. Alexander
Tipper Gore
Lothrop Stoddard
Albert-László Barabási
Steven M. Wise
William Sims Bainbridge
Daniel C. Tsui
Boston University’s Online Degrees
BS in Undergrad Completion Program

Required Credits: 64
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
Compare school
#43
University of Miami
Coral Gables , FL
#1 Best Private Colleges in Florida 2023 #2 Best Colleges in Florida 2023 #2 Best Research Universities in Florida 2023 #2 Best Grad Schools in Florida 2023
Other Rankings
- #2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
- #22 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
28%
Graduation
84%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1335/30
What is University of Miami known for?

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

Business
History
Medical
Law
Criminal Justice
Mathematics
Earth Sciences
Social Work
Nursing
Political Science

Most Influential Alumni

Michael Townley
Vincent Bugliosi
G. William Domhoff
Ernest Sosa
Anthony Atala
Martin H. Greenberg
Algis Budrys
Sylvester Stallone
Drew Rosenhaus
Mikheil Saakashvili
Jorge Ramos
Joe Barresi
Compare school
#44
Howard University
Washington , DC
#1 Most Influential HBCUs in the US Ranked for 2000-2020 #4 Best Colleges in DC 2023 #4 Best Grad Schools in DC 2023 #4 Best Private Colleges in DC 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
35%
Graduation
64%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1195/24
What is Howard University known for?

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

Social Work
Education
Law
Political Science
History
Communications
Criminal Justice
Medical
Sociology
Literature

Most Influential Alumni

Thomas Sowell
Toni Morrison
Stokely Carmichael
Amiri Baraka
Zora Neale Hurston
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Marjorie Lee Browne
Sonia Sanchez
E. Franklin Frazier
Kamala Harris
Pauli Murray
George Padmore
Compare school
#45
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill , NC
#6 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #7 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #7 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #16 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
20%
Graduation
90%
Student body
25K
Median SAT/ACT
1385/30
What is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill known for?

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Law
Communications
History
Philosophy
Education
Literature
Mathematics
Business
Psychology
Sociology

Most Influential Alumni

Francis Collins
James E. Webb
Dan Ariely
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Howard T. Odum
Charles Tart
Jeffrey Beall
Taylor Branch
Robert F. Furchgott
Christine Blasey Ford
Robert Cialdini
James Rachels
Compare school
#46
Boston College
Chestnut Hill , MA
#3 Best Online Christian Colleges and Universities for Doctoral Degrees #5 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2023 #1 Best Christian Colleges in Massachusetts 2023 #6 Best Private Colleges in Massachusetts 2023
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
19%
Graduation
91%
Student body
13K
Median SAT/ACT
1415/32
What is Boston College known for?

Boston College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Religious Studies
Nursing
Philosophy
Education
History
Business
Law
Social Work
Political Science
Criminal Justice

Most Influential Alumni

Robert Gallo
Ernest Moniz
Mark Wrathall
J. Arch Getty
R. Nicholas Burns
Richard Cushing
David H. Barlow
Richard Swedberg
John Charles Daly
Greg Boyle
Julianne Malveaux
John Courtney Murray
Compare school
#47
California Institute of Integral Studies
San Francisco , CA
Tuition + fees
$21K
Student body
1K
What is California Institute of Integral Studies known for?

California Institute of Integral Studies’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Psychology
Anthropology
Philosophy
Sociology
Medical

Most Influential Alumni

Seraphim Rose
Angana P. Chatterji
Christina Olague
Deborah Santana
Nancy C. Maryboy
Sam Mickey
Jennifer Edlin
Bryan Teixeira
California Institute of Integral Studies’s Online Degrees
BS in Psychology

Required Credits: None Reported
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: None Reported
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#48
Tulane University
New Orleans , LA
#1 Best Private Colleges in Louisiana 2023 #1 Best Research Universities in Louisiana 2023 #1 Best Grad Schools in Louisiana 2023 #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2023
Other Rankings
- #1 Best Colleges in Louisiana 2023
Tuition + fees
$61K
Acceptance
10%
Graduation
86%
Student body
12K
Median SAT/ACT
1420/31
What is Tulane University known for?

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

Law
Social Work
Medical
Sociology
Business
Anthropology
Political Science
Engineering
History
Biology

Most Influential Alumni

Michael DeBakey
Cleanth Brooks
Newt Gingrich
Florian Cajori
Marshall Colt
Jim Garrison
John Sallis
Howard K. Smith
Henry Hobson Richardson
Andrew Breitbart
Jefferson Caffery
Maxwell Wintrobe
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#49
The New School
New York , NY
#8 Best Private Colleges in New York 2023
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
66%
Graduation
70%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1250/28
What is The New School known for?

The New School’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Sociology
Anthropology
Philosophy
Economics
Literature
Communications
Engineering
Political Science
Psychology
Education

Most Influential Alumni

Tennessee Williams
Peter L. Berger
Franco Modigliani
Ruth Benedict
Lewis Mumford
Amiri Baraka
James Baldwin
Heinrich Blücher
Nader El-Bizri
Shimon Peres
Eleanor Roosevelt
Sidney Mintz
The New School’s Online Degrees
BA in Degree Completion

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
BS in Degree Completion

Required Credits: 120
Completion Time: None Reported
Format: Online
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#50
City College of New York
New York , NY
#8 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2023 #2 Most Affordable Colleges in New York 2023 #2 Best Public Colleges in New York 2023 #7 Best Grad Schools in New York 2023
Other Rankings
- #7 Best Research Universities in New York 2023
- #7 Best Colleges in New York 2023
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
57%
Student body
12K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/27
What is City College of New York known for?

City College of New York’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

Philosophy
Psychology
Literature
Physics
History
Sociology
Mathematics
Economics
Education
Communications

Most Influential Alumni

Kenneth Arrow
Abraham Maslow
Julian Schwinger
Leonard Susskind
Leonard Kleinrock
Bob Kahn
Jonas Salk
Upton Sinclair
Robert Aumann
Seymour Martin Lipset
Daniel Bell
Leon Festinger
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Find the Best Research Universities in Your Area of Interest

The best research universities by discipline

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.

A research university is a great choice for students who are interested in a STEM degree.

And as important as a great research university is, if attending a school near home is also important to you, check out our Complete List of Colleges and Universities by State.

Check out the College Admissions Process Guide for additional tips on finding, applying to, and getting into the college of your choice.

See our Resources Guide for much more on studying, starting your job search, and more.

Photo Credit: California Institute of Technology, Beckman Institute. By Canon.vs.nikon, via CC BY-SA 3.0.

50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2023

10 Best Research Universities for Undergrads

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

What is a research university?

The Best Research Universities for Undergrads in the US

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University of Rochester’s Online Degrees

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Washington University in St. Louis’s Online Degrees

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Graduate Center, CUNY’s Online Degrees

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Boston University’s Online Degrees

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California Institute of Integral Studies’s Online Degrees

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The New School’s Online Degrees

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Find the Best Research Universities in Your Area of Interest

Earn a Degree from a Research University Close to Home

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