Find the most influential colleges and universities in the world in nearly 25 academic disciplines
Find brilliant thinkers for your research papers and bibliographies. Using our proprietary AI program, we have ranked everyone in Wikipedia, Wikidata, Schematic Scholar, and CrossRef based on the number of citations, publications, and academically relevant web presence. This is how we find the most influential people in the world.
We then gather all the faculty and alumni associated with a college or university and attribute the people’s influence to their schools. Hence, the most influential schools are those that employ and graduate the most influential faculty and alumni.
Students and parents now have the easiest and fastest way to find colleges and universities with histories of impacting the world through their scholarship. If you ever wanted to find schools that have the most influence in engineering or in literature, you now can!
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If you are searching for your ideal college , our Build Your Own College Rankings tool has more options to help you find the right school for your degree. Methodology: How and Why We Rank by Influence …
List of the most influential schools in Nursing,
Redstone College was an American for-profit institution of higher learning owned by Alta Colleges Inc. that had two campus locations in Colorado, one in Broomfield, and the other in Westminster, and a third location in Inglewood, California.
Western State College of Law at Westcliff University is a private, for-profit law school in Irvine, California. It offers full and part-time programs and is approved by the American Bar Association. Western State pays a fee to receive services from the Association of American Law Schools .
Kendall College at National Louis University is a culinary arts and hospitality management college of National Louis University, a private university in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1934 as an independent college and later became a subsidiary of Laureate Education, Inc. On August 6, 2018, National Louis University received approval from the Higher Learning Commission and the U.S. Department of Education to transfer Kendall College's programs and other assets from Laureate Education to the university.
California Intercontinental University is a private for-profit online university based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It was established in 1996. CIU offers 21 degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, enrolling over 850 undergraduate and graduate students.
Harrington College of Design was a for-profit college in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois, USA, that closed in 2015. It offered students programs leading to either a master's, bachelor's or associate's degree upon completion of the interior design, digital photography or communication design programs. Each program was credentialed with multiple levels of accreditation. The college was owned by Career Education Corporation.
California Miramar University is a private for-profit university in San Diego, California. The university offers degree programs through distance education and a combination of on-line and classroom delivery. It is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission.
The University of Atlanta was a private, for-profit, distance education university headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It opened in Mobile, Alabama as Barrington University until it received accreditation in 2008. It relocated to Atlanta in 2008 and changed to University of Atlanta and was authorized by the State of Georgia's Nonpublic Post Secondary Education Commission. Until it closed June 30, 2013, the University of Atlanta was accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council.
Bethany University was a four-year private coeducational Christian university located in Scotts Valley, California, in Santa Cruz County. It operated from 1919 until closing in 2011 and was endorsed by the Assemblies of God USA, a Pentecostal denomination, and was the denomination's oldest college at the time of its closure. It was formerly called Glad Tidings Bible Institute, Bethany Bible College and Bethany College.
Rai University is a private university located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The university was established in 2012 by the Rai Foundation through the Gujarat Private Universities Act , 2012, the same act which established Indus University.
The Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design is a private for-profit art school in Lakewood, Colorado. The college was founded in 1963 by Philip J. Steele, an artist and teacher. History RMCAD was established in 1963 by Philip J. Steele, an artist and educator. In January 1963, Phillip J. Steel purchased the Art for All Studios school from Dorothea Seeley Shulenburg . Steele renamed the school "Rocky Mountain School of Art" as a proprietorship and later incorporated the school on September 11, 1972. The college relocated several times as it increased enrollment. In 2003, the college moved from its three-building Denver location to its current and larger location in the suburb of Lakewood.
Las Vegas College was a for-profit college in Henderson, Nevada. In 2009 it became Everest College. History Founded in 1979 in Las Vegas by Betty Krolak under the name Krolak Business Institute, Barbara A. and E.T. Paulus purchased the Institute in December 1980 and incorporated it under the name of TO-Ba Corporation.
The Arizona Summit Law School was a for-profit law school in Phoenix, Arizona, that operated from 2005 to 2018. The law school was known until 2013 as the Phoenix School of Law, and was a part of the InfiLaw System of independent, for-profit law schools, which includes Florida Coastal School of Law and Charlotte School of Law, owned by Sterling Partners.
Mount Washington College was a for-profit college in New Hampshire, United States. Until 2013 it was known as Hesser College. It was owned by Kaplan, Inc., and offered associate and bachelor's degrees focused in business and information technology, and claimed a flexible class scheduling system tailored to a diverse group of students. It was accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges .
