Best Universities in the World 2026

Badge for BEST IN THE-WORLD COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Dr. Jed Macosko
Updated:

The best universities in the world are those whose faculty and students have the greatest influence on their fields, professions, and the world at large. The top universities are therefore the most influential universities. Through the excellence, achievement, and recognition of their most noteworthy students, alumni, and professors, these schools have had the most profound impact on our accumulated knowledge across time, space, and fields of endeavor. Read on to learn more about the best universities of 2025 by worldwide influence.

Key Takeaways

  • The colleges and universities on this list represent the pinnacle in higher education.
  • Students who attend one of these schools can be confident that they will receive instruction from some of the most influential professors in the world.
  • Earning a degree from one of the best colleges or universities in the world will give you an advantage over other candidates in an extremely competitive job market.

10 Best Universities in the World Today in 2026

  1. Harvard University
  2. University of Oxford
  3. University of California, Berkeley
  4. Columbia University
  5. Stanford University
  6. University of Chicago
  7. Sorbonne University
  8. Yale University
  9. Princeton University
  10. University of Cambridge
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Featured Programs

The 100 Best Universities in the World Today

  1. #1

    Harvard University

    Cambridge , MA
    #1 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #1 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #1 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #1 Online Colleges with the Most Generous Financial Aid in 2026

    Harvard University, founded in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #1 in the United States and #1 in the world. It is also among the most selective universities anywhere: it admitted 3.7% of applicants for fall 2024, and admitted students had a median SAT score of 1545. Harvard’s resources match its reputation. Its endowment was about $56.9 billion as of June 2025, and Harvard Library, with more than 20 million items, is the largest academic library in the world. Harvard ranks #1 in the US in 16 of the 24 broad fields we track, including economics, law, medicine, biology, physics, psychology, political science, history, education, and business. In most of those it is also #1 in the world. The fields where another school leads are just as telling: Within its leading fields, Harvard is #1 in the US and the world in specialties ranging from genetics, immunology, and neuroscience to entrepreneurship and accounting. Read more

    What is Harvard University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Harvard University

    Cost of Degree: $59,076
    Expenses: $27,629
    Starting Salary: $121,957
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  2. #2

    University of Oxford

    #2 Best Schools in the World for Earning an MBA Degree Ranked for 2026

    The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, which affords it an aura of awe and respect that no amount of money can buy. If Cambridge was preeminent in the analytical philosophy tradition during the twentieth century, Oxford was far more important for the Scholastic philosophical tradition during the High Middle Ages. For example, the great Scottish metaphysician John Duns Scotus (his name means, roughly, “John, of the village of Duns, in Scotland”) was in residence here during the 1290s, and again briefly between 1302 and 1304, between stays at the University of Paris. He fell out of favor in Paris, though, ending his days in Cologne. Another towering medieval thinker, the Franciscan priest William of Ockham (who takes his surname from a town in Surrey, south of London), was a student and briefly a teacher at Oxford during the early years of the fourteenth century, before removing to the Franciscan house in London, and finally being summoned to the papal court in Avignon to defend himself against a charge of heterodoxy. He eventually fled to the court of Holy Roman Emperor, Louis IV of Bavaria, where he died in 1347. Ockham is best known today as the author of the “parsimony principle,” which states that in an explanation “entities ought not to be multiplied beyond necessity” (Ockham’s razor). Read more

    What is University of Oxford known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  3. #3

    University of California, Berkeley

    Berkeley , CA
    #1 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #1 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #1 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #1 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026

    The University of California, Berkeley , is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. It was established in 1868 as the University of California and is the state’s first land-grant university and the founding campus of the University of California system. Berkeley has been regarded to be among the top universities in the world. Read more

    What is University of California, Berkeley known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Berkeley

    Cost of Degree: $14,850
    Expenses: $30,203
    Starting Salary: $100,212
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  4. #4

    Columbia University

    New York , NY
    #2 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #2 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #2 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #3 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online

    Columbia University, founded in 1754 as King’s College, is the fifth-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It was renamed Columbia in 1784, and since 1897 its campus has been in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #3 in the United States and #4 in the world. It admitted 4.0% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1545 and a median ACT score of 34. Columbia researchers helped shape modern science. Thomas Hunt Morgan’s fruit-fly experiments established the chromosome theory of heredity; I.I. Rabi discovered nuclear magnetic resonance in 1938; much of the early research for the Manhattan Project took place on its campus; and Charles Townes’s team built the first maser in 1953–54. Columbia ranks in the US top 10 in every broad field we measure. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Columbia is a national leader in several specialties: Read more

    What is Columbia University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Columbia University

    Cost of Degree: $68,171
    Expenses: $20,542
    Starting Salary: $109,430
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  6. #5

    Stanford University

    Stanford , CA
    #3 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #3 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #3 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #4 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    Stanford University is a private research university founded by Leland Stanford, a railroad magnate who served as governor of California and as a US senator. Its campus, beside Palo Alto about 30 miles south of San Francisco, lies in what is now Silicon Valley. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #4 in the United States and #5 in the world. It admitted 3.6% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1545 and a median ACT score of 34. Stanford ranks in the US top 15 in every broad field we measure, and its lead is greatest in computer science and engineering. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Stanford is a national leader in several specialties: How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Stanford University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Stanford University

    Cost of Degree: $62,484
    Expenses: $25,349
    Starting Salary: $125,340
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  7. #6

    University of Chicago

    Chicago , IL
    #4 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #4 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #5 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #5 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2026

    The University of Chicago, founded in 1890, is a private research university on the South Side of Chicago and one of the youngest of the world’s leading universities. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #5 in the United States and #6 in the world. It admitted 4.5% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1545 and a median ACT score of 34. In 1942 a team led by Enrico Fermi achieved the first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction beneath a football field on campus. In 1952 the graduate student Stanley Miller, working with the chemist Harold Urey, produced amino acids from inorganic compounds. The philosopher John Dewey founded the university’s Laboratory School in 1896. UChicago leads the country in the social sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, UChicago is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, UChicago sits further back in computer science (#15), engineering (#16), and nursing (#19). Read more

    What is University of Chicago known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Chicago

    Cost of Degree: $65,619
    Expenses: $23,421
    Starting Salary: $103,872
    Cost Recoup Time: 15 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  8. #7

    Sorbonne University

    Sorbonne University is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution’s legacy reaches back to the Middle Ages in 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon as one of the first universities in Europe. Read more

    What is Sorbonne University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  9. #8

    Yale University

    New Haven , CT
    #5 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #5 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #6 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #6 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2026

    Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, was founded by the Connecticut Colony in 1701 as the Collegiate School, to train ministers for the Congregational Church. It is the third-oldest institution of higher learning in the US, after Harvard and William & Mary. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #6 in the United States and #8 in the world. It admitted 3.9% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1520 and a median ACT score of 34. Five US presidents studied there: William Howard Taft, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush as undergraduates, and Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton at Yale Law School. Yale ranks in the US top 12 in every broad field we measure, and its law school is one of the two most influential in the country. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Yale is a national leader in several specialties: How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Yale University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Yale University

    Cost of Degree: $64,700
    Expenses: $23,600
    Starting Salary: $118,356
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  10. #9

    Princeton University

    Princeton , NJ
    #4 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #6 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #6 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #7 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    Princeton University, founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey, is the fourth-oldest university in the United States. Its sixth president, John Witherspoon, was the only college head to sign the Declaration of Independence. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #7 in the United States and #9 in the world. It admitted 4.6% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1545 and a median ACT score of 34. Unlike its Ivy League peers, Princeton has no law, medical, or business school. It concentrates on the arts and sciences, and its professors are expected to teach undergraduates. Princeton ranks in the US top 30 in every broad field we measure, and it is the most influential school in the world in mathematics. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Princeton is a national leader in several specialties: How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Princeton University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Princeton University

    Cost of Degree: $59,710
    Expenses: $24,330
    Starting Salary: $133,523
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  12. #10

    University of Cambridge

    #8 Best Schools in the World for Earning an MBA Degree Ranked for 2026

    Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world (or, at least, in Europe, not to prejudge the claims of several Islamic institutions to that title). It was founded only a little more than a century after the University of Bologna (1088) and the University of Oxford (1096) – which are the oldest and second-oldest universities in Europe – and about half a century after the University of Paris (1150). Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world, after Oxford. With more than 800 years of continuous operation, Cambridge has been home to a great many luminaries of the academic firmament during this long expanse of time. Without a doubt, the brightest of these by far was Isaac Newton, who most would say is the greatest scientist who ever lived (a minority holds out for Albert Einstein). Newton was mostly in residence at Cambridge from 1661 until 1706, first as a student and then a professor, attaining the distinctions of Fellow of Trinity College and Lucasian Professor of Mathematics in the university. Read more

    What is University of Cambridge known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  13. #11

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Cambridge , MA
    #5 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #7 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #7 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #8 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), founded in 1861, sits across the Charles River from downtown Boston, a short trip along Massachusetts Avenue from Harvard. It is best known for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and its economics and linguistics departments are also highly respected. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #8 in the United States and #10 in the world. It admitted 4.6% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1550 and a median ACT score of 35. MIT is the most influential school in the world in computer science and engineering, and it ranks in the US top 45 in every broad field we measure. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, MIT is a national leader in several specialties: How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Massachusetts Institute of Technology known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Cost of Degree: $60,156
    Expenses: $22,574
    Starting Salary: $152,553
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  14. #12

    Paris Sciences et Lettres University

    Paris Sciences et Lettres University is a public research university based in Paris, France. It was established in 2010 and formally created as a university in 2019. It is a collegiate university with 11 constituent schools, with the oldest founded in 1530. PSL is located in central Paris, with its main sites in the Latin Quarter, at the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève campus, at the Jourdan campus, at Porte Dauphine, and at Carré Richelieu. Read more

    What is Paris Sciences et Lettres University known for?