Missouri College was a for-profit college in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1963, the school was accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. Missouri College offered bachelor's degrees in Healthcare Management and specialized associate degrees in Business Administration, Dental Hygiene, Allied Health, and Occupational Therapy Assisting. Massage Therapy was one of the several diploma programs offered in the college catalog.
ATI Enterprises, also known as ATI Schools and Colleges and ATI Training Center, was a group of career training schools operating in the southern and western United States. The company imploded in 2013 under a burden of multiple lawsuit, legal claims and financial issues.
Washington Technology University was an American private university based in Bellevue, Washington. The school offered a bachelor's degree in information security targeted at local residents wanting to join the Seattle technology industry, and admitted its first class in January 2018. On October 22, 2021, the Washington Student Achievement Council denied Washington Technology University's application for renewal of authorization to operate in Washington. WTU had been authorized to operate in Washington State since 2017, and offered one degree program at its campus in Bellevue, Washington. T...
Florida National University is a private for-profit university in Hialeah, Florida. It was established in 1988. The student body is diverse, though primarily Hispanic. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .
Minneapolis Business College was a for-profit career college in Roseville, Minnesota. It was founded in 1874 and moved to its current suburban location in 1983. It had nearby housing for students but over half of students came from the immediate Twin Cities area. MBC awarded diplomas and associate degrees. It closed in December 2019.
Fox College is a Private for-profit college with its main campus in Tinley Park, Illinois. It originally was founded in 1932, and most students come from the Chicago area. Fox College awards associate degrees.
Charlotte School of Law was an independent for-profit college in Charlotte, North Carolina established in 2006. It was provisionally accredited by the American Bar Association in 2008, and fully accredited in 2011. However, the ABA placed the school on probation in 2016, resulting in the school's closure the following year. While Charlotte Law served the community through expungement programs and restitution self-help clinics, it was also criticized for alleged mismanagement and compliance issues, which were later found to be true. Charlotte Law was owned by the InfiLaw System.
National Paralegal College is a private for-profit online college headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona and focused on legal education. It is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission.
King's College was a for-profit college in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1901, over half of students came from the Charlotte area. There was also on-campus housing for students. King's College awarded both diplomas and Associate's degrees.
Blair College is now Everest College, a for-profit college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Everest College offers career college programs in a variety of areas including business, health care, legal and technology.
The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences is a private for-profit technical school specializing in audio recording, audio engineering and production education with its main location in Tempe and a satellite campus in Gilbert, Arizona. It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and approved by the Arizona State Board of Private Postsecondary Education.
Nyenrode Business Universiteit is a Dutch business university and the only private higher education institution that has the university status in the Netherlands. Founded in 1946, it is located on a large estate in the town of Breukelen, between Amsterdam and Utrecht. The educational institution is named after the castle where the course is located: . Nyenrode was founded under the name of the Netherlands Training Institute for Abroad by renowned private Dutch companies, including KLM, Shell, Unilever, Philips, and AkzoNobel, with the objective 'For Business, By Business'. The establishment...
Kee Business College is the former name of a for-profit college with branches in Chesapeake and Newport News, Virginia. Kee became a part of the Everest College system of colleges. Everest Institute offers classes in Business Accounting, Homeland Security, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, Medical Insurance Billing & Coding, Medical Administrative Assisting and Dental Assisting.
California Northstate University College of Medicine is a private for-profit medical school located in Elk Grove, California, and is one of the four colleges of California Northstate University, granting the degree of Doctor of Medicine . Although the proposed California Northstate University hospital will operate on a not-for-profit basis, CNUCOM will remain a for-profit educational institution. The college of medicine was approved by the WASC in August 2013 and gained preliminary accreditation in June 2015 and provisional accreditation in June 2019 by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education .
Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine is a private, for-profit osteopathic medical school. Founded in 2016, ICOM is located at the Meridian campus of Idaho State University . At ICOM, students can earn a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree.
Southern States University is a private for-profit university with its headquarters in San Diego, California. It is owned by Tepper Technologies, Inc., and has three locations, two in Southern California and one in Nevada . SSU is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.
American National University, formerly National Business College, is a private for-profit university with multiple campuses in the United States, including Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky. History The university was founded in 1886 as a business school in Roanoke, Virginia. It later expanded to a national business school and developed multiple campuses.
Trident University International is a private for-profit online university based in Chandler, Arizona. It is a member of the American InterContinental University System and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Platt College San Diego was a private for-profit college in San Diego, California. The college's academic programs focused on digital design. Platt College San Diego was accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges . The college ceased offering classes in 2023, citing "rising costs since the pandemic, low enrollments, and not being able to renew the lease".
University of Advancing Technology is a private for-profit university in Tempe, Arizona. Founded in 1983, UAT integrates technology into its general education requirements. The institution offers core classes , as well as deep sets of courses in each major. Each student is required to complete a "Student Innovation Project" and internship to graduate.