    Paris Sciences et Lettres University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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  15. #13

    University of Vienna

    The University of Vienna was founded by the Habsburg ruler, Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria. This monarch was known as “Rudolf der Stifter” [Rudolf the Founder] on account of his fondness for building new cathedrals and monasteries, as well as the university. He may also have been motivated by rivalry with his Central European peers, the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV (who had established Charles University in Prague just a few years earlier, in 1348) and Casimir III (known as “Casimir the Great”), King of Poland (who had founded Jagiellonian University in Kraków one year earlier, in 1364). Vienna is the oldest university, under continuous operation, in the present-day German-speaking lands (the oldest one in Germany proper being Heidelberg University, dating to 1386). Rudolf closely modeled its structure and curriculum on those of the University of Paris. Over the centuries, the school has experienced many ups and downs: at one point—during the first Siege of Vienna by Ottoman Turkish forces in 1529—its student body was reduced to a mere 30 souls. Read more

    What is University of Vienna known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  16. #14

    University of Michigan

    Ann Arbor , MI
    #2 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #2 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #2 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #2 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026

    The University of Michigan is the state’s public flagship, with 53,488 students on its Ann Arbor campus in fall 2025 and a record $2.16 billion in research spending in fiscal 2025. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #9 in the United States and #14 in the world. It admitted 15.6% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1445 and a median ACT score of 32. It is organized into 17 schools and colleges, and its library holds more than 14 million items. Michigan’s influence is broad: it ranks in the US top 25 in every broad field we measure. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Michigan is a national leader in several specialties: How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is University of Michigan known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Michigan

    Cost of Degree: $18,309
    Expenses: $17,554
    Starting Salary: $92,832
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  18. #15

    University of Göttingen

    The University of Göttingen was established under the auspices of Georg August, Elector of Hanover, who was at the same time King George II of Great Britain and Ireland. Born in Hanover in 1683, Georg August acceded to both the Electorship and the British throne upon his father George I’s death in 1727. The last of the British monarchs to be born outside of the UK, Georg August’s ties to his native region of Lower Saxony remained strong. As that Land (state or province) did not possess a university at the time of Georg August’s accession to his twin titles, the new Elector and King made it a priority to bring one into being there—in the small town of Göttingen, which lies about 76 miles due south of the provincial capital, Hanover. The new University of Göttingen was explicitly tasked by Georg August with fostering the goals of the Aufklärung (Enlightenment), which accounts for the school’s heavy emphasis right from the beginning on mathematics and the natural sciences. For a relatively small institution (some 31,000 students), Göttingen’s roster of Nobel laureates and other famous names is simply astonishing. Read more

    What is University of Göttingen known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

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  19. #16

    New York University

    New York , NY
    #8 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #8 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #10 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #10 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2026

    New York University is a private research university centered on Washington Square in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #10 in the United States and #16 in the world. It is also one of the most selective: it admitted 9.2% of applicants for fall 2024, and admitted students had a median SAT score of 1520. NYU was founded in 1831 by a group of New Yorkers led by Albert Gallatin, Thomas Jefferson’s Treasury Secretary, who wanted a university open to talented students regardless of family background. Today, besides New York, NYU runs degree-granting campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai and 13 global academic centers, from Accra and Buenos Aires to Sydney and Washington, DC. NYU’s influence is concentrated in the professions and the humanities rather than the laboratory sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: By comparison, NYU sits further back in the natural sciences and engineering: biology and physics #18, engineering #20, chemistry #22. Its strength lies in its schools of law, nursing, social work, and education, and in fields where New York City itself is the laboratory: finance, media, and the arts. Read more

    What is New York University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at New York University

    Cost of Degree: $60,438
    Expenses: $27,314
    Starting Salary: $90,957
    Cost Recoup Time: 16 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  20. #17

    Cornell University

    Ithaca , NY
    #1 Top 15 Best Online Colleges for Transfer Students in 2026 #6 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #9 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #9 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026

    Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, was chartered in 1865, less than two weeks after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Its founders were the businessman Ezra Cornell, a founder of Western Union, and the historian Andrew Dickson White, who envisioned a secular university with a special emphasis on the natural sciences. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #11 in the United States and #17 in the world. It admitted 8.8% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1535 and a median ACT score of 34. Its medical college, Weill Cornell, is in Manhattan, with a branch in Doha, Qatar. Cornell ranks in the US top 25 in every broad field we measure, led by biology, engineering, and literature. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Cornell is a national leader in several specialties: How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Cornell University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Cornell University

    Cost of Degree: $66,014
    Expenses: $22,126
    Starting Salary: $113,531
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  21. #18

    University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia , PA
    #5 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #10 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #10 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #12 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn), in Philadelphia, is the fourth-oldest institution of higher learning in the US. It was the brainchild of Benjamin Franklin, who also served as its first president, and unlike most universities named for their state, it is private. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #12 in the United States and #18 in the world. It admitted 5.4% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1540 and a median ACT score of 35. In keeping with Franklin’s practical ideals, Penn founded the first medical school in the colonies, now the Perelman School of Medicine, in 1765, and the country’s first business school, the Wharton School, in 1881. Penn ranks in the US top 25 in every broad field we measure, and in the top five in nursing, criminal justice, social work, and business. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Penn is a national leader in several specialties: Read more

    What is University of Pennsylvania known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Pennsylvania

    Cost of Degree: $66,104
    Expenses: $22,924
    Starting Salary: $121,687
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  22. #19

    University of Tokyo

    The University of Tokyo is a public research university in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1877 by the merger of several pre-westernisation era institutions such as Shoheizaka Institute and Kaiseijo, it was the nation’s first modern university. Read more

    What is University of Tokyo known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

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  24. #20

    Humboldt University of Berlin

    This university has a fascinating pedigree. It was originally founded by Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm III, in consultation with three great German Enlightenment thinkers: the philologist and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, the philosopher J.G. Fichte, and the theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher. Originally known simply as the University of Berlin, for most of its existence up until the aftermath of World War II, it was officially known as the Friedrich Wilhelm University. The site of the university lay in the central, Mitte neighborhood of the city, and in the aftermath of the war it unfortunately found itself just inside the Soviet sector—and thus, after 1961, just east of the Berlin Wall. Kaisers (that is, caesars, or emperors) being in bad odor with the new communist regime, in 1949 the university was renamed after Wilhelm von Humboldt, already mentioned above, and his brother Alexander, a famed naturalist and explorer. In 1948, a brand-new university was founded in the western sector of the city. It was named the Free University of Berlin. Since the reunification of the two parts of Germany (and Berlin) in 1990, the Humboldt University and the Free University have entered into fairly close cooperation with each other—even to the extent of sharing the same medical school—while still retaining their own distinctive identities. Read more

    What is Humboldt University of Berlin known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

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  25. #21

    Moscow State University

    M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University is a public research university in Moscow, Russia. The university includes 15 research institutes, 43 faculties, more than 300 departments, and six branches . Alumni of the university include past leaders of the Soviet Union and other governments. As of 2019, 13 Nobel laureates, six Fields Medal winners, and one Turing Award winner had been affiliated with the university. Read more

    What is Moscow State University known for?

    Moscow State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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  26. #22

    Hebrew University of Jerusalem

    The Hebrew University of Jerusalem was founded in 1918 in the ancient city of Jerusalem. At the time the city, as well as the entire surrounding region of Palestine, was under British military control. The founding occurred during the interim period between the British defeat of the Ottoman Turkish army in late 1917 and the official establishment of British Mandatory Palestine by the League of Nations in the summer of 1922. Planning for a Jewish university in the Holy Land had long figured in the plans of the leaders of the Zionist movement. The cornerstone for the Hebrew University was laid in the summer of 1918 at a location on Mt. Scopus; however, the first classes did not begin to be taught until the spring of 1925. In 1942, a new campus comprising a Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and the Environment was established in the city of Rehovot, near the Mediterranean coast south of Tel Aviv. Much later, in 1985, a veterinary school was added to the Rehovot campus. Read more

    What is Hebrew University of Jerusalem known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

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  27. #23

    University College London

    University College London, which operates as UCL, is a public research university in London, England. It is a member institution of the federal University of London, and is the second-largest university in the United Kingdom by total enrolment and the largest by postgraduate enrolment. Read more

    What is University College London known for?

    University College London’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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  28. #24

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Los Angeles , CA
    #3 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #3 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #3 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #3 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026

    The University of California, Los Angeles is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the California State Normal School . It was absorbed with the official founding of UCLA as the Southern Branch of the University of California in 1919, making it the second-oldest of the ten-campus University of California system after the University of California, Berkeley. Read more

    What is University of California, Los Angeles known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Los Angeles

    Cost of Degree: $13,747
    Expenses: $24,284
    Starting Salary: $88,581
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  30. #25

    London School of Economics

    The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. Founded in 1895 by Fabian Society members Sidney Webb, Beatrice Webb, Graham Wallas and George Bernard Shaw, LSE joined the University of London in 1900 and established its first degree courses under the auspices of the university in 1901. LSE began awarding its degrees in its own name in 2008, prior to which it awarded degrees of the University of London. It became a university in its own right within the University of London in 2022. Read more

    What is London School of Economics known for?

    London School of Economics’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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  31. #26

    University of Sydney

    The wave of expansion of Homo sapiens out of its African birthplace reached the continent of Australia around 40,000 years ago, or more. However, the first visit of Europeans to the land down under did not occur until 1606, when the Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon made landfall at what is now the town of Weipa on the western shore of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland. Several sightings and landings by other Dutch, as well as Spanish, explorers occurred over the next century and a half or so. However, it was not until 1770 that Captain James Cook claimed for the British crown the region surrounding an inlet along the southeast coast that he named Botany Bay, lying just south of modern Sydney. It was this event which led in short order to the continuous settlement of Australia by Europeans and other outsiders. It is useful to remember, by way of comparison with the other schools on this list, that by the time the University of Sydney (the first Australian university) was founded in 1850, the British presence in the continent now universally and affectionately known as “Oz” was only about three quarters of a century old. Read more

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  32. #27

    Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore , MD
    #11 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #11 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #14 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #14 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2026

    Johns Hopkins University, founded in Baltimore in 1876, is often called the first research university in the United States. Its founding benefactor, the merchant Johns Hopkins, left $7 million, then the largest philanthropic bequest in US history, to create the university and its hospital, and its first president, Daniel Coit Gilman, built it on the model of the German research universities. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #14 in the United States and #27 in the world. It admitted 6.4% of applicants for fall 2024, and admitted students had a median SAT score of 1545. Hopkins’ influence is concentrated, above all, in medicine and the health sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Its rankings in the medical specialties are higher still. Hopkins is #1 in the US in gynecology, and in many medical and public-health specialties only Harvard ranks higher, including pediatrics, epidemiology, public health, biomedical engineering, neurosurgery, oncology, anesthesiology, and pathology. It is also #2 in gifted education, behind only Stanford. By comparison, Hopkins sits further back in computer science (#34), criminal justice (#29), and religious studies (#25). Read more

    What is Johns Hopkins University known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at Johns Hopkins University

    Cost of Degree: $62,840
    Expenses: $22,725
    Starting Salary: $104,590
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  33. #28

    University of Melbourne

    The University of Melbourne is a public research university founded in 1853, the second-oldest institution of higher learning in Australia. The founding of the university by the State of Victoria was facilitated by the discovery of gold in 1851, and the ensuing “Victorian Gold Rush.” In some years, the Victorian gold fields were second in output worldwide only to California’s. Hence, the State of Victoria became quite prosperous, attracting immigrants from all over the world. The state-financed University of Melbourne also grew quickly and soon achieved a remarkable degree of academic excellence. In 1857, a Law School was opened; in 1861, a Faculty of Engineering; and in 1862, a School of Medicine. Today, Melbourne comprises seven campuses, with a total student body numbering about 52,000. With an endowment of approximately A$1.3 billion, Melbourne remains the wealthiest university in Australia. Melbourne is associated with seven Nobel laureates, namely: Read more

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  34. #29

    Tel Aviv University

    In 1931, a Biological-Pedagogical Institute (later, the Institute of Natural Sciences) was established in the city of Tel Aviv in British Mandatory Palestine. Four years later, in 1935, a second institute—the School of Law and Economics—opened there, as well. In 1954, the Academic Institute of Jewish Studies was founded in the same city, now a part of the State of Israel. Finally, in 1956, the three aforementioned research institutes were combined—along with a new library and several new academic and administration buildings—to create the modern Tel Aviv University (TAU). Today, TAU comprises nine separate faculties, eight schools, and more than 130 research institutes and centers. The student body numbers more than 26,000 individuals. TAU is associated with one Nobel laureate–the physicist, François Englert and one Turing Award winner–Adi Shamir. Other notable TAU–connected individuals include the following: Read more

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  36. #30

    University of Bonn

    The University of Bonn, officially the Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn , is a public research university located in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the on 18 October 1818 by Frederick William III, as the linear successor of the which was founded in 1777. The University of Bonn offers many undergraduate and graduate programs in a range of subjects and has 544 professors. The University of Bonn is a member of the German U15 association of major research-intensive universities in Germany and has the title of “University of Excellence” ... read more

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  37. #31

    University of Toronto

    The University of Toronto received its royal charter in 1827 from King George IV. Originally known as King’s College, it was the first institution of higher learning in the colonial Province of Upper Canada (consisting of mostly what is now southern Ontario). King’s College was a religious institution, operating under the auspices of the Church of England. In 1850, the university was transferred to a secular administration, at which time it also assumed its present name. Today, the university comprises 11 schools at its principal location in downtown Toronto’s Queen’s Park neighborhood, as well as two satellite campuses. In addition, several administratively autonomous but highly prestigious research centers are housed on the University of Toronto campus. Perhaps the most notable of these is the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences. Established in 1992 and named in honor of Toronto–mathematician John Charles Fields, the Fields Institute bestows its coveted award (the Fields Medal) every fourth year on several of the best mathematicians in the world under the age of 40. Read more

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  38. #32

    Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

    The present-day University of Munich traces its roots to a fifteenth-century institution founded in the town of Ingolstadt by Duke Ludwig IX of Bavaria-Landshut. The school was moved to the town of Landshut in 1800 by King Maximilian I of Bavaria, when Ingolstadt was threatened by invading French armies during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1802, it was given its present official name of “Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU)” in recognition of its first and second founding fathers. Finally, in 1826 another Ludwig—King Ludwig I of Bavaria—relocated the university yet again to its present location in the Bavarian capital city of Munich. Since King Ludwig I shared the same name with the original founder, Duke Ludwig IX, this third founding required no further change to the school’s name. Bavaria is, of course, the only predominantly Catholic part of Germany today. Following the Protestant Reformation in the German-speaking lands during the sixteenth century, LMU came under the influence of the Jesuit order, and became an intellectual center of the Counter-Reformation in Central Europe. This helps explain, in part, the primary focus of LMU on the humanities, in general, and on theology and philosophy, in particular. Read more

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  39. #33

    California Institute of Technology

    Pasadena , CA
    #1 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #8 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #12 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #12 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026

    The California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in Pasadena, began as a vocational school and took its present name in 1920. It remains small, with about 2,200 students and a student-faculty ratio of 3 to 1. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #15 in the United States and #31 in the world. It admitted 2.6% of applicants for fall 2024. The chemist Arthur Amos Noyes, who arrived from MIT in 1919, and the astronomer George Ellery Hale built its science faculty, recruiting the physicist Robert Millikan in 1921. The aeronautical engineer Theodore von Kármán, who arrived in 1930, founded what became the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Caltech’s influence is concentrated in the sciences, led by physics, chemistry, and the earth sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Caltech is a national leader in several specialties: How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is California Institute of Technology known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at California Institute of Technology

    Cost of Degree: $63,255
    Expenses: $23,631
    Starting Salary: $166,642
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  40. #34

    University of Warsaw

    The University of Warsaw is a public research university in Warsaw, Poland. Established in 1816, it is the largest institution of higher learning in the country, offering 37 different fields of study as well as 100 specializations in humanities, technical, and the natural sciences. Read more

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  42. #35

    Peking University

    Peking University is a national public comprehensive university in Beijing, China. The university is affiliated with and sponsored by the Ministry of Education of China. It is part of C9 League, Double First Class University Plan, former Project 985, and former Project 211. Read more

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  43. #36

    ETH Zurich

    ETH Zurich is a public research university in Zürich, Switzerland. Founded by the Swiss federal government in 1854, with the stated mission to educate engineers and scientists; the school focuses primarily on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, although its 16 departments span a variety of disciplines and subjects. Read more

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  44. #37

    University of Oslo

    The University of Oslo is a public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick University, the university was established in 1811 as the de facto Norwegian continuation of Denmark-Norway’s common university, the University of Copenhagen, with which it shares many traditions. It was named for King Frederick VI of Denmark and Norway, and received its current name in 1939. The university was commonly nicknamed “The Royal Frederick’s” before the name change, and informally also referred to simply as Universitetet . Read more

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  45. #38

    University of Copenhagen

    The University of Copenhagen is a public research university in Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia after Uppsala University. Read more

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  46. #39

    Kyoto University

    Kyoto University, or KyotoU, is a national research university located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded in 1897, it is one of the former Imperial Universities and the second oldest university in Japan. Founded upon the principles of its words, “freedom of academic culture”, KyotoU is currently composed of three campuses with ten Faculties, eighteen Graduate Schools, thirteen Research Institutes, and twenty-two Research and Educational Centers. The Kyoto University Library, boasting over 7 million volumes, is Japan’s second-largest academic library. Furthermore, KyotoU was one of the first three Design... read more

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  48. #40

    University of Tübingen

    The University of Tübingen, officially the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen , is a public research university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The University of Tübingen is one of eleven German Excellence Universities. The University of Tübingen is especially known as a centre for the study of plant biology, medicine, law, archeology, ancient cultures, philosophy, theology, religious studies, humanities, and more recently as a center of excellence for artificial intelligence. The university’s noted alumni and faculty include presidents, a pope, EU Commissioners,... read more

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  49. #41

    University of Texas at Austin

    Austin , TX
    #4 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #4 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #4 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #4 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026

    The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship of the University of Texas System. The Republic of Texas set aside 40 acres in its capital for a national university in 1839, but building it was delayed by annexation and the Civil War. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #18 in the United States and #41 in the world. It admitted 26.6% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1380 and a median ACT score of 30. Land granted as its endowment was later found to hold oil, and the University of Texas System’s endowment is among the largest of any American university. In 1982 UT recruited the Nobel laureate physicist Steven Weinberg from Harvard. UT Austin’s influence is broad: 12 of the 24 broad fields we measure rank in the US top 20. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, UT Austin is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, UT Austin sits further back in economics (#43), biology (#47), and religious studies (#60). Read more

    What is University of Texas at Austin known for?