New England College of Business is a Private college in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1909, NECB grants associate, bachelor's, and graduate degrees in Business, Digital Marketing and International Business. It is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. As of 2020, the school no longer operates independently and is a subdivision of Cambridge College.
University of the Rockies was a private university in Denver, Colorado. It operated from 1998 to 2018 and offered graduate and postgraduate instruction in the social and behavioral sciences both online and at its Denver Instructional Site. The university's programs were organized into two schools: The School of Professional Psychology and the School of Organizational Leadership , offering masters and doctorate degrees as well as graduate level certificate programs. The university's parent organization, Zovio, is a for-profit higher education company based in San Diego, California.
Florida Coastal School of Law was a private for-profit law school in Jacksonville, Florida. It was established in 1996 and was the last operating of three for-profit law schools of the InfiLaw System owned by Sterling Partners. Because of funding and accreditation issues, the school closed its doors in 2021. U.S. News & World Report ranks Coastal Law 147-193, its lowest law school ranking. In July 2022, the school had the lowest Florida bar passage rate of all Florida law schools, at 31%.
Columbia Southern University is a private for-profit online university in Orange Beach, Alabama. History Columbia Southern University was founded in 1993 by Robert G. Mayes, Sr. The university developed its first degree programs in Environmental Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health in 1994. By 1996 additional degree programs were developed and offered: The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, followed by Computer Science, Criminal Justice Administration, and Health Administration.
Mildred Elley is a private, for-profit college offering two-year programs as well as professional certifications with campuses in Albany, and New York City, New York and in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1917 by Augusta Mildred Elley, a local woman who was educated at a college in New York City, the school initially educated women for secretarial positions. With installation of a new president in 1985, the school expanded its programs and secured degree-granting authority from the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York.
McNally Smith College of Music was a private for-profit music school in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Initially founded in 1984 as the Guitar Center of Minneapolis, it was renamed Musictech College and moved to St. Paul in 2001. The school was renamed again as McNally Smith College of Music by the school's two founders, Jack McNally and Doug Smith, to memorialize themselves on the school's 2005 20th anniversary.
Ashworth College is a private, for-profit online college based in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. Ashworth College previously had Madison School of Healthcare as a subsidiary but no longer does. The institution also held the subsidiaries of PCDI Canada and James Madison High School.
Bradford School was a private for-profit college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Bradford awarded both diplomas and specialized associate degrees. After 50 years of operations, Bradford School announced that it would no longer enroll new students as of June 2018 at its Pittsburgh location due to declining enrollment and changes to the area that impacted operations. Career Services for graduates and alumni ceased April 30, 2019.
Pioneer Pacific College was a private for-profit college with its main campus in Beaverton, Oregon. Founded in 1981, it primarily offered Associate degrees and certificate programs. History Pioneer Pacific College began in 1981 as an electronics school in Corvallis, Oregon, named Skilltronics. Founded by Irene and James Childers, the training school was moved to Wilsonville in 1983. Pacific Education Corporation purchased Skilltronics in 1989 and changed the name to Pioneer Pacific College with accreditation coming in 1995. Former Oregon legislator Kelly Clark co-owned the college in the early...
The Los Angeles Film School is a for-profit college in Los Angeles, California offering associate and bachelor's degrees in majors relating to the entertainment industry. The school encompasses the Los Angeles Recording School and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
Notre Dame of Midsayap College is a private, Catholic basic and higher education institution run by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Midsayap, Cotabato, Philippines. Established by the Oblates on 13 June 1941 making it as the First Notre Dame School in Asia and in the Philippines, it was the first in the long list of schools named Notre Dame in the Philippines that form the Notre Dame Educational Association under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the school Patroness and St. Eugene De Mazenod as the school's patron saint.
Civil Service College Singapore is a college and statutory board under the Public Service Division of the Prime Minister's Office that provides education to civil servants of the Government of Singapore.
Carey Theological College is Baptist theological institute based in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is affiliated with the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada. History The Carey Theological College was founded in 1959 as Carey Hall by the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada. It officially opened in 1960. In 1991, it was renamed Carey Theological College.
City College is a private college in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded in 1984 as a branch of Draughons Junior College before becoming separate in 1989. In addition to its main campus, City College has additional locations in Gainesville, Hollywood, Miami, and Orlando. The college offers ten associate degrees and three bachelor's degrees and is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.
Tallinn University is a public research university in Estonia. Located in the centre of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn University is one of the three largest institutions of higher education in the country. Both QS World University and Times Higher Education rankings place it among the top 1000 universities in the world.