    University of Texas at Austin’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of Texas at Austin

    Cost of Degree: $11,678
    Expenses: $19,894
    Starting Salary: $81,694
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  50. #42

    University of Tehran

    The University of Tehran is the oldest and most prominent Iranian university located in Tehran, Iran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as its research and teaching profile, UT has been nicknamed “The Mother University [of Iran]” . In international rankings, UT has been ranked as one of the best universities in the Middle East and is among the top universities of the world. It is also the premier knowledge producing institute among all OIC countries. Tehran University of Medical Sciences is in the 7th ranking of the Islamic World University Ranking in 20... read more

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  51. #43

    Northwestern University

    Evanston , IL
    #13 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #13 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #16 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #16 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, on Lake Michigan just north of Chicago. Its founding was led by the physician and politician John Evans, for whom Evanston is named, and its name recalls the old Northwest Territory it was meant to serve. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #20 in the United States and #44 in the world. It admitted 7.7% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1540 and a median ACT score of 34. Its professional schools include the Medill School of Journalism, the Kellogg School of Management, the Pritzker School of Law, the Feinberg School of Medicine, and the Bienen School of Music. It also has campuses in Chicago and in Doha, Qatar. Northwestern’s influence is led by business, the social sciences, and law. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Northwestern is a national leader in several specialties: Read more

    What is Northwestern University known for?

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    Career Outlook for degree at Northwestern University

    Cost of Degree: $65,997
    Expenses: $25,293
    Starting Salary: $104,255
    Cost Recoup Time: 15 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  52. #44

    University of Washington

    Seattle , WA
    #1 15 Best Self-Paced Online Colleges Ranked for 2026 #5 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #5 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #5 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026

    The University of Washington (UW) opened in Seattle in 1861 as the Territorial University of Washington, decades before statehood in 1889. It moved to its present campus in northeast Seattle in 1895. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #19 in the United States and #43 in the world. It admitted 39.2% of applicants for fall 2024. With its campuses in Bothell and Tacoma, UW has some 56,000 students and an endowment of about $6 billion (2025). UW ranks in the US top 35 in nearly every broad field we measure, led by the earth sciences, computer science, and social work. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, UW is a national leader in several specialties: How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is University of Washington known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of Washington

    Cost of Degree: $12,643
    Expenses: $21,909
    Starting Salary: $83,105
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  54. #45

    Duke University

    Durham , NC
    #1 Best Online Christian Colleges and Universities for Doctoral Degrees 2026 #1 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2026 #6 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #14 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026

    Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #16 in the United States and #39 in the world. It admitted 5.7% of applicants for fall 2024, and admitted students had a median SAT score of 1535. Duke grew out of a small school in Randolph County that became Trinity College. In 1890 the tobacco entrepreneur Washington Duke offered $85,000 to bring the college to Durham, where it moved in 1892. In 1924 his son, James B. Duke, created The Duke Endowment, and the school took the family’s name. Duke’s influence is broad, with its strongest showing in nursing and the humanities and social sciences. Its leading broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Duke ranks #1 in the US in parapsychology, a legacy of the Parapsychology Laboratory that J.B. and Louisa Rhine started at Duke in the 1930s, and #1 in internet security. It is #2 in virtue ethics (behind only Notre Dame) and in sociobiology (behind only Harvard). By comparison, Duke sits further back in chemistry (#30), physics (#31), and mathematics (#32). Read more

    What is Duke University known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at Duke University

    Cost of Degree: $65,805
    Expenses: $21,267
    Starting Salary: $113,937
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  55. #46

    University of Southern California

    Los Angeles , CA
    #9 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #15 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #15 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #18 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    The University of Southern California, in Los Angeles, was the state’s first private research university, founded five years before Stanford largely through the efforts of Judge Robert Widney. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #17 in the United States and #40 in the world. It admitted 9.8% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1500 and a median ACT score of 33. It was affiliated with the Methodist church in its early years, but its charter barred denying admission on the basis of race. Today it enrolls more than 48,000 students, about a quarter of them from abroad. USC’s influence is led by social work, where it ranks #4 in the world, and by the health professions. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, USC is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, USC sits further back in mathematics (#37), physics (#37), and nursing (#43). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is University of Southern California known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of Southern California

    Cost of Degree: $68,237
    Expenses: $22,216
    Starting Salary: $103,420
    Cost Recoup Time: 15 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  56. #47

    University of Zurich

    The University of Zürich is a public research university located in the city of Zürich, Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland, with its 28,000 enrolled students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine which go back to 1525, and a new faculty of philosophy. Read more

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  57. #48

    Tsinghua University

    #12 Best Schools in the World for Earning an MBA Degree Ranked for 2026

    Tsinghua University was founded in 1911 as Tsinghua College. In the modern Pinyin transliteration system, the name would be written as “Qinghua”; however, the university retains the older spelling for official purposes. Tsinghua University was built on the site of the former imperial gardens maintained by the Ming and Qing Dynasties.During the Qing Dynasty’s tumultuous last years, the Boxer Rebellion broke out in 1899. The rebellion targeted the many foreign embassies and private companies that had been occupying parts of China for decades, as well as Chinese Christians and others. After the bloody rebellion was put down in 1901 by an alliance of foreign powers, including the US, heavy reparations (“indemnities”) were imposed on China. Initially, China’s assessment to indemnify the US was set at $30 million. However, the administration of US President Theodore Roosevelt agreed to lower this amount by almost two-thirds, on the condition that the remaining indemnity be used to set up a scholarship fund for Chinese students to pursue their higher education in the US. As a part of this agreement, Tsinghua College was established to serve as a college preparatory school for China’s US-bound students. Read more

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  58. #49

    National Autonomous University of Mexico

    The National Autonomous University of Mexico is a public research university in Mexico. A portion of is a UNESCO World Heritage site that was designed and decorated by some of Mexico’s best-known architects and painters of the 20th century. The campus also hosted the main events of the 1968 Summer Olympic Games. All Mexican Nobel laureates are alumni or faculty of UNAM. UNAM is known for its rigorous admissions, with acceptance rates often under 10%. Its research and education are also globally recognized for their excellence and impact. UNAM was founded, in its modern form, on 22 Septembe... read more

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  60. #50

    Carnegie Mellon University

    Pittsburgh , PA
    #10 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #16 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #16 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #19 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, formed in 1967 when the Carnegie Institute of Technology merged with the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #22 in the United States and #47 in the world. It admitted 11.7% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1535 and a median ACT score of 34. Andrew Carnegie funded the Carnegie Technical Schools in 1900; they became the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1912. Carnegie Mellon’s influence is concentrated in computer science, engineering, and economics. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Carnegie Mellon is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, Carnegie Mellon sits further back in religious studies (#87), anthropology (#128), and nursing (#161). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Carnegie Mellon University known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at Carnegie Mellon University

    Cost of Degree: $63,274
    Expenses: $19,868
    Starting Salary: $125,257
    Cost Recoup Time: 12 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  61. #51

    University of Edinburgh

    In spite of dating back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the University of Edinburgh is only the fourth-oldest university in Scotland (after St. Andrews, Glasgow, and Aberdeen), hence the sixth-oldest in the English-speaking world (with Oxford and Cambridge, of course, in first and second positions). As the city of Edinburgh itself grew in importance, however, its university also came to dominate its Scottish rivals. That is why, for such a relatively “young” university, Edinburgh is associated with a quite remarkable list of intellectual luminaries, including the following, including, during the seventeenth century, the well-known Presbyterian theologian, Samuel Rutherford. During the following eighteenth-century – the Scottish Enlightenment – Edinburgh was home to a veritable galaxy of celebrated thinkers, including: During the Victoria era, two of the most-influential scientists of all time, the naturalist Charles Darwin and the physicist James Clerk Maxwell, both studied here. Other nineteenth-century, Edinburgh-connected scientists include the botanist Robert Brown (the first person to observe what is now called “Brownian motion”); the physician Joseph Lister (a pioneer of antiseptic surgery); and Alexander Graham Bell (the inventor of the telephone). Read more

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  62. #52

    University of Minnesota

    Minneapolis , MN
    #6 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #6 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #6 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #22 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2026

    The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, traces its roots to a preparatory school founded in Minneapolis in 1851, seven years before statehood; it became a college in 1869. With campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul, it is one of the largest universities in the country, with about 52,000 students. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #21 in the United States and #46 in the world. It admitted 79.8% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1400 and a median ACT score of 28. It is the flagship of the University of Minnesota System, which also has campuses in Crookston, Rochester, Duluth, and Morris. Minnesota’s influence is broad, led by nursing, psychology, and medicine. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Minnesota is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, Minnesota sits further back in criminal justice (#33), literature (#34), and religious studies (#71). Read more

    What is University of Minnesota known for?

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of Minnesota

    Cost of Degree: $16,488
    Expenses: $16,378
    Starting Salary: $74,314
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  63. #53

    King's College London

    King’s College London is a public research university located in London, England. King’s was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King’s became one of the two founding colleges of the University of London. It is one of the oldest university-level institutions in England. In the late 20th century, King’s grew through a series of mergers, including with Queen Elizabeth College and Chelsea College of Science and Technology , the Institute of Psychiatry , the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospit... read more

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  64. #54

    Brown University

    Providence , RI
    #10 15 Colleges with the Happiest Freshmen #17 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #17 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #20 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, is the seventh-oldest institution of higher learning in the US. It was founded as Rhode Island College in Warren, moved to Providence in 1770, and in 1804 took the name of the Brown family, its longtime benefactors. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #24 in the United States and #54 in the world. It admitted 5.4% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1545 and a median ACT score of 34. Its founders, a group of Baptist ministers working with Quakers, Congregationalists, and Anglicans, wrote into its charter that there would be no religious test for entrance. Brown’s influence is spread across the humanities, mathematics, and the social sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Its highest-ranked specialties in our data are: By comparison, Brown sits further back in psychology (#49), criminal justice (#60), and nursing (#62). Read more

    What is Brown University known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at Brown University

    Cost of Degree: $68,230
    Expenses: $19,418
    Starting Salary: $99,974
    Cost Recoup Time: 15 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  66. #55

    Goethe University Frankfurt

    Goethe University Frankfurt is a public research university located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was founded in 1914 as a citizens’ university, which means it was founded and funded by the wealthy and active liberal citizenry of Frankfurt. The original name in German was Universität Frankfurt am Main. In 1932, the university’s name was extended in honour of one of the most famous native sons of Frankfurt, the poet, philosopher and writer/dramatist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The university currently has around 45,000 students, distributed across four major campuses within the city. Read more

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  67. #56

    University of Wisconsin–Madison

    Madison , WI
    #6 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #7 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #7 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #7 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026

    The University of Wisconsin–Madison was founded when Wisconsin became a state, and its charter placed it in the capital, Madison. It is the flagship of the University of Wisconsin System. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #23 in the United States and #53 in the world. It admitted 45.2% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1450 and a median ACT score of 31. Wisconsin research produced the discovery of the first vitamin, vitamin A, by Elmer McCollum and Marguerite Davis; the anticoagulant warfarin, from Karl Paul Link’s work on sweet clover disease in cattle; and the first line of human embryonic stem cells, made by James Thomson in 1998. UW–Madison’s influence is broad, led by sociology, history, and the natural sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, UW–Madison is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, UW–Madison sits further back in nursing (#51), business (#51), and religious studies (#75). Read more

    What is University of Wisconsin–Madison known for?

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of Wisconsin–Madison

    Cost of Degree: $11,205
    Expenses: $17,700
    Starting Salary: $80,330
    Cost Recoup Time: 8 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  68. #57

    University of Buenos Aires

    The University of Buenos Aires is a public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was established in 1821. It has educated 17 Argentine presidents, produced four of the country’s five Nobel Prize laureates, and is responsible for approximately 40% of the country’s research output. Read more

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  69. #58

    Free University of Berlin

    The Free University of Berlin is a public research university in Berlin. It is one of Germany’s most prestigious universities, with a particular emphasis on the humanities and political science. The Free University of Berlin was founded in West Berlin in 1948 with American support during the early Cold War period as a Western continuation of the Friedrich Wilhelm University, or the University of Berlin, whose traditions and faculty members it retained. The Friedrich Wilhelm University , being in East Berlin, faced strong communist repression; the Free University’s name referred to West Berlin... read more

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  70. #59

    University of Geneva

    The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin as a theological seminary. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for enlightenment scholarship. Today, it is the third largest university in Switzerland by number of students. Read more

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  72. #60

    University of Hamburg

    The University of Hamburg is a public research university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by combining the previous General Lecture System , the Hamburg Colonial Institute , and the Academic College . The main campus is located in the central district of Rotherbaum, with affiliated institutes and research centres distributed around the city-state. Seven Nobel Prize winners and one Wolf Prize winner are affiliated with UHH. Read more

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  73. #61

    Georgetown University

    Washington , DC
    #2 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2026 #18 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #18 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #21 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    Georgetown University, in Washington, DC, is a Catholic university founded in 1789 by John Carroll, the first Catholic bishop in what is now the United States. It has been closely associated with the Jesuits since 1805, though its governance has always been independent of the Church. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #28 in the United States and #71 in the world. It admitted 12.9% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1470 and a median ACT score of 33. In the 1870s the Jesuit priest Patrick Francis Healy rebuilt it on the model of the modern research university, a period sometimes called its “second founding.” Today it has about 19,000 students, most of them not Catholic. Georgetown’s influence is led by law, political science, and criminal justice, all in the US top 10. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Georgetown is a national leader in several specialties: Read more

    What is Georgetown University known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at Georgetown University

    Cost of Degree: $65,081
    Expenses: $23,660
    Starting Salary: $110,516
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  74. #62

    Uppsala University

    Uppsala University is a public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. Initially founded in the 15th century, the university rose to significance during the rise of Sweden as a great power at the end of the 16th century and was then given relative financial stability with a large donation from King Gustavus Adolphus in the early 17th century. Uppsala also has an important historical place in Swedish national culture, and identity for the Swedish establishment: in historiography, religion, liter... read more

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  75. #63

    University of Virginia

    Charlottesville , VA
    #7 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #8 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #8 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #8 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026

    The University of Virginia (UVA), in Charlottesville, was founded by Thomas Jefferson, who also served as its main architect. It received its charter in 1819, and its first classes began in 1825. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #25 in the United States and #64 in the world. It admitted 16.8% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1475 and a median ACT score of 33. Jefferson chose the site in 1817 with James Monroe, James Madison, and Chief Justice John Marshall, intending a modern university free of the religious requirements then imposed by the College of William & Mary. UVA’s influence is led by law, followed by the social sciences and humanities. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, UVA is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, UVA sits further back in mathematics (#42), social work (#49), and chemistry (#52). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is University of Virginia known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of Virginia

    Cost of Degree: $22,323
    Expenses: $18,940
    Starting Salary: $96,468
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  76. #64

    Boston University

    Boston , MA
    #19 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #24 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #3 Best Colleges in Massachusetts 2026 #3 Best Research Universities in Massachusetts 2026

    Boston University is a private research university whose main campus stretches along the Charles River in Boston. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #29 in the United States and #73 in the world. It admitted 11.1% of applicants for fall 2024, and admitted students had a median SAT score of 1475. BU traces its roots to the Newbury Biblical Institute, a Methodist school founded in Vermont in 1839, which moved to Concord, New Hampshire, in 1847 and to Boston in 1867. Boston University was chartered in 1869, and its charter barred any religious test for students or faculty, unusual for its time. BU’s influence is strongest in the humanities and the helping professions. Its leading broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: In several specialties it ranks near the very top: #1 in the US in global studies (#2 in the world), #2 in immunochemistry (behind only Columbia), #3 in cognitive behavioral therapy (behind Penn and Yale), and #4 in environmental ethics. By comparison, BU sits further back in engineering (#48) and chemistry (#59). Read more

    What is Boston University known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at Boston University

    Cost of Degree: $65,168
    Expenses: $21,195
    Starting Salary: $89,087
    Cost Recoup Time: 16 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Boston University’s Online Degrees

    BS in Undergrad Completion Program
    • Required Credits: 64
    • Format: Fully online
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  78. #65

    University of California, San Diego

    La Jolla , CA
    #8 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #9 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #9 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #9 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026

    The University of California, San Diego , is a public land-grant research university in San Diego, California. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego is the southernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California, and offers over 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, enrolling 33,096 undergraduate and 9,872 graduate students. The university occupies near the coast of the Pacific Ocean, with the main campus resting on approximately . Read more

    What is University of California, San Diego known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of California, San Diego

    Cost of Degree: $15,265
    Expenses: $23,240
    Starting Salary: $96,197
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  79. #66

    Rutgers University

    #1 15 Best Online Colleges for Veterans to Start Their Careers 2026 #1 Most Affordable Online Criminal Justice PhDs (Doctorates) 2026 #1 Top 20 Easiest Online Degrees from Accredited Schools in 2026 #1 10 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Accounting Programs 2026

    Rutgers University’s full official name is Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Rutgers traces its roots to Queen’s College, which was founded in 1766, making it the thirteenth-oldest university in the US. In 1825, Revolutionary War hero and philanthropist Henry Rutgers made a large financial contribution to the school, which in turn changed its name to Rutgers College. Rutgers College was upgraded to full university status in 1924, and in 1945 Rutgers was officially designated The State University of New Jersey. Today, Rutgers comprises three main campuses (New Brunswick-Piscataway—the flagship campus—Newark, and Camden), with over 4000 faculty members spread across 175 academic departments and a total student body approaching 70,000. Rutgers is associated with six Nobel Prize laureates, namely: Among other prominent Rutgers-connected people, we may note the following: Read more

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  80. #67

    McGill University

    McGill University is the direct descendent of McGill College, founded by royal charter in 1821 and largely funded by a bequest from the Scottish-born Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist, James McGill. The university took its present name in 1885. Though situated on the slopes of Mount Royal in the heart of French-speaking Montreal (with a satellite campus on the westernmost tip of Montreal Island), McGill was founded as an English-speaking institution, and remains so to this day. Today, McGill is a flourishing, internationally focused university with a student body of around 40,000—one of the largest in Canada. McGill is associated with 12 Nobel laureates—the most of any Canadian university—and one Turing Award winner, who are listed below. Other prominent McGill-connected individuals include the following: Fine Arts and Literature Humanities and Social Sciences Film, Photography, and Performing Arts Media, Law, and Public Affairs Read more

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  81. #68

    Imperial College London

    The origins of Imperial College London (ICL) can be traced back to the Royal College of Chemistry, founded in 1845. In 1853, this school was merged with the Royal School of Mines, established two years previously. The modern Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine (ICL’s official name) was established by royal charter in 1907 through merger of the Royal School of Mines with the Royal College of Chemistry and the City and Guilds College. Imperial College Medical School was formed in 1988 through merger with St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School (itself dating back to 1845), while in 2004 a brand-new Imperial College Business School opened its doors. It is important to note that in 1907 ICL merged with the University of London for administrative purposes, while retaining its own identity as to curriculum, faculty, staff, and students. In 2007, on the one-hundredth anniversary of obtaining its royal charter, ICL became completely independent once again. Read more

    What is Imperial College London known for?

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  82. #69

    University of São Paulo

    The University of São Paulo is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian public university and the country’s most prestigious educational institution. USP is involved in teaching, research and university extension in all areas of knowledge, offering a broad range of courses. Read more

    What is University of São Paulo known for?

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  84. #70

    Sciences Po

    The Paris Institute of Political Studies , also known as Sciences Po or Sciences Po Paris, is a public research university located in Paris, France, that holds the status of grande école and . The institute has decentralized campuses in Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Poitiers and Reims, each with their own academic program focused on a geopolitical part of the world. Sciences Po historically specialized in political science and history, then it progressively started to expand to other social sciences such as economics, law and sociology. Read more

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  85. #71

    National Taiwan University

    National Taiwan University is a national comprehensive public research university in Taipei, Taiwan. It has been regarded as the most prestigious university in Taiwan. The university was founded in 1928 during Japanese rule as the seventh of the Imperial Universities. It was named Taihoku Imperial University and served during the period of Japanese colonization. After World War II, the Nationalist government assumed the administration of the university. The Ministry of Education reorganized and renamed the university to its current name on November 15, 1945, with its roots of liberal traditio... read more

    What is National Taiwan University known for?

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  86. #72

    University of Helsinki

    The University of Helsinki is a public research university located in Helsinki, Finland, since 1829, but founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as the Royal Academy of Åbo, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available. In 2020, around 31,600 students were enrolled in the degree programs of the university spread across 11 faculties and 11 research institutes. Read more

    What is University of Helsinki known for?

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  87. #73

    Technical University of Munich

    The Technical University of Munich is a public research university in Munich, Germany. It specializes in engineering, technology, medicine, and applied and natural sciences. Established in 1868 by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, the university now has additional campuses in Garching, Freising, Heilbronn, Straubing, and Singapore, with the Garching campus being its largest. The university is organized into seven schools, and is supported by numerous research centers. It is one of the largest universities in Germany, with 50,467 students and an annual budget of €1,839.2 million including the univers... read more

    What is Technical University of Munich known for?

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  88. #74

    Stockholm University

    Stockholm University is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, it is one of the largest universities in Scandinavia. Read more

    What is Stockholm University known for?

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  90. #75

    University of British Columbia

    The University of British Columbia (UBC) was founded in 1908. For the first several decades of its existence, the university’s activities were modest in scope. In 1925 a bold program to transform UBC into a modern research university was put into effect. At this time the main campus was transferred from the Fairview neighborhood just south of downtown Vancouver, to a larger campus at Point Grey about six miles to the west. Today, UBC is the third-largest university in Canada. In addition to the main campus there is a satellite campus in the city of Kelowna. In all, the UBC student body tops 66,000 souls. UBC is home to Canada’s national high-energy physics laboratory (TRIUMF), which houses a 520-million electron-volt, cyclotron-style, particle accelerator—the world’s largest. Other cutting-edge UBC scientific facilities include the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies and the Stuart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute. UBC is connected with eight Nobel laureates, namely: Read more

    What is University of British Columbia known for?

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  91. #76

    University of Manchester

    With more than 40,000 students, Manchester is the largest single-site university in the United Kingdom. While it traces its roots back to the Manchester Mechanics’ Institute founded in 1824, the present university was formed by the merger of University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) and Victoria University of Manchester in 2004. Manchester can boast of some 25 Nobel laureates (including four who are on staff today) among its faculty and students, including such great physicists as J.J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, Niels Bohr, and Hans Bethe. In fact, it was at Victoria University of Manchester, in 1911, that Rutherford performed one of the most celebrated experiments in the history of science. In order to investigate the structure of the atom, Rutherford and his assistants repeatedly fired “alpha particles” (hydrogen nuclei) at a sheet of gold foil. While most of the particles went straight through the sheet, a small number of them were scattered at different angles, including a few that were reflected 180° backwards. Rutherford correctly interpreted this to mean that the atom consists of a small kernel (nucleus) surrounded by a large expanse of empty space—the “Rutherford model” of the atom. He later said that these results were so unexpected, he could not have been more surprised if he had fired a gun at a piece of tissue paper and the bullet had bounced back at him! Read more

    What is University of Manchester known for?

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  92. #77

    Complutense University of Madrid

    The Complutense University of Madrid is a public research university located in Madrid. Founded in Alcalá in 1293 , it is one of the oldest operating universities in the world. It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighboring city of Pozuelo de Alarcón. It is named after the ancient Roman settlement of Complutum, now an archeological site in Alcalá de Henares, just east of Madrid. Read more

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  93. #78

    University of Pittsburgh

    Pittsburgh , PA
    #10 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #10 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #11 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #25 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) traces its roots to the Pittsburgh Academy, founded in 1787 when Pittsburgh was a frontier outpost, which makes it the oldest continuously chartered educational institution west of the Allegheny Mountains. It became the Western University of Pennsylvania in 1819 and took its present name in 1908. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #31 in the United States and #87 in the world. It admitted 58.1% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1370 and a median ACT score of 31. It moved to its Oakland campus in 1909. Its signature building, the 42-story Cathedral of Learning, opened for classes in 1931 and is one of the tallest academic buildings in the world. Pitt’s influence is led by philosophy, where it ranks in the US top 15, and by medicine. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Pitt is a national leader in several specialties: Read more

    What is University of Pittsburgh known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of Pittsburgh

    Cost of Degree: $21,524
    Expenses: $16,922
    Starting Salary: $73,113
    Cost Recoup Time: 11 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  94. #79

    Washington University in St. Louis

    St. Louis , MO
    #19 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #20 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #23 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #1 Best Grad Schools in Missouri 2026

    Washington University in St. Louis, founded in 1853, is a private research university just west of the St. Louis city limits. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #33 in the United States and #92 in the world. It admitted 12.1% of applicants for fall 2024, and admitted students had a median SAT score of 1535. WashU’s influence is concentrated in the life sciences and medicine. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: In radiology WashU ranks #4 in the US. The pattern reflects the long scientific record of its School of Medicine, where Carl and Gerty Cori, Arthur Kornberg, and Rita Levi-Montalcini did Nobel Prize–winning work. By comparison, WashU sits further back in psychology (#57), earth sciences (#66), and sociology (#72). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Washington University in St. Louis known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at Washington University in St. Louis

    Cost of Degree: $62,982
    Expenses: $25,506
    Starting Salary: $91,497
    Cost Recoup Time: 16 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    Washington University in St. Louis’s Online Degrees

    BS in Integrated Studies
    Degree Concentrations
    • Humanities
    • Social Science
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: 4 years
    • Format: Fully online
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  96. #80

    Dartmouth College

    Hanover , NH
    #20 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #21 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #24 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026 #1 Best Research Universities in New Hampshire 2026

    Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire, was founded in 1769 and is the ninth-oldest university in the US and a member of the Ivy League. Despite its name, it is a full research university that grants doctoral degrees. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #34 in the United States and #97 in the world. It admitted 5.4% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1535 and a median ACT score of 34. Its founder, the Congregationalist minister Eleazar Wheelock, named it for William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, a major donor to his earlier school for Native American boys. Dartmouth admitted its first Black students in 1775. Dartmouth’s influence is spread across business, the humanities, and computer science. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Its highest-ranked specialties in our data are: By comparison, Dartmouth sits further back in anthropology (#80), social work (#82), and criminal justice (#96). Read more

    What is Dartmouth College known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at Dartmouth College

    Cost of Degree: $65,511
    Expenses: $22,054
    Starting Salary: $111,162
    Cost Recoup Time: 14 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  97. #81

    Weizmann Institute of Science

    The Weizmann Institute of Science is a public research university in Rehovot, Israel, established in 1934, 14 years before the State of Israel. It differs from other Israeli universities in that it offers postgraduate-only degrees in the natural and exact sciences. Read more

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  98. #82

    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

    Chapel Hill , NC
    #9 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #9 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #12 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #12 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026

    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founded in 1789, is the flagship and oldest campus of the 16-university UNC System, and it is often considered the oldest public university in the country. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #35 in the United States and #105 in the world. It admitted 15.3% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1460 and a median ACT score of 31. Its 13 professional schools include the Kenan-Flagler Business School, the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and the Gillings School of Global Public Health. UNC’s influence is led by law and history, with strength across the humanities and social sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, UNC is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, UNC sits further back in engineering (#79), earth sciences (#81), and social work (#108). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    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:

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

    Cost of Degree: $8,989
    Expenses: $17,120
    Starting Salary: $81,094
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  99. #83

    University of Notre Dame

    Notre Dame , IN
    #3 50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities 2026 #21 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #22 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #25 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2026

    The University of Notre Dame, in Notre Dame, Indiana, was founded in 1842 by Edward Sorin, a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, which still runs it. It received its college charter from the Indiana General Assembly in 1844 and awarded its first degree in 1849. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #36 in the United States and #107 in the world. It admitted 11.3% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1507 and a median ACT score of 34. Under President Theodore Hesburgh, Notre Dame grew from a small Catholic college into a national research university. Its institutes include the Keough School of Global Affairs and the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. Notre Dame’s influence is led by religious studies, philosophy, and law, in keeping with its Catholic tradition. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Notre Dame is a national leader in several specialties: Read more

    What is University of Notre Dame known for?

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

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    Career Outlook for degree at University of Notre Dame

    Cost of Degree: $62,693
    Expenses: $20,578
    Starting Salary: $113,124
    Cost Recoup Time: 13 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  100. #84

    Waseda University

    Waseda University , abbreviated as Waseda or Sōdai, is a private research university in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as the Tōkyō Professional School by the former Prime Minister of Japan, Ōkuma Shigenobu, the school was formally renamed Waseda University in 1902. Read more

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  102. #85

    Ohio State University

    Columbus , OH
    #10 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online #10 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #13 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #13 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026

    Ohio State University was founded in 1870 as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College and took its present name in 1878. Its main campus is in Columbus, with regional campuses in Newark, Lima, Marion, Mansfield, and Wooster. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #37 in the United States and #108 in the world. It admitted 60.6% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1395 and a median ACT score of 30. As governor of Ohio, the future president Rutherford B. Hayes signed the 1870 law that founded it. With more than 68,000 students across its campuses, it is one of the largest universities in the US. Ohio State’s influence is broad, led by the earth sciences and psychology. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Ohio State is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, Ohio State sits further back in philosophy (#59), economics (#65), and religious studies (#91). Read more

    What is Ohio State University known for?

    Ohio State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Ohio State University

    Cost of Degree: $12,859
    Expenses: $18,372
    Starting Salary: $67,080
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  103. #86

    University of California, Santa Barbara

    Santa Barbara , CA
    #13 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #14 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #14 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #4 Most Affordable Colleges in California 2026

    The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), traces its roots to the Anna Blake School, a vocational school founded in 1891. It became Santa Barbara State College in 1921 and joined the University of California in 1944. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #38 in the United States and #109 in the world. It admitted 33.0% of applicants for fall 2024. Its 708-acre campus has its own beach, and its research centers include the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics and the Southern California Earthquake Center. UCSB’s influence is led by physics, the earth sciences, and sociology. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, UCSB is a national leader in several specialties: UCSB has no medical or nursing school, so it ranks low in those fields. How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is University of California, Santa Barbara known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Santa Barbara

    Cost of Degree: $14,965
    Expenses: $25,622
    Starting Salary: $82,568
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  104. #87

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Champaign , IL
    #2 15 Best Self-Paced Online Colleges Ranked for 2026 #11 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #15 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #15 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign began as the Illinois Industrial University in Urbana. Its first president, John Milton Gregory, insisted on a full range of liberal arts and science courses rather than vocational training alone. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #43 in the United States and #121 in the world. It admitted 42.4% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1415 and a median ACT score of 32. It is the flagship of the University of Illinois System and home to the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. It was there that John Bardeen, Leon Cooper, and John Schrieffer developed the BCS theory of superconductivity. Illinois’s influence is concentrated in computer science, mathematics, physics, and engineering. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Its highest-ranked specialties in our data are: Read more

    What is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign known for?

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

    Cost of Degree: $18,060
    Expenses: $17,638
    Starting Salary: $87,599
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  105. #88

    University of Maryland, College Park

    College Park , MD
    #12 Best Value Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #16 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #16 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #16 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026

    The University of Maryland, College Park, is the flagship of the University of Maryland system. It descends from the Maryland Agricultural College, founded in College Park in 1856, which merged with the University of Maryland in Baltimore in 1920. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #41 in the United States and #115 in the world. It admitted 44.8% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1465 and a median ACT score of 33. The college survived the Civil War, when it briefly became a boys’ preparatory school, and a 1912 fire that destroyed most of its buildings. Today the College Park campus has more than 41,000 students. Maryland’s influence is led by physics, criminal justice, mathematics, and computer science. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Its highest-ranked specialties in our data are: By comparison, Maryland sits further back in anthropology (#99), literature (#102), and religious studies (#174). Read more

    What is University of Maryland, College Park known for?

    University of Maryland, College Park’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Maryland, College Park

    Cost of Degree: $11,505
    Expenses: $19,380
    Starting Salary: $89,228
    Cost Recoup Time: 8 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  106. #89

    University of Rochester

    Rochester , NY
    #22 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2026 #24 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2026 #4 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2026 #4 Best Private Colleges in New York 2026

    The University of Rochester is a private research university in Rochester, New York, chartered in 1850 by faculty and students who left Madison University (now Colgate University) in Hamilton. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #40 in the United States and #114 in the world. It admitted 40.1% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1475 and a median ACT score of 32. Its best-known units include the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, the Institute of Optics, and the Eastman School of Music. Rochester’s influence is led by physics and economics. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Its highest-ranked specialties in our data are: By comparison, Rochester sits further back in literature (#112), religious studies (#113), and criminal justice (#117). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is University of Rochester known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Rochester

    Cost of Degree: $64,348
    Expenses: $21,614
    Starting Salary: $88,358
    Cost Recoup Time: 16 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    University of Rochester’s Online Degrees

    BSN in RN to BSN
    • Required Credits: 128
    • Completion Time: 4.5-5.5 years
    • Format: Fully online
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  108. #90

    Purdue University

    West Lafayette , IN
    #1 Top 20 Best Military Friendly Online Colleges Ranked for 2026 #11 America's 15 Most Technologically Advanced Colleges #15 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #17 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026

    Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana, was founded in 1869 with support from the industrialist John Purdue to train students in agriculture and engineering. It opened in 1874. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #39 in the United States and #111 in the world. It admitted 49.9% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1340 and a median ACT score of 30. By 1925 it had more engineering students than any other US university, and it remained the country’s largest engineering school for the next half-century. The Purdue system also has campuses in Hammond, Fort Wayne, Columbus, and Indianapolis, with nearly 75,000 students in all. Purdue’s influence is led by engineering, chemistry, and computer science. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Purdue is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, Purdue sits further back in literature (#75), anthropology (#102), and religious studies (#117). Read more

    What is Purdue University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Purdue University

    Cost of Degree: $9,992
    Expenses: $14,890
    Starting Salary: $80,082
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  109. #91

    Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

    The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology is a public research university located in Haifa, Israel. Established in 1912 under the dominion of the Ottoman Empire, the Technion is the oldest university in the country. The Technion is ranked as one of the top universities in both Israel and the Middle East, and in the world’s top 100 universities in the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities. Read more

    What is Technion – Israel Institute of Technology known for?

    Technion – Israel Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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  110. #92

    Paris-Saclay University

    Paris-Saclay University is a combined technological research institute and public research university in Paris, France. Paris-Saclay was established in 2019 after the merger of four technical grandes écoles, as well as several technological institutes, engineering schools, and research facilities; giving it fifteen constituent colleges with over 48,000 students combined. Read more

    What is Paris-Saclay University known for?

    Paris-Saclay University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    Compare school
  111. #93

    University of Arizona

    Tucson , AZ
    #3 15 Best Online Colleges for Veterans to Start Their Careers 2026 #18 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #19 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #19 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026

    The University of Arizona, in Tucson, was founded in 1885, when Arizona was still a territory; it entered the Union in 1912. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #44 in the United States and #122 in the world. It admitted 86.1% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1285 and a median ACT score of 25. Because the territory had no high schools, the university also offered college-preparatory classes for its first 23 years. Today it has 19 schools and colleges, including the James E. Rogers College of Law and a College of Medicine with campuses in Tucson and Phoenix, and about 46,000 students. Arizona’s influence is led by anthropology, physics, and the earth sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Arizona is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, Arizona sits further back in social work (#83), religious studies (#114), and nursing (#119). Read more

    What is University of Arizona known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Arizona

    Cost of Degree: $13,277
    Expenses: $19,500
    Starting Salary: $67,414
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary

    University of Arizona’s Online Degrees

    BA in Africana Studies
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BAS in Administration of Justice
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Care, Health and Society
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Emergency Medical Services
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Accounting
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BAS in Cyber Operations
    Degree Concentrations
    • Engineering
    • Defense & Forensics
    • and Cyber Law & Policy
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Communication
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BAS in Early Childhood
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Bachelor of General Studies in Economy and Industry
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Environmental Science
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Bachelor of General Studies, in Arts, Media and Entertainment
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Bachelor of General Studies in Global and Intercultural Understanding
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Global Media
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Government and Public Service
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Human Rights Practice
    • Format: Fully online
    BAS in Human Services
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
    • Required Credits: 128
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Business Administration
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Geographic Information Systems Technology (GIST)
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Literacy, Learning and Leadership
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Information Science and ESociety
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BAS in Organizational Leadership
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Psychology
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Law
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Political Science
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BAS in Regional Commerce
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BAS in Intelligence and Information Operations
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in History
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Philosophy: Ethics
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Biology
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Nutritional Sciences
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BA in Spanish
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Bachelor of General Studies in Sports and Society
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Public Health
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    BS in Sustainable Built Environments
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Bachelor of General Studies in Social Behavior and Human Understanding
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Bachelor of General Studies in Science, Technology, Health and Society
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Format: Fully online
    Compare school
  112. #94

    University of California, Irvine

    Irvine , CA
    #19 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #20 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #20 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #5 Most Affordable Colleges in California 2026

    The University of California, Irvine , is a public land-grant research university in Irvine, California, United States. One of the ten campuses of the University of California system, UCI offers 87 undergraduate degrees and 129 graduate and professional degrees, and roughly 30,000 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students are enrolled at UCI as of Fall 2019. The university is classified among “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity”, and had $523.7 million in research and development expenditures in 2021. UCI became a member of the Association of American Universities in 1996... read more

    What is University of California, Irvine known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Irvine

    Cost of Degree: $14,237
    Expenses: $24,814
    Starting Salary: $83,432
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  114. #95

    Pennsylvania State University

    #5 15 Best Online Colleges for Veterans to Start Their Careers 2026 #21 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #1 Best Online Master's Programs in Pennsylvania 2026 #1 Best Online Colleges in Pennsylvania 2026

    Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) was founded in 1855 as the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania. In 1862, the school’s name was changed to the Agricultural College of Pennsylvania. In 1874 it was changed once again, this time to Pennsylvania State College, at which time a classical liberal arts curriculum was married to the agricultural training program. In 1953, under the presidency of Milton S. Eisenhower—the brother of former US Army Supreme Commander and then–US President, Dwight D. Eisenhower—the college was upgraded to Pennsylvania State University. With 23 campuses statewide in addition to the flagship University Park campus, Penn State is the first-tier public university system in Pennsylvania (the University of Pennsylvania being a private institution). With a total student population of more than 96,000, it is one of the largest universities in the US. Prominent Penn State connected individuals include the following: Read more

    What is Pennsylvania State University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

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  115. #96

    University of Florida

    Gainesville , FL
    #1 Most Affordable Graduate Schools Ranked for 2026 #2 Online Colleges with the Most Generous Financial Aid in 2026 #2 Top 15 Best Online Colleges for Transfer Students in 2026 #3 15 Best Self-Paced Online Colleges Ranked for 2026

    The University of Florida (UF), in Gainesville, traces its roots to the East Florida Seminary, founded in Ocala in 1853 as the state’s first publicly supported institution of higher learning. In 1905 the state merged its public colleges into a single university, which opened in Gainesville in 1906 and took its present name in 1909. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #50 in the United States and #137 in the world. It admitted 24.2% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1400 and a median ACT score of 31. UF is the flagship of Florida’s state university system, with 16 academic colleges, more than 150 research centers and institutes, and more than 56,000 students, including online students. UF’s influence is broad, led by biology, medicine, history, and nursing. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, UF is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, UF sits further back in sociology (#77), psychology (#84), and religious studies (#104). Read more

    What is University of Florida known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Florida

    Cost of Degree: $6,381
    Expenses: $16,220
    Starting Salary: $78,456
    Cost Recoup Time: 7 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  116. #97

    Michigan State University

    East Lansing , MI
    #21 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #22 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #23 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026 #2 Best Colleges in Michigan 2026

    Michigan State University, in East Lansing, was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the US. It served as a model for the land-grant colleges created under the Morrill Act of 1862 and became Michigan’s land-grant college in 1863. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #53 in the United States and #146 in the world. It admitted 84.8% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1270 and a median ACT score of 28. It took its present name in 1964. With nearly 50,000 students, it is one of the largest universities in the US. Michigan State’s influence is led by business, nursing, and biology. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Michigan State is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, Michigan State sits further back in philosophy (#66), anthropology (#69), and religious studies (#70). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Michigan State University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Michigan State University

    Cost of Degree: $17,270
    Expenses: $16,680
    Starting Salary: $74,168
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
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  117. #98

    University of Utah

    Salt Lake City , UT
    #7 15 Best Online Colleges for Veterans to Start Their Careers 2026 #22 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #23 50 Best Public Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2026 #24 50 Best Public Grad Schools 2026

    The University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret, the year Congress created the Utah Territory. It took its present name in 1892 and moved to its East Bench campus in 1900. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #52 in the United States and #144 in the world. It admitted 86.0% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1285 and a median ACT score of 25. Once closely tied to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is now a secular university with about 33,000 students. Utah’s influence is led by computer science, where it ranks in the US top 20. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, Utah is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, Utah sits further back in philosophy (#101), nursing (#121), and religious studies (#145). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is University of Utah known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at University of Utah

    Cost of Degree: $9,315
    Expenses: $21,298
    Starting Salary: $72,729
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  118. #99

    Indiana University Bloomington

    Bloomington , IN
    #10 Most Affordable Colleges and Universities in the U.S. 2026 #2 Most Affordable Colleges in Indiana 2026 #2 Best Public Colleges in Indiana 2026 #2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2026

    Indiana University Bloomington (IU), founded in 1820, is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Its 16 schools offer some 550 degree programs and certificates, with business and communications among the most sought-after. By our measure of academic influence, it ranks #30 in the United States and #83 in the world. It admitted 78.2% of applicants for fall 2024; admitted students had a median SAT score of 1285 and a median ACT score of 30. IU’s influence is led by nursing, communications, and the social sciences. Its strongest broad fields, by US rank in our data, are: Within those fields, IU is a national leader in several specialties: By comparison, IU sits further back in religious studies (#54), physics (#57), and engineering (#71). How we measure influence: these ranks come from the citations and recognition earned by a school’s faculty and alumni in each discipline, not from surveys or admissions statistics. See our methodology. Read more

    What is Indiana University Bloomington known for?

    Indiana University Bloomington’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    Career Outlook for degree at Indiana University Bloomington

    Cost of Degree: $11,790
    Expenses: $17,110
    Starting Salary: $70,105
    Cost Recoup Time: 9 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
    Compare school
  120. #100

    Osaka University

    Osaka University, abbreviated as Handai, is a public research university located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is one of Japan’s former Imperial Universities, a Designated National University and listed as a “Top Type” university in the Top Global University Project. The university is often ranked among the top three public universities in Japan, along with the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University. Read more

    What is Osaka University known for?

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

    Most Influential Alumni

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The above ranking consists of the 100 best universities in the world today. Our complete ranking of the world’s best universities, however, consists of almost 20,000 schools. The full ranking is available here (scroll down and click “next” to run through the entire ranking).

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What Makes a University Great?

AcademicInfluence.com’s global ranking of colleges and universities puts the focus where it needs to be, namely, on influence. Our ranking spotlights those schools that have rich histories of hiring influential faculty and of shaping alumni who become influential.

By focusing on influence, this ranking underscores the academic accomplishments, scholarly excellence, and intellectual firepower of the people associated with the world’s top colleges and universities. Consequently, this ranking shows where you are most likely to work with the brightest faculty and students throughout the world.

University rankings can focus on many different factors, including expected income of graduates, satisfaction of students, attractiveness of campus, extracurricular benefits, competitive athletics, affordability of tuition, and even tastiness of cuisine. In fact, all these factors have been used to create university rankings. This ranking, by contrast, is substantial, focusing on what truly makes a school great.

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How We Ranked the Best Universities in the World

For this 2025 ranking of the best universities in the world, we significantly updated and upgraded our InfluenceRanking™ engine. This engine currently provides an internationally balanced influence-based ranking of the best schools around the world. Our full ranking includes 19,775 schools as gauged by the influence scores of the academic persons associated with them - notably faculty and alumni. In this article, we feature the top 100 universities from that full worldwide ranking.

Influence provides the master criterion for this global ranking of the best universities. Our InfluenceRanking™ engine uses machine learning to quantify influence, providing an objective ranking of the world’s top universities. Our engine uses publicly available data sources, such as Wikipedia, Wikidata, CrossRef, and Semantic Scholar. For an international university ranking like this, we cast our data net as wide as we could. Thus, with Wikipedia, for instance, we used the 40 most popular languages in which Wikipedia appears (in fact, Wikipedia appears in 325 languages).

Using such data, our InfluenceRanking engine assesses the influence of academic individuals based on their scholarly footprint. An academic’s scholarly footprint includes their publications, citations to their work, associated web searches and page views, and authortative web links related to them. Our machine-learning algorithm measures the influence in an academic person’s scholarly footprint. It then associates these by-person influence measures with the institutions where they have taught, researched, and/or and learned. The colleges and universities thus receive cumulative influence scores for all the academic influencers associated with them. For more on this, see our methodology and InfluenceRanking engine white papers.

AcademicInfluence.com’s ranking of the world’s best universities is thus ultimately based on how the world’s most influential academics have helped to raise the influence of their associated schools. In this regard, the web analytics underlying this ranking far exceed those of other global university rankings, such as QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) and the Shanghai Ranking. Many global university ranings depend overwhelmingly on subjective features, such as reputation surveys. QS and Shanghai, to their credit, put a premium on publications, citations, and academic awards. But our web analytics delve much deeper into the scholarly footprint of the academic influencers and what actually makes them influential.

Countries with the Most Top-Tier Universities

How do American universities stack up against their foreign competition in this ranking? Close to half of the world’s 100 best universities (45 to be exact) are in the United States. Of the top ten universities in the world, eight are in the United States. Of the top twenty, thirteen are in the United States.

If one focuses on countries that have the most top-tiered schools per capita, Israel and Switzerland, because of their small populations, come up on top. Israel has four: Hebrew University, Tel Aviv, Technion, and Weizmann. Switzerland has three: ETH, Geneva, and Zurich.

Asian universities also loom large in this ranking. Japanese schools are well represented (Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka), but so are some up-and-coming schools in China (Peking and Tsinghua).

Cities with High Concentrations of Top Global Universities

The city with the highest concentration of top universities is London, with four (LSE, University College, Imperial College, and King’s). That said, the UK schools at the very top are - no surprise here - Cambridge and Oxford, which are located outside London.

Paris has three schools in our top 100 (Sorbonne, Sciences et Lettres, and Saclay). This concentration in Paris makes sense because in French higher education, Paris was always the place to be. German higher education, by contrast, always tended to be more decentralized, distributed more evenly among university towns, with typically one school to a municipality (Berlin and Munich being exceptions).

Among American cities, New York, Boston, and Los Angeles have two top 100 schools (Columbia and NYU in New York, Harvard and MIT in Boston, UCLA and USC in Los Angeles). Chicago also comes into the mix if you treat Northwestern, in the adjacent suburb of Evanston, as belonging to the Chicago area (the University of Chicago being the other top 100 school in the vicinity).

If you expand Los Angeles to include the Los Angeles metro area, then you’ll need also to include Caltech and UC Irvine, along with UCLA and USC. In that case, Los Angeles can be considered as tied with London for the highest concentration of top 100 schools.

Top Global Universities with a Distance or Online Component

Some of the best Universities in the world offer distance learning, including some on this list. University College London, which appears at the #27 spot in this ranking, introduced distance learning, spanning a full range of studies and degrees, back in the 19th century. It did this to educate English persons who were living abroad in the age of empire and colonialism. Back then, distance learning was conducted by ordinary mail, and schools, in doing distance learning, were essentially correspondence schools.

With the internet, all that has changed, and distance learning nowadays happens in real-time with students going online. Consistent with its history, UCL is still a leader in distance learning. The University of Arizona, which leads AcademicInfluence.com’s ranking of the best online colleges in America, appears in this global ranking of universities at the #74 spot.

American schools in this ranking are also highly ranked in online education, especially for online graduate degrees.:

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Image Credit: St. John’s College, Cambridge University.

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